‘The Challenge’: Olivia Explains How She and Horacio Were Never Friends Before ‘Ride or Dies’
MTV’s The Challenge Season 39 shows the end of Olivia Kaiser and Nurys Mateo’s friendship. It also shows the strain between Olivia and Horacio Gutiérrez Jr. Olivia and Horacio competed together on The Challenge Season 38, Ride or Dies. But Olivia recently revealed that she didn’t know Horacio before joining the show.
[Spoiler alert: The Challenge Season 39 spoilers ahead regarding Olivia Kaiser and Nurys Mateo.]
Olivia Kaiser said she and Horacio Gutiérrez Jr. weren’t friends before ‘The Challenge’ Season 38
The Challenge Season 38, Ride or Dies, allowed competitors to team up with their best friend. Olivia Kaiser and Horacio Gutiérrez Jr. made a splash in the final and were both called back for The Challenge Season 39. Unfortunately, their bond in season 38 didn’t quite carry to season 39. And Olivia recently revealed that she and Horacio weren’t best friends before season 38 despite what was said on the show.
“Me and Horacio were ride or dies, but me and Horacio were never best friends,” Olivia revealed on her podcast, Gimme That Mic. “We were not even really friends until we went on the season Ride or Dies.” She then explained that production wanted her and Horacio to play a brother-sister or relationship role on the show. But they didn’t know each other. Additionally, they both started as show alternates.
Olivia explained how she and Horacio became partners for season 38. “Our management knew that I was contacted for the show,” she added. “He’s like, ‘Oh, I have this guy who could be your partner. And I was like, OK, cool. … And then we went on the show. And if I’m being 100% real, me and him never clicked like a ride or die.”
Horacio Gutiérrez Jr. didn’t tell her he joined ‘The Challenge’ Season 39 cast
While Olivia Kaiser wasn’t close with Horacio Gutiérrez Jr. before The Challenge Season 38, they grew to have a friendship heading into The Challenge Season 39. However, Olivia explained on her podcast that she didn’t know that Horacio joined the cast for season 39.
Olivia noted that she asked Horacio if he joined the cast for Battle for a New Champion, and he told her he didn’t. But she then saw him at the airport before the start of the season. “I’m like, OK, cool, Horacio’s here. But it did kind of make me get insecure.”
She explained that Horacio knew he’d be heading on to the show at least a week before filming began. “So that kind of already started off the relationship between me and Horacio in the house a little rocky on my end,” Olivia continued. “I felt uncomfortable with it.”
Olivia Kaiser developed an incredibly close friendship with Jay Starrett and Michele Fitzgerald
The Challenge Season 39 pushed Olivia Kaiser’s friendship with Horacio Gutiérrez Jr. and Nurys Mateo. However, Olivia explained on her podcast that she developed her closest bonds with Jay Starrett and Michele Fitzgerald.
“The show does not show how close me and Jay were,” she noted. “I was closer to Jay as a friend than I was Horacio. Me and Jay have conversations. We talk outside the show. I may or may not have had a crush on him at one point in my life.”
Olivia said she and Michele developed a close bond before filming the season. “Me and Michele were so close. … I don’t think anyone understood me and Michele’s friendship and how close we were,” she said. “Me and Nurys, we have obviously been close, but I feel like our friendship was a little bit strange going into the show, too, because there was something that happened before the show. And we did have a talk about it. And it was someone saying something yet again.”
The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.
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