Farrah: I loved that little flashback. The edit was hilarious.

Alexia: I always believed the boys. So when I saw that I wasn't shocked.

Q: Obviously, there was built-in interest in the new season of "Buying Beverly Hills" because of the curiosity over your parents' split. And we learn that cameras were rolling the day news leaked in the press that your parents had separated. What do you remember about that day? Did production allow you all time to take it in before they got the cameras back up?

Sophia: We were in Aspen [Colorado] as a family without cameras. And I think cameras arrived two days after. So we basically had that experience in one day where we all saw the article. And it was kind of shocking to all of us. Then we had a day to process, I guess, and figure out how we were going to open up about this on camera and how open we were gonna be and how we're gonna go about it off-camera and on-camera... We weren't going to change everyone's schedule [since] a lot of the rest of the cast [were] coming to meet us.

Alexia: There was nothing we could do about it. They were coming, it was scheduled. The article came out. It was the day before Fourth of July. We were just putting on happy faces going about, trying to be normal. And then cameras were coming the next day. So it was just very little time to really process before the cameras were there.

Sophia: And that conversation that we had on camera was actually really the first conversation we had as a family because Farrah, I think, arrived that day. And prior to that, it was kind of—

Alexia: Just us ...

Sophia: I broke down, and I had my dad come in my room, and then my mom come in my room; kind of like one-on-one. The next day, I was keeping to myself so that conversation on camera really was the first sit-down conversation we had.

Q: Describe to me what it was like trying to process it between both shows?

Farrah: So odd. I think we're maybe a little jaded because, like Sophia said, we don't really feel like the cameras are there sometimes. It's just natural that we know that, yes, this is what we signed up for. So there is some sort of expectation — and it's kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't. If we don't, then everyone is going to come for us anyways. I think we were fine to share what we did. I think we were very honest and open. And when you think, "OK, now we have to do this on two shows" — but we weren't thinking like that. We're used to this, and it just feels kind of par for the course, in a way.

Q: There has been some criticism that your mom was guarded or too cryptic about the real story behind the breakdown of the marriage. How do you feel about that criticism and what people feel like they should have access to as a viewer?

Alexia: Honestly, it makes me really sad and really mad for anyone coming after our mom for not sharing enough. I know she got a lot of heat for that on "Housewives." "Housewives" had finished filming by the time that article came out and, as we just mentioned, that was the first time we spoke about it as a family. People were demanding answers from my mom, the public was demanding answers from my mom — and we weren't even ready to talk about it internally, we never had. Above all, she's a mom, she's protecting us. Everyone needs to realize that. Even if she is or isn't ready to share, everything she does is with us in mind.

Farrah: Show does not come No. 1. She will give as much as she can, but she's a mom and she's looking out for us. I don't know if people realize she's truly navigating in real time. She hadn't figured out all the things. It is so much to juggle... How do you protect your family? How do you appease an audience? Whatever it is. We are very protective of her because we think she did an amazing job, given all the circumstances, and doesn't get enough slack. She's a human being.

Q: Your mom, on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," and your dad, on "Buying Beverly Hills," offer contrasting points of view on what the struggles in their marriage are. What, if anything, did you learn from seeing their takes side by side like this? Did anything they said on camera surprise you?

Sophia: I'm going to skip that question.

Alexia: I mean, the reality is, there's two sides of every story and people are getting asked different questions. We're navigating it all, and I don't really know how to answer that.

Q: Where we're at in the run of reality TV and the very online culture we live in, people are both savvier and more skeptical about the reality they are presented. Some people suspect your parent's separation is a publicity stunt or find the timing a little too convenient. What do you say to that?

Sophia: I think that's the most frustrating claim because it's something we're actually going through as a family, and for everyone to be accusing us of basically, faking this whole thing for a good storyline is rude and offensive and insensitive to what we're going through. This is not easy for us. So I just wish everyone would be empathetic and understanding and not crazy people. Who does that?

Q: When you look 10 years into the future, do you see yourself continuing to live your life on TV? Or do you hope your family will have pulled back by then?

Farrah: Oh, 10 years is a long time. I don't know about that.

Alexia: I don't know. I think what I've learned recently is just that you really never know where life takes you.

Farrah: Never say never. We're going on, what?, Year 13 or something.

Q: So many of the children of "Housewives" have come of age and could, theoretically, become the next generation. Could you ever see yourselves joining "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," or is that just not appealing at all?

Farrah: I would have to think long and hard before entering that arena.

Alexia: I feel like Sophia gives the most "Real Housewives" vibe. Would you?

Sophia: I'd have to think about that. I really don't know.

Alexia: I guess we'll see what happens.

Sophia: I wouldn't shut it down now.

Alexia: Yeah, that's another thing. I'm open to many opportunities. I think the "Housewives" could be kind of kind of fun.

Sophia: Totally.

Farrah: Should we all become "Housewives"?

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.