Demetria McKinney: NeNe Leakes and Cynthia Bailey's Fallout "Had to Happen" - Exclusive

It’s probably safe to say that no one was shocked when Real Housewives of Atlanta’s NeNe Leakes fell out with Kenya Moore — or Marlo Hampton, for that matter. But when she announced on Watch What Happens Live last spring that she and former BFF Cynthia Bailey “aren’t cool anymore,” fans around the country were torn up over the end of their longstanding friendship. So why did this all happen?

With the Season 7 premiere of RHoA fast approaching, Wetpaint Entertainment had to know more about the state of this relationship. So we spoke with new “Friend of the Housewives” and Cynthia pal Demetria McKinney to get her take on what caused this game-changing fall out. And her response was very interesting…

“The bits and pieces of what I saw was a Type-A versus Type-B personality,” Demetria stated simply. If there’s any question on which one is which, let her clarify that for you. “Cynthia is very, very non-confrontational. She really likes peace. And she is the most beautiful servant-minded person I have ever met.”

This should not come as a shock to RHoA viewers, who have seen the supermodel be accused of being a “sidekick” to NeNe for many seasons. But according to Demetria, it’s just the way Cynthia’s selfless nature presents itself, and you shouldn’t confuse that with her not being aggressive in her own life (especially her career).

“For her to be as beautiful as she is, as accomplished as she is, and have her s—t together the way that she does, for her to be so… Even when I was with her during New York Fashion Week, every time she was taking a picture, she was bringing me along like her little sister. That’s not what a lot of people do,” the Season 7 newbie explains.

As for NeNe, Demetria says the future Broadway star “has to have attention — especially from somebody that she cares about.”

Though fans may be heartbroken over the end of the NeNe-Cynthia era, the “100” singer says that it’s actually a really good thing for everyone. “I’m really proud of [Cynthia],” she tells us. “I think the falling out had to happen in order for both of them to grow. I think NeNe needs to realize Cynthia is her own person, has her own mind, will make her own path. And Cynthia had to know that she could stand on her own two feet without that leverage. It’s good to have friends, but when your friends take you out of who you really are, it’s detrimental to anybody.”

Real Housewives of Atlanta premieres Sunday, November 9 at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.

Do you agree that NeNe and Cynthia’s friendship had run its course? Sound off in the comments below.

— Additional reporting by Brittany Tenenbaum

Article by: Samantha Lear