In May, Bravo confirmed that Bozoma Saint John, a high-profile executive with promising stints at Netlix, Endeavor and Uber, had joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for its 14th season.
The news sparked a flurry of industry rumors, as it’s rare for someone with a resume like Saint John – the Ghana native served as chief marketing officer for the streamer from 2020 to 2022 – to go from strategy talks in elite boardrooms to on-camera appearances on reality TV, where brawls, catfights and quick-witted catchphrases are the norm. Then again, Saint John is used to people talking about her actions.
As she took another step – from the red carpet to a seat in the Intuit Dome at the opening ceremony and concert with Bruno Mars – The Hollywood Reporter met with Saint John to discuss why she said yes Housewiveswhether there is a way back into the boardroom one day and how she now feels about life after Netflix.
What reactions did you receive from friendly executives and colleagues from the top management when it became known that you Housewives pour?
You already know the answer to that. Everyone was like, “What the hell are you doing?” I find it so funny and I would say, “But you behave differently in the boardroom than those women on TV.” The point is, we have all these human interactions and communications with moments of connection. There will be moments of conflict and moments of reconciliation. All of these things happen behind closed doors, but on a show like this, you happen to see those moments on TV. For me, it’s a way to meet a new group of people that I haven’t interacted with before. Well, except for a few, but those were just casual interactions because we run in similar circles. I see it as a way to explore, communicate and get to know people.
Did you have any concerns about showing your life on reality TV?
OK, I can tell you that because you’ve seen the different phases (of my career). And I was never afraid of the moves I made — ever. This is probably a bigger issue, but honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been supported for any move I’ve made. People have always questioned that. Of course, in hindsight, people will say, “Yeah, I knew she should have left Apple to go to Uber.” And, “Yeah, I knew she should have left Uber to go to Endeavor.” And, “Yeah, I knew she should have left Endeavor to go to Netflix.” But in those moments, people disapproved of my moves until I made them my own. That’s the point of what I’m doing now. That’s really my move and that’s what’s working for me right now.
Do you think there is a way back into the boardroom after this?
Yes, yes, yes. Basically, I don’t know what the future holds in five years. I’ve never actually done that and never approached my career in that way. I’m not someone who has plans for five to ten years. I live in the here and now and focus on what’s relevant to me right now. Wherever the future takes me, I’ll be open to it. The truth is, none of us know. We’ll see if I return to the boardroom.
So you don’t think: “If I do X now, will I be able to do Y later?”
That’s a good question, and maybe I’ll answer it differently by saying that I don’t calculate that way. What interests me is growth. I always want to learn. I want the new opportunities to teach me something. I’m not going to do something just because I feel like I’ve already mastered that (job). Every job I’ve had has taught me something new, and I’ve been able to build on that foundation with each new role. Even with (Real Housewives), I go into it with the foundation of all my previous work, knowing that it has prepared me for this field. The relationships I’ve made throughout my career in pop culture help me do that. I don’t know what role I’ll take on next or what I’ll do next, but I’m confident that what I’m doing now will evolve me and open those doors for me as well.
The last time I interviewed you was on another red carpet at an Emily’s List event, right after you left Netflix in 2022. Now that some time has passed, have you gained any insights or perspectives about your time there?
Gosh. That experience was so hard for me. Because I got the job at the beginning of the pandemic, the company was under so much pressure because everyone was focused on it. There were jokes back then about people sitting on their couches so long they got to the end of Netflix. We ended up making a commercial making fun of that. When I decided it was time to leave, it was actually just because I wanted to focus on my book. I know people didn’t understand that at the time because people are always looking for conflict or something bad. But the truth is, I have so much respect for (Ted Sarandos) and (Reed Hastings), and they really allowed me to even write my book while doing my job. Towards the end, I knew I had to promote it and dig deep into that process. My book wasn’t easy. It wasn’t like I wrote a book about climbing the corporate ladder. I wrote a book about loss and grief and to have to return to that place and carry that burden with me every day while promoting and doing my job? That would have been impossible. It was a difficult decision and I felt it was a risk to step back, but it was the right thing to do at the time. Honestly, I don’t know if I could have done it differently.
Bozoma Saint John poses with her book, The urgent lifeduring an event in New York on February 13, 2023. On RHOBHSaint John joins cast members Garcelle Beauvais, Erika Jayne, Dorit Kemsley, Kyle Richards and Sutton Stracke, with Kathy Hilton and Jennifer Tilly appearing as “friends” of the main characters.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
Your bank account is none of my business, so forgive me for asking, but was it hard to give up the Netflix paycheck?
The money is great, but baby, let me tell you: I’ve been very smart with it. I own stock in every company I’ve ever worked for, and I’m comfortable and content with that. This is tied to my personal life, because when my husband died, my daughter was 4. I looked at her future and mine and thought, holy crap. How can I take care of her and myself long-term? If I’m conservative in one area, it’s my money. My outfits aren’t conservative, but my spending is. My money is good.
It is an interesting topic that I would like to talk to you about, because the Real Housewives A franchise seems to be very much about money, prestige, status, etc. and everything that comes with it.
The only thing I can say about that is that I’m not a DEI leader. I never have been. I’m a Black woman. Every room I walk into, people look at me a certain way or say I make that room more diverse. Can I just be both? In this space, I feel a responsibility in some ways to highlight the fact that there are successful Black women in these spaces as well.
I’m speaking to you on the eve of the Democratic National Convention and Kamala Harris’ presidential nomination. Are you going to Chicago? Do you plan to support the campaign?
I’m so excited. I don’t know if you remember, but I was with Kamala Harris when she went to Ghana for a state visit. I was part of the delegation, so I’ve been in the Kamala Harris fan base for a long time as a supporter. I visited the White House many times when she was part of the current administration. Most recently I was there, probably in May or just before. I met with President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden. I believe in hope, the great hope for this nation. I support the idea that we don’t have to be one-dimensional. If there’s a woman who is Indian and Black, who went to a Black university, who worked as a lawyer in California, and can become President of the United States, why wouldn’t I want to support that? It’s incredible. You’ve seen all these calls lately – Black women for Kamala, women leaders for Kamala, and I just got a call for the diaspora for Kamala. I’m going to check off all the boxes. I want to use as many avenues of support as I can. I am very excited.
