Andi Dorfman: I was ready to move past Juan Pablo Galavis and 'The Bachelor' ties, I broke away from last season

The Bachelorette's tenth season starring Andi Dorfman will premiere Monday, May 19 at 9:30PM ET/PT on ABC.
 
Andi, a 27-year-old assistant district attorney from Atlanta, GA, will begin her quest to potentially find love with one of 25 eligible suitors. After Andi rejected The Bachelor's eighteenth-season star, Juan Pablo Galavis, she's truly ready to find a genuine "great love."


During a Wednesday conference call with reporters, Andi talked to Reality TV World about whether she found love on the show. To read what she had to say, click here. Below is another portion of Andi's interview. Check back with Reality TV World soon for more.

I understand your Jewish. Do your Jewish values play a role in the type of man you're looking for? Do you prefer to meet someone Jewish or is that not really a big deal to you?

Andi Dorfman: I mean, I am definitely proud of my heritage. My family great up with great cultural and traditional things that we always did, and I think that's so fun to see in another person. I'm really just looking for somebody that's kind and that I get along with and somebody that kind of completes me. It doesn't really matter, the religion. I just want a really kind, loving man.

One of the red flags you found with Juan Pablo was that he didn't have much of an interest in asking you about your religion. Did you discuss religion with any of the guys on or off-camera?


Andi Dorfman: I definitely did. I discussed a lot of deeper things, you know, religion, social values, local views. I really took the time to dig deep with these guys and get to know them. I mean, these are everyday things that are important when it comes to a relationship. And the further along it went, the more comfortable I got with these guys and therefore the deeper the conversations got.

Are you looking for intellectual compatibility as opposed to chemistry this time around?

Andi Dorfman: I am definitely looking for intellectual chemistry. I want that physical chemistry, that mental connection, that intellectual connection, absolutely. I think that's part of the whole package. That's what I'm looking for hopefully in a future husband.

How did the death of Eric Hill affect you and the show's filming? Could you talk a little bit about what happened, how that unfolded?

Andi Dorfman: Obviously it had a huge effect on all of us. We heard the news and it was just crushing. It was devastating any time you lose somebody that you know. He became a part of our family, you know, everyone thinks that we go through this cast and season and nobody knows each other, but we really do become a family. So we lost a family member and it's been hard and it was hard on everybody.


I think we're moving on to the legacy of Eric. He really did live life to the fullest and that's something that every single person -- cast, crew, production, myself included -- will take away from Eric and this experience with him.

How did your unique experience on The Bachelor shape how you approached everything on The Bachelorette -- from getting to know the guys, making a connection with them, etc?

Andi Dorfman: I think my experience last season definitely taught me that this can be a quick process, but you can also use that time to your advantage and really get to know people by just talking to them, listening to them, asking them questions, you know?

I said from the very first night to the guys, "I will be an open book for you. I don't know how this is going to play out, but I promise you that you can ask my any question. Nothing is off limits, nobody is going to be judged." And for me, that was the biggest thing, just allowing every one of the guys to feel like they had an open line of communication. And I think that really helped us along the way.

After Juan Pablo's season, the media and viewers really gave him a hard time. They didn't let this guy get away with anything. So what are your thoughts on him? Do think people gave him too hard of a time? And did he reach out to you to wish you luck or give you any advice for your own process?


Andi Dorfman: I mean, I don't know. I don't know if I feel like people gave him too hard of a time or not. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I saw him obviously at the After the Final Rose and he did wish me luck, which was appreciated, but it's in the past.

I was ready to move past all this and start my own journey. I know that it's hard to forget Juan Pablo, that's why I was on The Bachelorette, but I'm on my own journey now and I'm excited to kind of move forward. I think we all are. I think we're all ready for that.

You were extremely close with Nikki Ferrell last season on The Bachelor. Is that something we'll see again onscreen? Were you able to talk with her about the process that you went through?

Andi Dorfman: I don't think you'll be seeing her. This is something I did on my own. I broke away from last season. This is a new adventure for me and this is something that I did on my own, and I'm still in touch with her. She's still a friend of mine and I wish her and Juan Pablo the best of luck.

Going into the season, did you have any dealbreakers? Like a smoker or someone who doesn't want kids? Anything that would make you automatically think, "No, you're not the guy for me?"


Andi Dorfman: I'll tell you that I was pretty open. I will say a dealbreaker for me is probably someone that just absolutely doesn't want to have a family. To me, that's one of my ultimate goals in life, and I think that would probably be a dealbreaker for me.

Why do you think it's better to not know anything about the guys before meeting them? Could you explain that?

Andi Dorfman: I think it's just going in there with a completely open mind. That was something I asked for in the casting, is I want casting to pick people that I might not ordinarily meet in everyday life, or I might not ordinarily date, you know, as far as the types of guys I've dated in the past.

So, for me, that was vital in me being really, really open through all of this. I didn't want to know anything about anyone. I didn't want to make snap judgements. I wanted to just meet 25 new guys and go from there!

Was your whole The Bachelorette experience everything you thought it would be? And if not, how was it different?


Andi Dorfman: I don't think I could have ever imagined exactly what it would be. It was incredible, I will say that. It was, at times, definitely more tiring than I had anticipated. But it was an amazing experience. I can't say anything else except for the fact it was just truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.

Above is a portion of Andi's conference call with reporters. To read what she had to tell Reality TV World specifically, click here. Check back with us soon for more.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski