Cynthia Bailey has been busy since her departure from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” The supermodel has split her time focusing on building an acting career and empowering female entrepreneurs and Black-owned business alongside Seagram’s Escapes. She’s also taking time to heal from her divorce from sportscaster Mike Hill.
“I’m in a transition period both personally and professionally,” Bailey says. “I’ve taken this time to really focus on myself and spend time with family.”
Bailey split her Mother’s Day celebration between an early visit with her daughter Noelle in Miami and then enjoyed the rest of the day having a fabulous brunch with her mother and siblings in Atlanta. Bailey credits the relationship with her mother for giving her an amazing foundation to building a beautiful relationship with her daughter Noelle.
“The biggest impact on me from my mother was her allowing me to move to NY city at 18 years old to pursue my modeling career. I wanted to do it and she said OK. Had she said anything else, my life would’ve [gone] very differently. I doubt I would have had the modeling career I had, I wouldn’t have been on ‘RHOA’ and I probably wouldn’t be talking to you now. It changed the trajectory of my life.”
Bailey’s mother allowing her to live on her own terms set the tone for her to allow her 23-year-old daughter Noelle to celebrate her individuality as she became an adult.
“Noelle’s situation is different because she has two famous parents and she’s been around and had access to this life long before ‘Housewives.’ Between myself and her father, Leon, Noelle was on the set of ‘The Temptations’ as a baby. We both are constantly supporting and affirming her just being Noelle. We want her to blossom into the butterfly that she’s meant to be.”
Bailey shared that Noelle told her she was proud of her during their mommy-daughter time recently and it brought tears to her eyes.
“When you’re in it — you don’t always know if you’re doing a great job. As a mom, I spend so much time telling her what to do that I’m just noticing that she is morphing into another version of me in some ways,” she laughs.
As for gift suggestions for Mother’s Day, Bailey says a spa day is always a good choice.
“I don’t think you can have enough massages or facials. Don’t get me balloons, chocolates, stuffed animals or flowers. I want to go somewhere and get them hands on me. And I’ll grab a Tropical sangria from Seagrams Escapes after…and maybe one before as well.”
