The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Woodward Academy grad on Savannah reality show on Bravo
Bravo, always seeking variations of the “Real Housewives” genre, found enough success from its “Southern Charm” series out of Charleston, S.C., that it added versions in New Orleans and Savannah.
The Savannah version of “Southern Charm,” which debuts at 10 tonight, features five longtime Savannah residents and one woman from the Atlanta area who moved to the Spanish moss-laden Southern city five years ago, Hannah Pearson.
In an interview, the 29-year-old said she was a last-second addition to the cast, which includes her longtime boyfriend Louis Oswald. The show’s publicity team notes that he quit a corporate job to strike out on his own with JL the Brand, a collection of bright and vibrant men’s dress socks with fun patterns. But he’s also called a “mama’s boy.”
The previews don’t really provide much of a feel for who Pearson is. “I’m definitely not the person who stirs the pot,” she said. “I hope I’m the voice of reason. I think I lead a pretty undramatic life but all this crazy stuff happens around me.”
Savannah provides the show a lovely tableau.
“It’s this beautiful old city that hasn’t been touched,” Pearson said. “My apartment is an old warehouse building. Savannah is going through this revival. The creative energy is exciting. It’s old and new coming together. There’s SCAD. It’s a river town but there’s a beach. It has an open container law. It’s a lot of fun.”
Then again, someone in the show’s trailer jokes that “Savannah is the ugly stepchild of Charleston.”
Pearson grew up with her three sisters, stay-at-home mom and real estate developer dad in comfortable environs by a lake in Jonesboro. She graduated from Woodward Academy and the University of Georgia. Seeking an entry into the fashion world, she worked in New York for a bit, then managed a boutique in Buckhead. She then changed gears and got into sales with a trucking company.
Five years ago, she had a choice to work in Birmingham, Ala., Pensacola, Fla., or Savannah. She was drawn to the majestic, walking-friendly city of Savannah. There, Pearson met her boyfriend Louis. She said they are in no hurry to get married, but the societal pressure is there to do so. Her parents got divorced while she was in college, and issues with her dad crop up on the show.
“It’s scary to open this up,” Pearson admitted. “I know I’m opening myself up to judgment of whoever is out there, but hopefully others will understand what I’ve gone through since my parents got divorced.”
Pearson said the show features people who have longtime ties. “Some of the conflict you see, it’s very real,” she said. “When Louis does things that upset me, that’s real. These are not just a random group put in a house.”