By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Saturday, July 2, 2016
Lisa Wu left "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" six years ago, unhappy with the story arc the producers were pushing on her.
But she didn't burn bridges with Carlos King, one of the key creators of the Bravo mainstay who left "Real Housewives" last year.
King in 2014 brought her back for his TV One show "Hollywood Divas," now entering its third season. Todd Tucker, husband of current "Housewives" cast member Kandi Burruss, is also an executive producer. The show returns Wednesday, July 6 at 9 p.m.
Wu, in an interview Friday, said she now splits time between Hollywood and Atlanta, calling herself "bi coastal."
"I still love Atlanta," she said. "My kids are here." (She has three, two who are out of the nest and one who is nine.) She co-parents with former NFL player Ed Hartwell, who she divorced about five years ago. He is now married to actress Keisha Knight Pulliam. "We get along well," she said, referring to her ex.
She is happy to have a new cast member with a little buzz: Kim Kardashian's friend and actress Malika Haqq, who appeared in the 2006 film "ATL" and HBO's "Entourage" (credited as "Video Ho #3" on imdb.com)
They shot a TV One movie that aired earlier this year "Definitely Divorcing." "We had a chance to bond a bit," she said.
Elise Neal, a former cast member, told TMZ a light fixture fell on her head during shooting and the show refused to pay her medical bills. So she quit.
"I haven't heard anything from her mouth," Wu said. "I've heard the TMZ stories. I don't know if there any truth to it. I've been busy. She's been busy. I haven't had a chance to verify that. "
While shooting "Hollywood Divas," Wu also takes care of her ailing mother suffering from lung cancer. And she is producing and directing film and TV. This season, she also helps one of her castmates to complete one of their projects.
"I'm a control freak," she said. "I love to produce and be in charge. But I also love acting."
Via Zinger Animations, she said she's working on an animation TV series "Nubbin & Friends" where many of the voices are African American, including Atlantans Angie Stone and Jasmine Guy.
She said "Real Housewives" was far tougher to do than "Hollywood Divas."
"I was really stressed out" on "Housewives," she said. "The drama on this show is a little different. We have all become close."
Relatively speaking, she said arguments on "Housewives" were more "petty." "Some of the castmates might be petty," she said cautiously. "I won't say every situation is petty."
Nonetheless, she said she's on talking terms with all the original castmates from season one, including NeNe Leakes and DeShawn Snow.
TV PREVIEW
"Hollywood Divas," returns for third season at 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, TV One
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