Filed under: Exclusives, Television
BV Buzz can report exclusively that 'Real Housewives of ATL' star Lisa Wu Hartwell is leaving the hit Bravo reality series.
Speculation that the originating cast member from the 'ATL' franchise was leaving the show began earlier this spring when talk that she was only shooting on a limited production schedule surfaced online.
Now BV Buzz has learned that the 38-year-old real estate mogul, who is currently married to retired NFL star Ed Hartwell, parted with Bravo "amicably" over "creative differences."
"They basically wanted to script elements of Lisa's life and make her amp up the drama. She wasn't with that at all. Lisa felt like if her real life alone wasn't enough for the network, then maybe it was time for her to go," a source cl
ose the production told BV Buzz.
Hartwell, the ex-wife of R&B singer Keith Sweat, will be featured on "as many as three" episodes of the new season; however she will not be featured in the season three photos and opening visuals.
"The part where the ladies hold the peaches when the show opens up, she didn't participate in that shoot," the source added.
Hartwell I'm told "feels good" about leaving the show - though her rep would not comment on our story - and apparently already has several post-'Real Housewives' gigs lined up.
Hartwell shot a film called 'Black Ball' that's coming out and begins production on another movie opposite Robert Downey Jr. in Los Angeles starting in late Aug.
The biracial star - she's half Chinese and Afro-Caribbean - also debuted her first book, 'When The Cake Is Already Made' during the Essence Music Festival this past July.
The the Inglewood, Calif.-bred mother of three is the second original 'Real Housewives of ATL' star to leave the series. After season one, Bravo replaced former NBA wife DeShawn Snow after declaring she was "boring" on the series. Her slot was filled by singer/songwriter Kandi Burruss.
When season three of the NAACP Image Award-nominated series returns to Bravo in Oct., the show will feature the addition of two new housewives - attorney Phaedra Parks and former model Cynthia Bailey.
Bravo had not returned requests for comment at press time.
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For related stories, read also: 'Kandi Burruss: 'Real Housewives of ATL' Star Lands New Record Deal'
& 'Lisa Wu-Hartwell: Exposing Secrets About Season Three of 'Real Housewives of Atlanta.''
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