Leva Bonaparte joined the Southern Charm cast in season 7, and so far there has been a big difference between her and the other cast members. Leva has been a part of Southern Charm Since season 1 as Cameran Eubanks’ friend. While she mostly stayed in the background, Leva often provided commentary on Shep Rose and Craig Conover’s romantic lives.
Following Southern Charm season 6, Cameran decided to exit the show after fellow castmate Kathryn Dennis spread a rumor that her husband, Jason Wimberly, was cheating on her with a local makeup artist. Leva entered Southern Charm season 7 as a full cast member as a replacement for Cameran. She soon had her hands full with Kathryn, who she wanted to confront about the cheating allegations. However, Leva found herself having to “teach” Kathryn about racial issues following a scandal involving a monkey emoji.
As the first full cast member of Southern Charm who is a woman of color, Leva felt a lot of pressure during her debut season. The restaurateur is also married to her Black husband Lamar Bonaparte, with whom she shares their son, Lamar Jr. Although Lamar was mostly absent from Southern Charm, fans commented on how their lives were different compared to other cast members. At 43 years old, Leva is older than many of her cast members and seemed more focused on her family and business, rather than drama between the Southern Charm stars.
Some Southern Charm fans have accused Leva of being boring and not bringing enough drama this season. However, because Leva is in a stable relationship with Lamar, her life isn’t filled with the strife that her single counterparts bring to Southern Charm. Lamar is also not featured on the show much, and many believe Leva has chosen to keep her marriage private. Shep, who is close to Leva’s age, has been reluctant to settle down, despite being in a serious relationship with Taylor Ann Green. Most of the newer Southern Charm cast members are in their 20s or early 30s and are unmarried.
Since the Southern Charm season 7 drama with Kathryn, Leva has shared that she wanted to be more of a peacemaker and mediator for season 8. As usual, Kathryn is in the middle of almost every conflict in the newest season. However, this time, Naomie Olindo and newcomer Venita Aspen have found themselves at odds with the fiery redhead. Leva, who has described herself as the “mom” of the group, is content with laying low in Southern Charm season 8.