Corinne Olympios is so much more than her Bachelor in Paradise scandal or the best possible choice to be the next Bachelorette.
Now that the summer’s controversy has been resolved as well as it can be, she’s all about looking forward and giving interviews on the subject.
She talks her recovery from the scandal, what her new project is, and … whether or not she’d give it another go with Nick Viall.
On a weekend in early June, news broke that Bachelor in Paradise production was shut down after concerns following some sort of sex romp between Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson.
A couple of producers had been concerned about the (relatively) softcore hookup, worrying that they had witnessed a sexual assault given the involvement of alcohol.
Though alcohol can absolutely impair someone’s ability to consent, it eventually turned out that there was no sexual assault.
That internal investigation might have been avoided if Corinne had been able to remember her hookup with DeMario.
The reason that she blacked out was an unforeseen interaction between her prescription medication and the alcohol that she was consuming.
Some meds can have that effect if mixed with only a small amount of alcohol.
Unfortunately, some people jumped to conclusions, accusing DeMario Jackson of being a rapist — which no one involved, Corinne included, had suggested — or trying to slut-shame Corinne.
Some people did both, because people can be awful.
DeMario Jackson did what he could to shut down that talk, but rumors and accusations like those don’t go away easily.
It takes time.
But it sounds like Corinne is, slowly but surely, moving on.
Yesterday, in an interview with The Daily Beast, Corinne Olympios talked about what it’s been like in the aftermath of the summer’s scandal.
"I’m just really glad that it’s all kind of unfolding, that people are seeing the bigger picture, as opposed to just like ‘media scandal in Paradise.’ I’m really happy that everyone’s moving past it now."
We’re glad, too. For her sake and for DeMario’s.
"It’s honestly like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I was so nervous, I was afraid that there would be even more backlash, but I’m really glad that it’s done."
Honestly, Bachelor in Paradise handled the resolution reasonably well.
Closure is a good way to close the book on a scandal.
"I never thought it would be like this. It’s never easy, especially for my friends and family, seeing this stuff in the media — they’ll see something in an article and be like, ‘Is this true? What’s true, what’s not true?’"
Corinne herself didn’t remember, so she had to find out some things with the rest of us.
"It was just really hard because I was trying to keep myself OK and also keep my close friends and family OK at the same time."
It’s always harder when the people who love you are going through it with you.
And then, of course, the recently single again Corinne is asked if she would date Nick Viall again, if given the chance.
"No probably not, honestly. We’re friends! I love the guy, but just as friends."
That’s probably wise.
By the way, these days, Corinne is working on something scripted.
That’s super exciting — not every reality star is cut out to make the leap from unscripted drama to bringing someone else’s artistic vision to life.
But we believe that Corinne has what it takes.
And now Corinne is sharing a little more about what that’s going to be about.
For starters, this show is about dating as a Millennial.
(Corinne is 24, and definitely a Millennial, so we don’t think that this is going to be awful like that so-bad-but-still-not-funny The Great Indoors show)
"I think people just get so worked up about creating, like, dating pages, or … I feel like it just becomes such a topic of conversation, like, ‘Oh my God, who are you dating? What kind of guy are you going to date? Does this person even look like their picture?"
That’s true.
Even if someone’s just perusing through Tinder or Grindr beside you, most of us snoop and offer some advice, solicited or otherwise, and who is or isn’t a good match.
There’s a lot of comedic potential, there.
"I just feel like there are so many questions and new ways of dating, so it’s comical in itself."
Yep.
In general, Corinne’s life is pretty okay these days.
"I’m really just taking my time to be with friends and family, to heal, and just really working on myself."
"I’m just gonna keep doing all this great stuff, I’m not going to stop, I’m going to keep doing what I love, and I trust myself to lead me to the right path."
We’re sorry that she didn’t get her chance to be on Bachelor in Paradise for the full season, but we’re pretty eager to see this scripted show.
And to see wherever else her career takes her next.