Davina Potratz caught the eyes of the viewers when she joined the cast of “Selling Sunset” with her model-worthy looks, sweet personality, and sales potential. This Los Angeles-based reality TV show, which follows the lives of real estate agents working for the Oppenheim Group, gave viewers a chance to glean what happens behind the scenes with Davina and her co-workers. Although they’re professionals who handle millions, they make mistakes and don’t always get along.
Therefore, behind all the glamour, put-together appearances, and sales techniques, there’s drama, tension, romance, and beef in their personal lives. In a high-pressure environment, the competition to have the highest sales or most property deals in a specific period is also cutthroat. Davina was never the top-selling agent or the most beloved cast member, but she undoubtedly captured the viewers’ attention. We explored why she quit “Selling Sunset”, and then returned to the TV screens in season five, and if she plans to stay.
She gained a villain persona during the third season
Davida Potratz was a “Selling Sunsets” cast member from the premiere on 21 March 2019 but only had a recurring role in the first season alongside Romain Bonnet. However, while Romain reverted from a main to a recurring role in season four, Davina was promoted to a main cast member in the second season, and remained that way. While her promotion signified a high audience interest due to her business acumen and devotion to becoming a high-achiever, her personality skyrocketed her prominence.
Davina was dubbed ‘the villain’ by many viewers, but she doesn’t think the label fits her. She says reporters regularly expect to dislike her, and then conclude that they want to hang out with her or be friends. She attributes that to things like being from Germany, thus experiencing a culture clash when she’s open and authentic about her opinions, even if they aren’t necessarily polite.
Her comment to Chrishell didn’t go so well
A significant reason people portrayed Davine as a villain was her season three comment to Chrishell Stause. Jason Hartley, Chrishell’s ex-husband of two years, filed for divorce in 2019 and told her about it via a text message. Roughly 45 minutes later, the news leaked to the media, and he started dating Sofia Pernas of “The Young and the Restless” fame early the following year. Even worse, she’d known Sofia for a long time, and only pieced things together after discovering the news.
Davina came off as insensitive when, during Christine Quinn’s wedding, she inquired whether Chrishell considered Justin’s side of the story. Still heartbroken and recently informed that Justin moved on quickly, Chrishell felt wounded and gave Davina the cold shoulder in the show. Davina explained the situation to Women’s Health magazine, ‘I don’t have formal acting training, so I wasn’t aware of my tone. It was definitely harsh, but it was a very small piece of a two-hour conversation.’ After apologizing to her, the two managed to smooth things over, but some fans were still upset.
She partially blames the show’s editing and producers for her presentation
Davina told Page Six in 2020, ‘I am the jokester with my friends, and I love being really funny and playful, and I think that’s not really shown in the show,’ adding, ‘I have really close, good girlfriends and I’m the most loyal, sweet friend.’ Davina cites the show’s fast-paced, focused editing that may play up particular negative, drama-filled moments, especially when editors must cut hours of the footage to a 45-minute segment. She reiterated her opinion when a Twitter fan commented he was mesmerized by her social media presence, and asked where that energy was in the show. Davina’s short response was, ‘Ask the producers!’
However, she also differentiates between people who dislike her and those who openly hate her. She shared her opinion of the latter group with US Magazine, ‘I think anyone in the public spotlight will get hate. And I think it’s just the nature of the beast. I don’t take it personally.’ Davina added that while she says some things in the series, ‘they are less than 10 percent of who she is, and neither of the cast members should be defined by “Selling Sunset” alone.’ Unfortunately, Davina disclosed to Page Six that people assume and twist things; hence, she received messages filled with ‘really dark stuff, including death threats.’
Davina signed with another business during season three
Viewers thought her decision to leave the Director of the New Development Division position in the Oppenheim Group in season three was emotional or spiteful.
However, Davina said signing with a rival Beverly Hills-based real estate agency, Douglas Elliman, in 2020 was ‘due to an offer she couldn’t refuse.’ She added, ‘We all know each other so well. So I think they’ll be excited and supportive. It’s not that I wanted to leave, but I had a great opportunity. It was a purely business decision.’ She also told People magazine, ‘My background is in new development sales and marketing, so this is just a wonderful opportunity for me. It’s just very in tune with my skills.’
Shortly after, Jason introduced Vanessa Villela to take her spot, commenting, ‘Davina has been a tremendous asset to the team. I will always want the best for Davina, and I hope that we continue to work together in the future.’ This statement affirmed no bad blood between the two, confirmed by her account of ‘certainly hoping she would still be part of the cast’ and a quick comeback.
Davina returned within the fourth season of “Selling Sunset”
At the start of season four, Jason Oppenheim disclosed that he’d sought a new real estate agent, confirming all rumors and Davina’s revalation that she quit. Luckily, the two reality TV stars solved all issues within a few episodes, and halfway through season four, in episode five, Davina returned to the reality TV show and rejoined the Oppenheim Group in the same job.
She promptly attended a tea party, where a new cast member, Chelsea Lazkani, confronted her. Davina forgave the accusations during the encounter, revealing she had no problems with Chelsea and thought Christine Quinn influenced her approach.
She clarified her decision to leave Oppenheim Group
After returning, Davina elaborated on her leave and sudden comeback, saying Christine suggested the idea, but was reluctant due to tensions with the CEO and her failed listing with Adnan Sen. Davine explained, ‘When I left the Oppenheim Group, there was a little tension because of the $75 million listing that didn’t sell. I feel like [Jason] wasn’t supportive from the beginning, and it didn’t start the best.’
After discussing the issue with Jason on-screen, she told him, ‘You know I left because of a new development opportunity at the other brokerage, but the job is completed, and the consulting is all wrapped up.’ As for what made her return to the company, Davina remarked, ‘It was a very corporate environment, and while I can easily function there, I do love the closeness and access to you and just the camaraderie you have at the Oppenheim Group.’
She also revealed to Vulture that the show made it look like she was asking for a second choice when the decision was mutual. In reality, Jason didn’t want her to leave but respected her decision, and asked her to return when she showed interest.
Not everybody was ecstatic with her return
Christine Quinn wasn’t thrilled, unsurprisingly, telling Access Hollywood, ‘To be quite honest with you, I wasn’t happy or excited about it at first; I’m just human. But I think you’ll get to see us work through that, and it will be on camera.’ She added that she realized she doesn’t have to be best friends with Davina to support her. As a result, they decided to put their differences aside and respect each other in a work environment.
She also shared photos with Maya Vander and Heather Rae El Moussa, saying she ‘loved these ladies,’ but reiterated she is on bad terms with Romain Bonnet, Mary Fitzgerald’s husband, and that both are satisfied with that state.
Interestingly, Healthier, Chrishell Stause and Mary Fitzgerald initially hesitated to accept that she would return. Luckily, they became excited when Davina promised she didn’t want drama. She even said Chrishell and Mary were ‘upset’ during the filming yet super welcoming, happy, and friendly to her during Jason’s birthday party that year, which confused her.
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Adnan rejected her wish to sell the $75 million house
As if her comeback to season five wasn’t enough of a shock, producers or Davina herself decided to revive a well-known storyline. Long-term fans remember Adnan Sen, a real estate developer who wanted to sell his $75 million luxury mansion back in the second season. That was the tension that made Davina reluctant to take her job back.
Back then, Jason suggested he lower the price to $60 million based on the property, house, and comparable properties nearby. When Adnan refused to listen to that advice, Davina was left in the hot seat to try to sell the overpriced home, and failed. Consequently, instead of selling, Adnan and his wife moved in.
Midway through season five, Davina returns to them years later to inquire about potential business opportunities, starting with the home. She told Adnan, ‘I know it didn’t work out, but please know I’m always pitching in, and I’m always mentioning it. I’m still looking for people.’ She then explained that she wanted a third chance to sell it, citing that it was a bit overpriced for the area based on cost, and she felt limited by the three-month off-market agreement and the lack of Jason’s support. His face spelled rejection before he tossed her offer aside.
Adnan agreed to give her another chance, but not the one she wants
Instead of a home sale, Adnan gave Davina a new opportunity to prove herself, mainly because his wife liked her, and he had a lot of real estate in Beverly Hills. However, his response was the talk of the town, so to speak. Adnan said he wanted to lease one property instead of selling it, and told Davina, ‘It looks like the bigger ones are a little out of your league, so maybe this time you’ll try smaller ones.’ That response threw shade on her ability to sell his previous property.
Yet, Adnan decided to go the extra mile and devalue her skills further by saying, ‘That’s the maximum I can give you. If you cannot lease out a property with a really nice price on a high, prestigious street, then what else? In this environment, it should fly!’
Fans took to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to comment that she should have a better track record after 15 years as a real estate agent, and that sales may not be her forte. Others either commented that the two should never have met because Adnan cannot stand to be in her presence, or that the show could have a drama-fueled spin-off where she only sells his listings.
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Viewers thought she had some ulterior motives in season five
Just as viewers at home thought Davina would be on her so-called ‘redemption arc,’ the segments she shared with Vanessa Villela during the fifth season threw a spanner in the works. After Mary Fitzgerald became a manager in season five, she announced that the Oppenheim Group needed to become ‘leaner,’ i.e., they planned to drop at least one of the least successful realtors.
Vanessa and Davina struggled to keep clients the most, and the latter was simultaneously deliberating on her relationship. During one scene, she thinks aloud, and questions if loving London with her fiancé would help their relationship blossom.
Davina jumped on the opportunity, encouraging her to take the leap and see where it led. That seemed like friendly, supportive advice, but fans saw it as shady. After all, Vanessa leaving the real estate group meant Davina would keep her job even if she underperformed. In other words, fans wondered if her intentions were genuine or sneaky.
Mary Fitzgerald reminds viewers not to take everything at face value
Viewers found Davina’s comments in “Selling Sunset” easy to judge and vilify. However, Mary came to Davina’s defense. Moreover, she was the source of many dramatic events thanks to her strained relationship with Christine Quinn. Mary reminded viewers during season five to take a step back, and remember that things may not necessarily be as they seem.
She admits it is ‘not a show per se, because they are filming us as us,’ but some cast members want to be in the limelight and blow some things out of proportion. Thus, according to her, ‘the show can exaggerate cast members’ personalities, particularly insecurity and narcissism.’ However, they try to support each other and avoid serious feuds by separating their personal and professional lives. These statements go hand in hand with Davina’s experience of how people who watch reality TV shows perceive the cast members, and why they react negatively and give her hurtful labels.
'Selling Sunset's Mary Fitzgerald has a new name! https://t.co/0peSA08SAv
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 1, 2023
Will Davina stay in “Selling Sunset”?
Although no one knows whether Davina will remain in the reality TV show until the inevitable conclusion, we can make an educated guess. In early March 2023, Netflix renewed the show through season seven before the sixth aired. That suggests the ratings are high enough and that the audience loves realtors working for the Oppenheim Group. We also have to see whether she can take the chance Adnan gave her and lease his property. If so, he may offer her another go at selling his family home.
Davina may not be Jason’s favorite, the highest-rated broker of luxury homes, or the wealthiest realtor. However, she has charisma, experience, screen-worthy looks, and a flair for drama that captivates people’s attention. Currently, things largely depend on the company’s management, and how many realtors they want to employ. Even if she leaves the company, producers may still be interested in featuring her daily life in some way.
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