The Bachelorette's tenth season starring Andi Dorfman will premiere Monday, May 19 at 9:30PM ET/PT on ABC.
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During a Wednesday conference call with reporters, Andi talked to Reality TV World about whether she found love on the show, how she feels about Eric Hill's tragic death, what she feared during the process, and whether she'd be willing to move for a man. Below is what she had to say.
Reality TV World: Did you end up finding love on The Bachelorette and could you tell us if you're happily engaged?
Andi Dorfman: You're making it hard from the beginning, huh?! (Laughs) I like that! I can say I'm very happy. I'm happy that I got to meet a bunch of guys, a bunch of great guys. And, you know, we just got done filming, so I'm really excited to put it out there. I want everybody to see this journey.
Reality TV World: I've read that Eric Hill's tragic death really devastated you and the show's cast and crew. What was your initial reaction to the news and are you nervous to watch the season unfold and relive those memories you had with Eric? I can only imagine that would make your viewing experience difficult rather than enjoyable like I'm sure you thought it would be.
Andi Dorfman: I mean, there were a lot of mixed emotions. I think we're all trying to figure out how to handle this, because it's obviously something that's never come up. You can imagine how much shock and devastation everyone felt. It's something we never expected and something we never could've predicted. It's been really hard on us.
I know that we're all kind of wondering how to play this out, and I know that our No. 1 goal and our No. 1 priority is to respect Eric and honor his legacy. I don't want to talk too much about what our initial reactions were.
I'd rather spend the time talking about who Eric was, and he was a guy who really lived life to the fullest and inspired all of us. I think he should be remembered for that versus necessarily how each and every one of us reacted or responded.
Reality TV World: After nearly falling in love with Juan Pablo on The Bachelor and then seeing a different side to him in the fantasy suite so late in the game -- a side that offended and insulted you -- were you afraid something similar might happen on The Bachelorette? I don't know if you worried a guy might seem like Mr. Wonderful and you begin falling for him only to realize his true colors later on when the cameras aren't on or he flips a switch.
Andi Dorfman: Of course. I mean, that was a huge fear of mine throughout this journey. I felt like I knew each and every one of these guys that was on this show, you know, I took the time to get to know them. So, even though I was getting to know them, even though I felt like I knew who they were, that scared me to death in the back of my mind.
Reality TV World: Would you be willing to move for love or are you pretty much situated in Atlanta for good because of your job?
Andi Dorfman: I love my job in Atlanta and it would take a lot for me to move. But I'm open, you know, I came here to be open. I came here to go on this journey to find love, and if love means going somewhere else and that's the only way to do it, then I'm open to that.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWAlso during Andi's call with reporters, the upcoming The Bachelorette star discussed what qualities she was looking for in a potential husband, whether she ever felt betrayed or lied to, and whether she understood Juan Pablo a little better after actually starring in a reality dating series.
You got such a positive response from America for your no-nonsense approach and you left The Bachelor on your own terms. Are we going to see any of that this season? Are there any similar moments where you kind of give a guy the boot?
Andi Dorfman: I think America was probably left with the impression that I was, you know, a tough, no-nonsense girl, which is partially true. But I definitely think this season, you're going to see a softer side of me. I think I was a lot more vulnerable than I ever thought I could be, and I liked that. I've got a little bit of a softer side to me, I'm not going to lie!
Your dad was a big hit last year when he was featured in the hometown dates. What was his attitude towards the guys? Was he similar to the way he was with Juan Pablo or was he more open to the dating process with you?
Andi Dorfman: I think my dad was definitely more open to the dating process. He knows -- it's a different position for him to be in certainly. He doesn't have his daughter as one of four, sort of, contestants on it.
So, it's definitely different, but my dad's actually a very reasonable guy and he's going to be reasonable with whoever he meets. So you'll see a little softer side to him for sure, but he's always going to be my dad and he's always going to be protective. (Laughs)
What qualities were you looking for in a guy going into the process?
Andi Dorfman: I was definitely looking for a guy that was a family-oriented person. I'm the type of girl that definitely wants a family one day, and that's important for me to see in a future mate. Also, just a guy that's strong and confident but he's also able to be vulnerable and to share his emotions with me. I think communication is something I was definitely looking for in a guy coming into this.
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Andi Dorfman: As far as who to trust, I definitely just tried to go with my instincts. I thought about things; I got to know each one of these guys really well before I ever had to eliminate them. So, I think I just went with my gut and kind of figured out who was more serious and who wasn't ready for all of this.
The season premiere is like watching 25 simultaneous first dates and blind dates often don't come with good reviews. From your experience, do you think it's better or worse that you knew nothing about these guys before you met them?
Andi Dorfman: I definitely think it's better to know nothing about these guys. I didn't want to know a single thing. I didn't even want to know a single name stepping out of that limo, because I wanted everybody to be on a clean slate.
This was my one opportunity to really do this and do it right, and for me, that definitely meant not knowing a single thing about a single one of these guys -- not even knowing how many were coming the first night.
Was there a moment or place from this season of The Bachelorette that really stood out or stayed with you?
Andi Dorfman: I would say there were definitely some moments and experiences that took my breath away. We visited some unbelievably gorgeous countries, really just romantic and amazing places that I was blown away by, absolutely.
Now that you've been through the process of starring on The Bachelorette, do you find Juan Pablo a little bit more relatable? Can you understand where he was coming from a little better now that you've been on the other side of things?
Andi Dorfman: I mean, it's definitely tougher than I thought, you know? It's not easy to kind of play host and be responsible for a lot of people. I think I learned a lot last season, and my goal this season was to really just make sure I knew as much about each and every one of these individuals as I could.
That was something that I took from last season and kind of took it in a positive way. I just made sure I really got to know each of these guys, but it's definitely tougher to be on the other side.
Check back with Reality TV World soon for more from Andi's interview.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
