Bethenny Frankel is not pretending that she and ex-husband Jason Hoppy have settled into an easy friendship years after their divorce. Asked how the former couple gets along today, she first answered with a joke before acknowledging that 2026 has been difficult.
“We do both exist on this earth, so that’s positive,” Frankel said during the September 29 episode of Friends Keep Secrets after Benny Blanco asked whether she and Hoppy still coexist. “It’s been a strained year. It’s been a challenging year.”
Frankel, 55, and Hoppy share 16-year-old daughter Bryn. The former Real Housewives of New York City star did not explain what specifically made this year difficult between the exes.
Frankel did, however, connect the present-day conversation to the toll of their lengthy divorce and custody litigation. E! News reported that she called the experience “torture” and “traumatic,” summarizing it as “10 years on a two-year marriage.”
The Divorce Continued for Years After Their Marriage Ended
Frankel and Hoppy married in 2010 and welcomed Bryn that same year. They separated in late 2012, and Frankel filed for divorce in early 2013, beginning a legal process that continued long after the marriage itself had ended.
The former couple reached a financial settlement in 2016, but custody issues remained contested and their divorce was not finalized until January 2021. Us Weekly reported that Frankel used the new podcast appearance to describe the years-long process as the most difficult period of her life.
Frankel Later Received Primary Residential Custody of Bryn
In December 2021, Frankel’s representative told E! News that she had been awarded full legal custody of Bryn in 2020 and later received primary residential custody. She was also no longer required to make direct child-support payments to Hoppy.
At the time, Hoppy said he intended to step away from further fighting over Bryn for the sake of his physical, emotional and mental health while emphasizing that he still wanted a relationship with his daughter. Us Weekly quoted him saying that Bryn knew he loved her and that he would remain available for their time together.
Frankel Says Bryn Has Become One of Her Best Friends
Frankel spent more of the new podcast discussing Bryn than explaining her current relationship with Hoppy. She called her daughter one of her best friends and said some of their strongest moments come from ordinary time together, including watching something, laughing and taking long drives.
Us Weekly reported that Frankel compared the pair to “Thelma and Louise,” while also acknowledging that parenting a 16-year-old now feels different from raising a younger child. She said they sometimes function almost like roommates because they are moving through completely different chapters of their lives.
Frankel nevertheless described the bond as close and respectful, saying she and Bryn love spending time together while also giving each other space.
She Had Already Referred to Private Family Complications This Year
Frankel had hinted months earlier that parts of Bryn’s wider family life were complicated. During a May appearance on Emma Grede’s Aspire podcast, she said there were “a lot of personal things going on within her family dynamic” and that she wanted Bryn to feel more connected to a broader community.
Us Weekly reported that Frankel described herself and Bryn as “rolling very light” as a family unit, particularly around holidays. Frankel and Bryn relocated to Florida in 2025.
PEOPLE reported that Frankel said her daughter had strongly wanted the move after a private experience during a Florida visit, prompting Frankel to reorganize their lives around the state.