The Truth About Kathryn Dennis

When Kathryn Dennis first stepped onto the Bravo scene à la Southern Charm in 2014, she was only 22 years old and arguably sheltered. Dennis, the direct descendent of former U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun, grew up in Moncks Corner, S.C., an area with a reported population of less than 15,000 people. It's fair to reason Dennis was thrilled about spending more time in the bustling city of Charleston while filming a popular reality show, but perhaps the changes were too much to handle, as evidenced by her numerous personal problems and dramatic relationship with former co-star and controversial South Carolina big shot Thomas Ravenel. Before viewers eyes, Dennis transformed from a bright-eyed young woman to a vilified reality star with alleged addiction issues. This characterization worsened when Dennis lost custody of her two children, Saint and Kensington, to Dennis in 2017.

Of course, Dennis' story isn't so cut and dry, and we'll be the first to admit the reality star hasn't always received a fair shake, especially since Ravenel has been accused of spreading lies about her ability as a parent. Not to mention, Dennis has since regained 50/50 custody of her kids and reportedly regained the trust of some of her co-stars. What exactly are we getting at here? The truth about Kathryn Dennis deserves a closer reexamination, so put on your investigative hat as we inch closer to what's really going on with the Southern Charm star.

It's never fun to have your dirty laundry aired out in public, a sentiment Kathryn Dennis probably knows all too well. In June 2019, the judge presiding over her custody battle with ex-boyfriend Thomas Ravenel decided to unseal court docs related to the matter. Although the judge had previously agreed to keep the documents sealed, he reportedly changed his mind after Dennis discussed Ravenel on Season 6 of Southern Charm. 

According to The Blast, the judge said Dennis "remains dedicated to discussing the custody case in the media; discussing the father of her children, and her very private life." As a result, "sealing the record serves no legitimate purpose, nor does it protect the children — who are routinely exposed to the public and media." He also accused Dennis of not being concerned about her children's interest, stating: "It is clear to the Court that ... [Dennis] has no interest in protecting the privacy of her children, based upon her frequent communications with the entertainment media." Ouch! 

Of course, this is a tough situation considering it's Dennis' job to share her life on TV, so this may have been a lose-lose situation.

When the judge presiding over Kathryn Dennis and Thomas Ravenel's custody battle unsealed court docs related to the case, many disturbing allegations came to light. One example? Ravenel accused Dennis of being a sex addict, stating in court docs obtained by the Daily Mail that she suffers from "hyper sexuality." He also alleged she "hooked up with one of his "polo players" on a weekend they spent together with their daughter, Kensie. Additionally, he accused her of sleeping with a guy named "Pedro" while she was "11 weeks 3 days pregnant." Dennis' lawyer denied the claims, stating that the allegations are untrue and that Ravenel's accusations will be "discredited" in court.

We don't want to pass any judgment on these allegations, so let's just move along, shall we? 

Although Kathryn Dennis has led fans to believe she's adopted a sober lifestyle post-rehab, Thomas Ravenel claims it's all smoke and mirrors. In unsealed court docs obtained by the Daily Mail, he accused Dennis of drinking after she checked out of the California-based treatment facility. "Kathryn's credit [card] and bank records show that immediately upon her return from rehab in July 2016, Kathryn began drinking again," he alleged, while also claiming his ex struggles with marijuana and Adderall abuse. Another one of Dennis' former flames, Ashley Pillar, reportedly backed up Ravenel's claims, stating: "I saw Kathryn self-medicate on uppers and downers depending on her mood every day ... Kathryn was regularly on a cocktail of the two."

Needless to say, a lot can change in the span of a few years, and Dennis has demonstrated sobriety on-camera, refusing to take part in a "marijuana dinner" during a Season 6 cast trip to Colorado. "Weed was the reason that I lost my children for a little while," a frustrated Dennis says on the show. "This is the first time I've been around it since I got back from rehab and no one is even acknowledging it." Time will tell what the court has to say about it. 

Arguably one of the most wild details about Kathryn Dennis and Thomas Ravenel's court battle involves a private investigator. According to unsealed court docs obtained by the The Blast, Ravenel "hired a South Carolina company named Surveillance Technologies to watch Dennis" from Sept. 9, 2018 through June, 17, 2019. The company reportedly carried out an "investigation" to "observe the activities of Kathryn Calhoun Dennis" at her residence, the court docs outlined. 

As if being tailed by a private eye wasn't bizarre enough, Dennis' cousin — David C. Leaird — is the owner of Surveillance Technologies. That's right, The Southern Charm star's cousin was reportedly paid to "watch her interactions with the kids" and to record "Dennis twenty four hours a day," according to The Blast.

But wait — that's not all! Leaird's wife, Candace Leaird, was once engaged to Ravenel, thus complicating this tangled web even more. Talk about a major mess, right?

Before Kathryn Dennis found love with singer Hunter Price in January 2019, she dated former Florida politician Joseph Abruzzo. It's safe to say Abruzzo was a curious choice, given his very explosive divorce from his wife, Brandy Abruzzo, and the controversy behind his decision not to seek re-election in 2018. But Dennis ignored these red flags for a while, allegedly damaging her friendship with co-star Danni Baird as a result.

Dennis eventually admitted that her friend's disapproval of Abruzzo prompted her to call it quits. "Whenever I noticed Danni [Baird] being upset with me because she didn't agree with the way he talked to me or things he did, that's when I started to think, hm, if my friends are turning on me, I do not need this man in my life," she told The Daily Dish. Girls are more important than any kind of dude." Amen, sister.