Getty Amelia Gray Hamlin in 2020
In a now-deleted Instagram story from July 29, 2020, Lisa Rinna’s daughter, Amelia Gray Hamlin, said that she is “forced” to film The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, according to People. In the Instagram story she had posted on her page, Hamlin was responding to a comment that claimed she was lying about having anorexia on air. In response, Hamlin wrote, “I usually don’t post these. Lying about a mental illness is disgusting. Something I hope nobody would ever do. I seriously can’t believe I’m being accused of lying about my anorexia to get more ‘air time’ sorry but I’m forced to be on the housewives by my mom. Ask anyone it’s the last thing I want to do. I couldn’t care less about air time. So f*** you.”
On The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Hamlin has been open and outspoken about her struggles with anxiety as well as anorexia. According to People, Hamlin first opened up about her struggles in 2018, and admitted to her mother on an episode last year that things were so bad she “could have died.”
In June 2019, Hamlin wrote an article for Glamour about her eating disorder, writing, “When you’re in recovery from an eating disorder, it’s so difficult to continue pushing through even when you have bad days where you just want to go back to your old habits. Sharing my story has helped keep me accountable. I want to be a role model, to be strong for all the people who look to me.”
Hamlin Clarified On Her Comments After Receiving Backlash
According to Us Weekly, Hamlin clarified her comments on her Instagram stories after receiving attention. On July 20, 2020, Hamlin posted another message, which read, “CAN EVERYONE PLEASE CALM DOWN AND STOP!!! My mom is so so amazing. She ‘encouraged’ me to be on the show in my opinion. I was 12 and didn’t know what it was going to be like. And I’m so glad she encouraged me to do so. I’ve been able to touch so many souls with my Story. I should have said ENCOURAGED NOT FORCED !!!! THAT WAS THE WRONG CHOICE OF WORDS. All I’m trying to say was that I’m not just on this show for a f****** storyline you guys chill.”
In the following story, Hamlin posted two pictures of herself in a mask, writing in the first picture, “Like would you wanna be on national television at 12??????????” and in the second picture, “I just literally said no to something I did not know anything about. My mom ENCOURAGED ME to do so. Obviously it’s been 6 years I could have stopped filming long ago can you all just chill. I haven’t cause I have a story to tell to HELP people and now I’ve become super close to all the women and I love them.”
According to Us Weekly, Rinna also took to Instagram on July 20, 2020, to speak out about what her daughter had said. “I may do a lot of things, but I don’t force anyone to do anything,” Rinna wrote on Monday via Instagram, “So chill.”
Rinna’s Other Daughter, Delilah Belle Hamlin, Has Also Spoken Out On The Show About Mental Health
Rinna’s second daughter, Delilah Belle Hamlin, has also spoken out on the show about her struggles with mental health. According to People, Hamlin suffered from mental health issues because of PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) when she was 11, which can cause children to “exhibit life-changing symptoms such as OCD, anxiety, tics, personality changes, decline in math and handwriting abilities, sensory sensitivities, restrictive eating, and more,” according to PANDAS Network. Hamlin and her mother have opened up about this experience on the show before in past seasons.
During an episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 8, Rinna told her costars about the experience during a dinner in Berlin. According to People, Rinna said of Hamlin, “She had step throat and three days later she said to me, ‘I’m not getting on the bus to go to school.’ We had to have a doctor come to the house. She would not leave the house. She was instantly agoraphobic.”
Hamlin now uses her platform to speak about mental health and to help others who struggle as well.
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