Plot Synopsis

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY is a one-hour reality series that follows SOUTHERN CHARM's Leva Bonaparte, as she manages Charleston's very own "it" crowd, otherwise known as her larger-than-life staff at Republic Garden & Lounge. Leva and husband Lamar own four restaurants along the city's famous King Street, but Republic is the crown jewel of their kingdom. The hottest nightclub and backdrop for Charleston's lively party scene, Republic is the place to go for pleasure, business or both. For Leva's team -- a fiery group of best friends driven by their work hard/play hard mentality -- working at Republic is the gold standard. They're forced to compete for prime positions and the best tips the city's nightlife has to offer. Leva sets the bar high, but she treats them like family, guiding this crew of young, passionate singles through love, conflict, makeups, breakups and everything in between. As the matriarch of Republic, Leva finds herself with a full plate as she strives to be the voice of reason with her unpredictable staff, but never afraid to make tough decisions that could change the dynamic of this close-knit group. While the staff balances their personal lives with work responsibilities, the stakes have never been higher for Leva who preps for Charleston's biggest summer in recent memory. The staff includes:

- Maddi Reese: A Charleston transplant who grew up in Charlotte by way of New York, this DJ & VIP Manager started working for Leva four years ago when she was only 20. Now managing VIP hosts and working to take her music career to the next level, she regularly plays at Republic and across the Southeast. Her professional life has continued to see success, but her love life has proven a bit more challenging. Maddi is pursued by two guys and forced to make an impossible choice: jeopardize a close friendship by dating her co-worker Joe or risk another heartbreak by getting back together with her cheating ex-boyfriend.

- Mikel Simmons: This VIP Host, a Charleston native, has a reputation for bringing the party anywhere he goes. Tormented by his past when he felt as though he was living a double life, Mikel is finally ready to come out to his friends and beloved church community. Though these conversations won't be easy, particularly in the South, he sees this as the next step toward finding peace with himself. Looking to regain Leva and Lamar's trust after being suspended for promoting another club, Mikel grapples with doing his best but realizes some of the guys are rooting for him to fail.

- Grace Lilly: A true Southern girl, this VIP Concierge was born in Kentucky and moved to Charleston in grade school. Guided by her beliefs in astrology and mysticism, she feels that Charleston is too small and has spent most of the past two years traveling to parties around the globe. Known to skip work for self-care, the staff picks up her slack even when Grace is working, so they don't appreciate her leaving town. Now, unbeknownst to Grace, several co-workers plan to confront her.

- Joe Bradley: Hailing from a successful family in Atlanta, Joe is a VIP Host who has always felt that he has a lot to live up to. After dropping out of college and trying his hand at a string of entry-level jobs, he finally found his calling as a VIP host at Republic. Joe wants to follow in Leva's footsteps as a restaurant and nightlife impresario. Though he tries to prove that he's management material, his co-workers remind him that he isn't the big boss. Joe's ambition not only complicates his strained relationship with Mikel, but also threatens longstanding friendships with TJ and Bradley.

- Lucia Pena: This New York native/VIP Server spends her days raising her two-year-old son and nights working at Republic. The younger staff loves that while Lucia is a few years wiser and more experienced, she still parties with them. Refusing to initially settle for a mediocre relationship with her son's father and finally having agreed to give it another shot, she soon realizes that skeletons from the past might make it impossible for them to be together.

- Mia Alario: Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, this hostess moved to Charleston for college and graduated with two degrees in economics. She spends her days working at a buttoned-up financial institution and nights hosting at Republic. Outspoken, socially outgoing and always ready for a night out, Mia is dedicated to the job, although she admits she works for pleasure, not necessity. She has no issue speaking her mind and enjoys catching people off guard with her honesty, often rubbing the group the wrong way. Mia's grit and commitment are always on trial with her co-workers, and she constantly has to prove she deserves her coveted spot.

- Will Kulp: Will is a bartender who was born and raised in Charleston. A gifted student who pursued modeling in New York after a chance encounter with a scout, he eventually returned home and currently lives with his parents. Though he isn't as far along in his career as he had hoped and struggles with disappointment, he constantly overcompensates by talking himself up and others down. Leva knows Will could be doing more at Republic but believes he will never reach his full potential because he considers himself too good for the restaurant industry. Will is crazy about his girlfriend, Emmy, and feels the only way out of his rut is to apply to law school, though he might be having a little too much fun to take the final step into adulthood.

- Emmy Sharrett: As one of four sisters, this VIP Server is no stranger to the intricacies of sisterhood at Republic. After graduating from the College of Charleston, Emmy is currently having a great time handling VIP's while she awaits her next big adventure. Leva jokes that Emmy and boyfriend Will project a flawless outward appearance, but the cracks begin to show when a startling rumor involving Emmy and a co-worker's boyfriend comes to light. Suddenly Emmy's friendships and her relationship with Will are called into question as the compromising details are revealed.

- TJ Dinch: Since leaving his home in Virginia, bartender TJ moved to Charleston to start a career in the city's thriving food and beverage industry. TJ takes great pride in his work and runs the bar like he runs his life- neat, organized and clean. A ride-or-die Republic loyalist, TJ makes it his personal mission to protect Leva's business and her brand, even after Leva tells him to back down. When Grace and Mikel don't fit his perception of proper Republic employees, TJ takes it upon himself to try to drive them away.

- Bradley Carter: After graduating from the Citadel military college on a football scholarship, this VIP Host spent two years vigorously training to get into his current enviable shape and aspires to establish his own personal training company. In the meantime, Bradley works at Republic as a VIP host, where he makes most of his money and meets most of his dates. Not shy about his looks, Bradley has no problem mixing business with pleasure, but he lands himself in hot water after he is accused of cheating on one server with another. Though he denies the allegations, the accusations grow increasingly personal until the conflict threatens to split Republic's close-knit team down the middle.



Season 2 of SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY premiered on Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo. Restaurateur Leva Bonaparte and her dynamic staff of Mia Alario, Joe Bradley, Bradley Carter, TJ Dinch, Will Kulp, Grace Lilly, Maddi Reese, Emmy Sharrett, Mikel Simmons and Lucia Pena return. The team at Republic is joined by new VIP Server Oisin O'Neill, whose larger-than-life personality is shaking things up. With the nightlife on King Street exploding and the competition fierce, the team at Republic is busier than ever. Accepting nothing short of perfection from her staff, Leva runs a tight ship, but her once-close-knit team faces a multitude of obstacles as they try to keep their jobs while maintaining their friendships and relationships. When rumors, cheating allegations and ghosts of past back-alley debaucheries haunt the staff, they work hard to prove to Leva that they are still fit to run the hottest club in Charleston. About the cast this season:

- Mia Alario/VIP Host lives by the work hard, party hard motto. Her at-home finance job is her office and Republic is her playground. Since meeting the latest man in her life, Mia attempts to curb her wild side, but that doesn't stop her from meddling in her friends' love lives. One thing that will never change is Mia's eagerness to speak her mind. When Leva makes a permanent change at Republic, Mia is not shy about voicing her opinion even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.

- As the first face to greet customers at the door, Joe Bradley/VIP Manager feels the pressure to be on at all times. Realizing the quality of his relationships with friends and family is waning and learning his employment isn't guaranteed, he questions his identity and longevity at Republic. When those closest to Joe accuse him of prioritizing new friendships over old, his loyalties are tested.

- Bradley Carter/VIP Server is ready to rebuild his bad-boy image after last year's infidelity rumors. Professionally, he's thriving after a recent promotion at Republic and with his personal-training business, Body by Brad, as his main source of income. In his attempts to better himself professionally, Bradley discovers who his real friends are, but a new juicy rumor falls into his lap that hinders his road to having it all.

In Charleston, secrets are always safe with TJ Dinch/Bartender. A fixture at Republic, TJ is there to keep the bar running smoothly while the patrons spill all of their tea. TJ is the man who has all the answers. Outside of work, however, TJ struggles to find love, even when the man of his dreams might be right in front of him.

- The clock is ticking for Will Kulp/Bartender as his days in Charleston are numbered. When he decides to head back to law school to pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer, his girlfriend, Emmy, is convinced that long distance will be an easy feat to overcome. After Will becomes the topic of the local rumor mill, his relationship and friendships are put to the ultimate test.

- Life is still wavy baby for Grace Lilly/VIP Host. Embracing change and new beginnings, she has said goodbye to f-boys and hello to her new boyfriend, Liam. Since they started dating, they've welcomed a baby girl to their lives - Fergie the cat. When things appear too good to be true, Grace is hit with an unexpected turn of events that sends her on a path to get her groove back.

- Making his way from across the pond, Oisin O'Neill/VIP Server is a fish out of water at Republic. He has moved from Wicklow to Dublin, NYC to Tulum, and now he's settled in Charleston. After putting his professional rugby career on hold to pursue an international career in nightlife, he lands a prime position on Leva's team with the help of good friend Maddi. New to this eclectic team, Oisin navigates tricky waters when his flirtatious nature is met with mixed reviews from his co-workers and their boyfriends.

- Maddi Reese/DJ & VIP Manager is making a name for herself on the music scene. When not working at Republic, she's venturing out of the South, with ambitions of one day performing in Miami. Now back with boyfriend Trevor, the pair moved in together and are planning for the future. Right when she thinks she's moved past his cheating ways, a new allegation arises that rocks her world.

- After years of waiting on others, Emmy Sharrett/VIP Server is finally prioritizing herself first. With boyfriend Will leaving town for law school, she's putting her trophy wife ambitions on hold and focusing on career opportunities at Republic. However, her secure relationship is jeopardized after a nefarious night of partying makes everyone question Will's loyalty.

- Bringing new meaning to "party all the time," Mikel Simmons/VIP Host can be found at Republic most nights, whether he's on shift or having a good time with his friends off the clock. He loves to spend quality time with girlfriends Grace and Maddi, but when he finds himself splitting time between the girls and their boyfriends, Mikel is left having to pick sides.

- Lucia Pena/Former VIP Server finds her world turned upside down after she becomes the latest casualty of the new Republic regime. As a single mother and a homeowner with bills piling up, Lucia has no choice but to swiftly figure things out. While in the process of looking for a new job, her romantic life brightens when a new boo appears.
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On Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT, Bravo premiered the Season 2 Reunion of SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY. Joining from the clubhouse, host Andy Cohen sits down with Leva Bonaparte and her larger-than-life staff at Republic, including Mia Alario, Joe Bradley, Bradley Carter, TJ Dinch, Will Kulp, Grace Lilly, Maddi Reese, Emmy Sharrett, and Lucia Pena as they reflect on this season's biggest moments. The Republic crew sits down for an emotional reunion after a rollercoaster season. Leva sheds light on the dramatic staff shake-ups at her King Street mainstay, and Mia and Lucia have the chance to say their piece. Maddi and Bradley go head-to-head over the infidelity rumors that have strained their friendship, leading Andy to question Maddi about the surprising voice recording. As the fiery friends rehash their trip to Miami, the girls call out Oisin's outburst on the beach, Lucia and Bradley clear the air about their hookup and where they stand now, and Joe finds himself in the hot seat for exposing the cast's group chat to Maddi. When the time comes for Joe to explain himself, Emmy is brought to tears as she and Will double down and hold him accountable for his questionable loyalty. The group shares an update on their dating lives before TJ drops a major bombshell about rumors of a recent hookup in the Bravo universe, once again putting Joey-bottles on the defensive.