Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay on Villain Corinne Olympios: ‘I Love Corinne — Can I Just Put That out There?’
Even if Nick Viall doesn’t end up finding love on this season of The Bachelor, at least the world got to meet Corinne Olympios.
Between topless photo shoots and whipped cream shenanigans, the 24-year-old Miami native was instantly labeled this season’s “villain” — but fans of the show have slowly come to love the hilarious, no-holds-barred, cheesy-pasta-eating reality star. In fact, even her fellow contestants are quick to come to her defense.
During an appearance on Friday’s Ellen DeGeneres Show, Rachel Lindsay — The Bachelorette‘s next leading lady — opened up about Olympios and all of her antics.
“Now you’re in the family, you’re doing a show with these folks, so now someone has told you who — and it’s Corinne,” teased host Ellen DeGeneres as Lindsay laughed.
“I love Corinne,” she responded. “Can I just put that out there?”
“I do too — now,” said DeGeneres. “In the beginning I thought she was crazy — like, really crazy.”
“Unfortunately, you only get to see some sides of Corinne,” explained Lindsay. “I got to see all sides living in the house with her.”
So why is Olympios still in the running? Because “she’s great,” said Lindsay.
And villains aside, Lindsay, 31, also touched on the reasons behind her split from Viall, 36, which took place three months ago despite the fact that it hasn’t yet aired on television.
“He let me go. I was shocked, too,” she said. “I really thought that Nick and I had a really strong connection, and I was pretty heartbroken when it happened. But I’ve moved on since then.”
And while Lindsay admitted that sharing Viall with several other women isn’t “the typical way that I like to date a man,” she doesn’t regret the experience.
“You know, it was something different for me to try,” she said. “I really had a connection with Nick and I was shocked — I was kind of skeptical that it would happen that fast and it did, but it didn’t work out. I guess he was looking for something else. His loss!”
In the meantime, Lindsay, a civil defense litigator, is gearing up to begin filming her season of The Bachelorette next month.
“I really don’t have a physical type except for a great smile — I’m a sucker for a great smile. Who isn’t?” she said. “I’m looking for a guy who can make me laugh, I’m looking for a guy who knows exactly what he wants, who’s ambitious, ready to start a family, ready to get married, because I’m at that phase in my life.”
The Ellen DeGeneres Show airs weekdays (check local listings). The Bachelor airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) and Lindsay’s season of The Bachelorette premieres May 22, both on ABC.