49
Credit: IPA/INSTARimages, Instagram
Ciara Miller took aim at Amanda Batula in an interview Tuesday, slamming her for not being a good friend to her and throwing shade her romance with West Wilson.
Targeting Amanda’s “victim” act, the suspect West, 31, struck up a romance with Amanda, 34, to get back at her for the backlash he faced years ago when they broke up. their own relationshipand described Cottage reunion as “cathartic,” Ciara, 30, explained how Mia Calabrese34 and KJ Dillard28, made her feel seen on the show, dished out season 11addressed her upcoming role on Dancing with the starsand more.
“Everybody’s always there for (Amanda). She never has to be there for anybody. She’s always the damsel in distress, always the victim,” Ciara said during a June 9 interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “In those six years, I don’t think she really ever had to be there for me. And not that a friendship is based on reciprocity, but it’s really clear now that there was no reciprocity on her end. I tried to hang out outside of the set, check on her, talk life into her.”
“She’s the ‘victim.’ She ‘just didn’t know,’ she’s ‘so ignorant,’ she ‘wants love,’ is she going to be alone forever? I’m not going to go back and rehash the past, but everything moving forward now is on the cutting room floor,” she continued. “Silence is an option. But I know things. I see things. I’m done protecting people by not saying anything. It’s really like a don’t-f*ck-with-me era. If you want it, you can have it. Don’t fuck with me.”
According to Ciara, she was “always a friend to (Amanda) and (Amanda) was never a friend to (her).”
Reflecting on the confirmation of Amanda and West’s romanceCiara said it felt “like a true break in the group of friends.”
“It was so clear that things would never be the same,” she noted.
Ciara then talked about West.
“I didn’t realize how much he hated me,” she said. “He got me good.”
“At this point I already know who he is, so I’m done wasting my breath on him,” she continued, adding shadowy, “(But) I’m pretty sure I enhanced his visibility.”
Of the reunion, which completed Tuesday eveningCiara said she went into the shoot wanting to leave everything on the floor.
“It was mind-blowing in a way to just be able to say what I needed to say directly to people’s faces and feel like I could close the chapter on this,” she explained.
Goes on to Mia Calabrese34 and KJ Dillard28, Ciara, who came along Cottage as its first Black cast member in season five said it felt good to have them by his side.
“When it’s just me, it’s easier to write off what you’re feeling,” she shared. “But when someone comes in who has felt the same exact things, you know these aren’t abstract thoughts. These are real. I feel like black women don’t really get the opportunity in the public eye to be loved and love freely without harassment or judgment to the nth degree.”
Looking ahead, Ciara said she was done trying to “maintain face.”
“Like, ‘Oh, this hurt my feelings, but I can’t even really express why it hurt my feelings because people think I’m going to bring up the race card and everyone is going to be totally freaked out and then immediately not hear what I have to say.’ It is unfortunate to have these conversations. It has to be strategic in a way where people don’t immediately have their walls up and they don’t go into defensive mode,” she reasoned.
“I’m so tired of wearing the damn mask. I’m so done trying to maintain a certain image so it’s digestible,” she added.
Afterwards, Ciara noted that she was not yet sure if she would return for season 11, pointing out that she would be in Fiji for five weeks to co-host Love Island: Aftersunand she wanted to start filming Dancing with the stars in August.
“I’m going to get back in the gym. I’m going to start running. I’m going to work on my endurance, my core strength and really prioritize stretching. I’m taking this so seriously,” she revealed.
