"And, you know, whether that is a better person with other people or just a better person in just my own life, the effort is there."
"Every year you do this, you really learn more," LeeAnne shares. "You experience more, you make mistakes and you grow, you hope. And for those of us like me who, I really want to be good at what I do -- wow, season one was just, like, mistake! And then, season two was like, 'You tried but you didn't quite get there,' and then season three was like, 'OK, we got control of things, we're good.' And then, this season, I just was like, 'Here's the deal: I'm gonna be happy, and you're gonna make me happy or you're gonna go away.'"
LeeAnne also dishes about her relationships with D'Andra Simmons. "I'm most excited for the audience to see the genuine struggle that is my and D'Andra's relationship," LeeAnne admits. "I was happy that it was as authentic as it was."
"I want the audience to understand both of us, to understand why sometimes things may not be easy for either one of us, you know?" she adds. "I mean, I really think, for the first time, our viewers are going to get to see the authentic relationship that I don't even know that D'Andra realizes that is our relationship, and how it existed."
“I will tell you, our relationship is better than any roller coaster in any country -- by far,” she says. "She thinks a lot before she speaks," LeeAnne notes. "D'Andra thinks about what she wants to say and, instead of listening to what I'm saying, which is a chance to connect, she's thinking about how she’s gonna present what she's gonna say, so that we can 'connect.'"
LeeAnne also opens about her relationship with Brandi Redmond, which she reveals that the two actually connected off-camera at the reunion, and decided to move forward and support each other.
"For the first time, Brandi and I got to a point where being friends was more important than anything else," she told Entertainment Tonight. "We need to be to the point of respecting each other, you know? And so, it's nice! Look, Brandi is fun. When Brandi is fun, I could pee myself laughing, she’s so fun, you know? And I love being with her! I love having fun with Brandi."
However, the same can't be said about her relationship with new cast member Kary Brittingham.
"Yeah, the new girl and I are not friends… or friendly," LeeAnne teases. "She believes she's an alpha, and we all know I am. So, in her mind, I think it was, come in and take the old alpha out and show me how to do things the right way and ‘the best way,’ her way. And I'm just not big on doing things other people's way."
"I think sometimes when you're new, you think you gotta come in and beat your chest," she continues. "You know, show the old lioness that the new lioness can do things better. The problem is, the old lioness has a lot of kills under her belt."
LeeAnne hopes to move forward with all the women in the group, even D'Andra and Kary.
"My favorite Bible verse is Acts 2:25, 'I pitch my tent in the land of hope,'" she shares. "I'm always hopeful."
Photo Credit: Getty Images, Bravo
