“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” star Amir Lancaster is defending his girlfriend, Natalie Cortes, against some serious social media shade from fellow Bravolebrity Candiace Dillard.
“She’s not sure of what to say or how to come across in the right ways. So she is trying to be as poised and as perfect as possible because she doesn’t want people to hate her,” Lancaster, 27, tells Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast, giving context to Cortes’ polarizing appearance on the show’s April 28 episode.
“She doesn’t want to be too vulnerable, but she doesn’t also want to be too uptight.”
Meanwhile, “Real Housewives of Potomac” alum and noted “SHMV” fan Dillard, 37, thought there was something “weird” about Cortes’ dynamic with Lancaster — and let it be known in a series of unfiltered posts shared via X.
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“The amount of coddling taking place with the girlfriend tells me we are missing context in their relationship…maybe as it relates to the show?” the “Drive Back” singer wrote April 29.
“Like is she not comfortable w/him being on the show? Something is missing. He’s on eggshells and it’s weird. #SummerHouseMV.”
Specifically addressing this assessment from Dillard, Lancaster asserts that Cortes is completely fine with his participation in the unscripted series.
“She’s doing the best that she can and I really applaud her for that because she’s here in support of me. She’s not here to steal the spotlight, she’s not here to do anything,” he says.
“So she’s going to make sure that she gives the right answers that don’t come off too bashful or too entitled or anything like that.”
But Dillard also took issue with Cortes for eyebrow-raising comments she made at a day party about her real estate career in comparison to Lancaster’s.
Notably, the brunette beauty boasted that she represents properties that are “over $2 million,” while he sells homes that are “under $1 million.”
“I do what he does in a year in a month,” Cortes emphasized.
Later, during a nighttime hot tub session, Lancaster’s castmates asked the duo what was next in their relationship.
“I think that starting our careers together is a really big move,” Cortes responded, expressing her desire to meld their real estate efforts. “He just joined my team and I’m super excited to have him kind of on my side of the fence and get to work together.”
Dillard — who is currently pregnant and expecting her first child with husband Chris Bassett — was not feeling either instance.
“Girl…they asking you what’s next in your RELATIonSHIP and you giving corporate America answers. Your team?” she wrote. “Is he your man or your assistant? I — what? This isn’t giviiiiinnnngggggguhhh #SummerHouseMV.”
While it may have backfired, Lancaster tells “Virtual Reali-Tea” that Cortes purposefully gave the “bare minimum” in those moments.
“So when we’re talking about our business or what the next steps are, she’s giving you the bare minimum,” he says. “And if I want to come in and put a little whipped cream on top of that, she is excited for that. But she knows that’s not necessary.”
Lancaster’s answer about his future with Cortes was a bit different, telling the group during the episode that the “next best step” in his mind was an engagement — which she didn’t seem to resonate with.
However, a proposal is still on the table even if it’s not at the top of the Texas-based couple’s priority list.
“We don’t want to do an engagement just because we need a ring to commit to each other and show that. We actually want it to be a celebration of us taking that next step and that is something that we’ve talked about since, like, the fourth month of us dating,” he says.
“This is genuinely someone who I very much care about and she cares a lot about me.”
“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
