When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany - Red Flags & Toxic Men with Natalie Cruz

Episode Date: May 15, 2026

This week on When Reality Hits, reality TV star Natalie Cruz joins the podcast for a brutally honest conversation about everything that went down on Temptation Island and her return to Netflix’s Perfect Match. Natalie opens up about the infamous Grant drama, the viral shower scene, cheating allegations, toxic relationship cycles, online hate, death threats, and the wild reality of seeing your love life edited for television. She also reveals what viewers didn’t get to see behind the scenes, why she says she “did her job well,” and how reality TV completely changed her life. Plus, Natalie talks red flags, love bombing, bad kissers, reality dating show chaos, and why Perfect Match finally let fans see the real herPlease support the show by checking out our sponsors!Merit Beauty: Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag with your first order at meritbeauty.comARMRA Colostrum: Go to armra.com/REALITY or enter REALITY to get 30% off your first subscription orderProgressive: Quote your car insurance at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust ProgressiveSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

to another episode of When Reality Hits, y'all, today's guest has had the internet talking. You know her from Temptation Island, where she found herself right in the middle of all the drama with Grant, and now she's back looking for love on season four of Perfect Match on Netflix. And we are getting into what really happened behind the scenes, the backlash she got online, reality dating chaos, red flags, toxic exes, and everything in between. between, please welcome the gorgeous Natalie Cruz. Oh, my gosh, this is going to be really interesting. Hi, girl. How are you? I'm so good. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you so much for coming on. To get started, I always like to go back. So you started off on your reality TV journey on Temptation Island.

How did that come about for you? Like, what was the casting process or how did that even get started that you found out you were going to be on that show? casting for Temptation Island was honestly like the most random thing because I did like absolutely no social media. I had never even posted a real. I think it was like six months before I had even posted like or had been that long of a time. And someone DM'd me and I thought it was a joke and I was with my best friend and we were drunk in a bar about to go to hockey game. And I was like, oh my gosh, I love Temptation Island. Like someone DMs me and it's a joke. So I sent them like a drunk voice memo back.

I was like, you want me to get a boyfriend? Like just give me a week. like I can get a boyfriend and they were like, oh, no, I think you'll actually be really good as a single. And then I had my interview. And then I went on and it was, yeah, just totally random, but super fun. So it happened like that. Like you just got a DM on your instant. They're probably like, this girl's hot.

We have to have her on the show. That's so funny how much it's changed like social media. That's how, you know, I've talked to a lot of people from the Bachelor and the Bachelorette. And it happened like that with them as well. They got a DM from someone. and didn't think it was real, and it ended up being real. I know. So crazy and so random.

And it honestly changed my life in like all the best ways. So I'm really grateful for it. Oh, that's amazing. Or Temptation Island. What was your life actually like? Were you always somebody who secretly thought that you could do reality TV? Honestly, I had never even thought about it. I was kind of into reality TV.

I had watched Temptation Island and I had watched like selling sunset. Those were like my two. favorite reality shows, but besides that I wasn't super into it. And so I hadn't really like put in thought or like ever thought, oh, I'm going to apply and do that. So it really was random. What were you doing before a reality TV? Well, when I went on Temptation Island, I was 22. So I had just graduated like within that year. So I, yeah, it was pretty much just I had moved away from my college town and down to like a little bit of a bigger city in Scotland. Southdale, Arizona, and I was doing sales and working for a dermatology clinic and kind of just

figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. And then reality TV kind of changed all of that, too. Yeah. It can really change your life. What made you say yes to becoming a tempterist specifically? It kind of just, I love tempteress. It's such a funny term. I love it. I feel like just because the opportunity presented itself, I wasn't going to pass it up. I felt like it was great, you know, and I was just kind of like keeping my options open to see like what kind of opportunities it would bring me in the future. Right. And that's a great decision.

Did you go into the show thinking I'm going to stir things up or were you actually kind of nervous? Honestly, like I had no idea what to expect at all. And I think it's so funny even after doing like another show. It's weird going into it with a perspective of having been on. a show before. So I went in and I was like, you know, if I find love, I find love. I wasn't expecting at all to find love. It's not really like a love based show. So I was like, you know, if I'm going to come in and stir stuff up, that's what I'll do. If I find love, I guess that's what I'll do. If I'm going to do nothing, I guess that's what I'll do. So I was just kind of going to see what

happened. When did you realize that your storyline with Grant was becoming the storyline of the season? Um, I think, I think what I heard. Could you feel it while you were filming or did you realize it after it aired? I think I realized that my storyline with Grant was going to be a really key part of the show when I realized how like, I don't know, for lack of better term, like crazy and all over the place Grant was. You know, like, he's saying one thing and doing another. And like, he's a very like passionate talker. So like I was believing a lot of things he was saying. And you could just tell, like, over the other guys, like, he was getting talked about a lot while we were there because he, it was hard not to talk about him and, like, what he was doing. And I knew we had, like, a couple things that were going to be big parts of the show, even though they did cut out a lot. But, yeah, I think I really realized it when it was airing, though, because again, like, I went into it. I had no expectations.

I had no idea what to expect of what they were going to air or not air. And so it was really interesting, like, watching it back and seeing what they did. decided to show in what they cut out. Oh, I know all about that life, girl. Trust me. Watching the show back, what was the weirdest part about seeing yourself edited into a love story? I feel like the weirdest part watching Temptation Island back was, I wouldn't even call it a love

story, I guess, because, I mean, it's not really necessarily a love story with a man who was either in a relationship or freshly out of one or however he was painting it. So I feel like it was just weird. like watching myself on TV, I guess, in general. And then the fact that I was dating this like the guy that I wouldn't really go for in the real world. He wasn't your type in the real world? No, Grant really wasn't my type in the real world. But we did connect and we were on the island.

And, you know, I was trying to go into it open minded. But it was like that way of how everything panned out was just very much so. nothing I had ever experienced in my real life before that. Yeah, I understand. What do you think is one thing that viewers completely misunderstood about you? I think that viewers really couldn't see my personality on the show will, because I was definitely, I mean, I was a tempterist. So I was playing like a role kind of.

And so they weren't really able to see like who I am and like how I actually operate. and like any parts of myself, they pretty much got all that out. Right. Okay. That's so interesting. With you being a tempterist and kind of saying that that's kind of a role you had to play, what did they tell you like about, you know,

playing that part? It's not scripted at all. And so they really like telling us like something specific. But I mean, the ratio is 12 girls with two bombshells. So 14 girls. and then these four guys, which one of them we all knew was getting engaged at the end. So we pretty much, the ratio was 14 girls to three guys.

So it was like, okay, you kind of got to like get in there. If you, you know, if you're making a connection, you should really like see it through and run it up. So I feel like that was just kind of more the mindset rather than like them telling us something specific. But also like I had watched the show and thoroughly loved the show. So I also like kind of knew how things worked, I guess. Yeah. Were you ever warned that social media might get kind of crazy after the show airs? I was warned.

I mean, we definitely had like stuff set in place free show, but I honestly like, I again, I had no idea what to expect with everything. I had never been hated on in my life really like that before. So it was interesting. But I feel like that's just part of being on a TV show, you know, like you're going to have a lot of good and a lot of bad regardless of what you do. Exactly. was there anything that like really shocked you the most about things that were said to you online?

I mean, I got a couple death threats, which I thought was kind of like crazy. I'm like, I'm just a girl you're watching on TV. Wow. That's extremely hard. That's extremely hard. I will never understand people who do stuff like that. I don't get social media troubling and bullying at all in the first place. but death threats, like, what are you doing?

I know. I'm like, who's sitting there, like, all my computer on their phone being like, yeah, like, I'm going to send this to this person. Like, you've got to be weird for that. So I don't know. I didn't really take any of it to heart. So it's fine. Yeah, always focus on the good and the positive and everything you got from it instead of, like,

worrying about people in their basements, weighing 300 pounds that are commenting on. I don't think negative that they have no idea what's actually happening, you know. You guys got to remember things like that. You said before I did my job and I did it well looking back to you still feel that way. Yeah, I did what I came to do. You know, I was a temptress. I was supposed to tempt the guys. And there's even a scene of one of the first couple episodes.

I haven't watched it in so long, but of Grant saying to me like, aren't you supposed be the one tempting me? Now I feel like I'm tempting you. So I felt like I went in there. I made a connection with Grant. And then like it was even kind of like rolls reversed. Like he was trying to hit me at certain points and I was doing my job well enough for that to be the case. Exactly. I mean, it's always sexier when the guy is coming after you. Let's be real.

Yeah, I love to be chased by a guy. That's also why when I was like my real life, it's not really how I operate. It's fun though that you got to do all that. What was harder for you filming the show or surviving the internet afterwards? I feel like surviving the internet after and filming the show, like both had like their equal ups and downs because like after the show, well, no, actually no. I'll start here. When I was filming the show at first, like it was just such a whirlwind, like so many things I had never done before. When I got to set, I realized I had never talked into a camera before and I was like, why is this so awkward and weird? So I was like really learning things like from the simplest form. Yeah.

that I'm all there. So it was kind of like difficult, I guess, in that sense. And then afterwards, like, dealing with, like, the hate and the negative comments. It was, like, just interesting, I guess to me. But I got a lot more love than hate. And, like, everyone who actually, like, knows me and, like, my friends and family, like, they were all very supportive and, like, had my back through everything. So it was easy to kind of, like, roll off by that, I guess.

I'm glad to get that. Yeah. The people who know you best will keep it real with you. and that's very important. Okay, we have to get into the grant because the internet was invested. At what point did things with Grant become real off camera? Honestly, after we finished filming the show is when things got real with me and Grant, because I was very, like, apprehensive on the show.

I mean, first of all, I knew he was going to end up having some sort of conversation with Ashley, and he was very much so all over the place. And I told him before we left, before the fond of bonfire, that he should leave alone and kind of figure things out on his own. And then, like, after the show, if we wanted to, like, reconvene and see what life is like together, we could. And so that's kind of what we did. We finished filming.

And then we spent, like, four days together in Hawaii with Kay and Tyler, too. So we did, like, a little, like, double date, like, vacation, if you know. And then after that, it must have been like a week or two after filming. We met in my, in Maryland. And we did like a whole trip there, which was super fun, honestly. And I was like, wait, okay. I actually like, I like who you are outside of filming, you know, and we, we had the best time. And so that was kind of when I put my rose colored glasses on and was like, yeah, let's make this work.

but yeah i get i guess nobody knows about the rose-colored glasses better than me so um so i guess you kind of answered this question but did you generally think that the two of you might have an actual future together after filming like i guess that trip might have opened your eyes a little bit or made you think more so that something could happen in the future i don't think i was necessarily thinking like too far into the future but I was thinking like okay I actually do really like this guy I like who he is outside of the island a lot better you know because we didn't have any of like the noise and people around us he had told me he had cut things off with Ashley and that you know we and I'm very much so like yeah I'll jump into something if it's fun you know I like to

try things out so I I wasn't thinking like I'd say we weren't together long enough for it to be like a super serious thing like at all but in the moment I was like okay I want to see this through you know I want to maybe like see this through at least until the show airs and you have that weird period of time between like you film and then nine months later it airs so I'm like you know let's try and stop for nine months let's see yeah we didn't get to nine weeks but I tell my best so nine months went to nine weeks real quick yeah not even I don't even know Hold on it was, but I don't think it was nice. Let's be honest.

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could mean hundreds more in your pocket. Visit progressive.com after this episode to see if you could save. Progressive Casually Insurance Company and Affiliates, potential savings will vary, not available in all states. You said there were important conversations that never aired. What's the biggest missing piece that viewers didn't get to see? I'd say like I think our biggest like most important conversation that wasn't aired was probably the pre bonfire because I got so many questions after filming wrapped about why like that he didn't leave with me and I just think that that conversation would have been really beneficial if they had put that in because I told him like we had a really like good open honest conversation about it where I was like I don't think it would be good for you to leave. with me, let alone like do what you want with Ashley, but he was telling me he wasn't going to leave with her. And I feel like when you get out of something, you should like take time alone. And I was trying to like tell him that that was a good idea. And I felt like, you know, we were

kind of on the same page about that. It seemed good. But it definitely seemed like an important conversation. I wish they aired for my sake. But they did. No, I understand. Yeah. Well, hey, you get to say it now. All right. Let's talk about the infamous shower scene. Were you laughing watching everyone losing their minds over it? I was cracking up over the shower scene, actually, because in my head, I mean, the way it was aired was obviously like over like sexualized. And like it was like a sexy moment, I guess.

But like watching it back was honestly hilarious. Like I was laughing. I was watching it. Yeah. Did you know? Like the same. Amy Handprint was very dramatic. Did you know in the moment that scene was going to become viral reality TV chaos?

I figured that it would. And that's why it was so funny watching it back because when he put his hand over the shower, I was literally like, or on the door, I was like, oh, my God, the drama. Like, of course, you need to make it like this whole thing because he's very much so like, like that. And that's why watching it, I was like, of course that's the part they put in. And like that was week two, because I had been in his. room for like two weeks before that and then they ended up putting the the camera in the bathroom

and being like you know the cameras in the bathroom and so that wasn't even there until halfway through the show so goodness and that that so we don't do so like they don't have cameras in our bathrooms in our rooms like you know when we film our show so that's a whole different type of world like having that show on TV that has to feel crazy whenever you see it all lack. Yeah, it was definitely weird, I guess, watching it back because it was that clip itself also aired before they did like a mini trailer, I guess, like a teaser right before the show aired and watching just that. I was like, wow, okay, so this is selling the tone for the show. And I guess I'm just going to be along for the ride. So it was. Oh my gosh. I love it. What was your actual

reaction when grand and ashley kept circling back together after everything after like after filming wrapped yeah yeah i mean i wasn't surprised at all because he had cheated on me with ashley and i was just kind of expecting i guess them today you know i've been in toxic cycles with past boyfriends before and like i i feel like it wasn't like a shock to me i guess you know like they had unfinished business that they needed to figure out between the two of them. And so it was like, yeah, you know, I get that. I've been there before. So. Yeah. You and Ashley hate each other then? No, actually, not at all. I, we're cool. We're not like the best of friends or anything. But we lived recently in the same apartment. We both are in Florida now. Oh, wow. Do you guys together?

No, we don't live together. We did live in the same apartment complex for a couple of got you. Yeah, yeah, earlier this year. And so, I mean, I see her around a lot. And, like, I saw her at the Temptation Island 2 premiere. We were both there with Grant. And everything, like, there's our ex-boyfriend. Love triangles. Aren't they great? Oh, my goodness. Talked about trying to help him through therapy. Did you kind of have that feeling like he wanted to fix somebody? I have definitely been there. So no judgment whatsoever. I know exactly how that figgles. was that kind of something that you're like, I could fix this? I could be the one to change him. Was those kind of feelings going through your mind? I think like underlying, I was feeling like maybe I could change him,

but also I was just trying to have done. And I do think that he needed therapy. I don't know if he's gotten it. I haven't talked to him in well over a year, like year and a half maybe. So I hope he's on therapy, you know, for my sake. But I also. I also like I'm a big advocate for therapy. I've been in therapy like for the majority of my life.

And so when I see someone who might need therapy and I'm not, I'm the first one to be like, hey, it works. You should do it. You should probably try talking to someone about your. Especially Grant. When was the time that you finally realized, okay, this relationship is probably not going to happen? I feel like that thought crossed my mind a lot that I know this relationship isn't isn't the right thing but you know I was just trying something out and I'm saying I went I found out that he cheated on me with Ashley which he had called me right after and was like I just left Ashley's house we kissed whatever um do that I think so I mean I've talked to her about it and I think that happened. But, I mean, even if he was over there at her, her house, I find that mad disrespectful.

So it would have been cheating even without the case. Yeah, I agree. I agree. What's the wildest text or DM that Grant has sent you since the show aired? That is a great question. Because so since Grant and I, you know, we had one conversation after he cheated on me. he called me on the phone and said that that's what happened. And then I was like, okay, great, like, I'll never speak to you again.

And I had preface this because it's not like I was thinking he was a stand-up guy before we're quitting. Hopefully, I was like, if you do anything like you've done in your past, I will literally never speak to you again. And I mean, that still holds true to this day. He has sent me videos, five-minute-long apology videos of him crying and telling me how he feels. he has sent me voice notes. He just sent me one a month ago, less than a question. You haven't even seen them in a year. And I read all of them.

I don't walk them. They are delivered. I see all of them. I read all of them, but I don't respond. And yeah, he sent me lots of texts. I don't know. It's honestly like there's too many. I'd have to look through it.

I don't know. No, but do you think he definitely, especially maybe after saying that you were going to be on this new show, Do you think that that sparked him to start reaching out a little bit? Well, after the Temptation Island 2 premiere, I think I had announced Perfect Match or I did that week or something like that. And so I had been there with him and Ashley was there too. Like all of Temptation Island 2 was there and then a lot of Temptation Island 1 was there. So it was just interesting. So we had been in the same vicinity.

He was there two feet away from me for a lot of this and I just didn't even acknowledge him, which this has happened in public like a few times. Yeah. At this point. So I think that that's what sparked him to send me another voice memo, but I don't know. She looks good. If there had been a reunion, what would you have wanted to confront him about face to face? Hmm.

I think if there had been a reunion, I would have maybe like asked him to explain himself and certainly because I really didn't. When we broke up, it was pretty much like, okay, you did that. I'm going to stay true to my word, never speak to you again. Like, you're cut off completely. But if there had been a reunion and it would have been like a fun discussion on camera, you know, like I would have definitely wanted him to explain himself because he's notorious for talking himself into a corner.

And I think it would have been entertaining hearing his reasoning of why he cheated on me. Yeah. I think that people would love to see that. I feel like there always should be a reunion. I know. I was really bummed. They didn't do that for us. Yeah.

I've done so many reunions in my years. And half the time the reunions are juicier than the whole season. So I'm like there always needs to be a reunion because I'm sure people would have loved to watch that with you and him. Looking back now, do you feel grateful for the experience? Oh, yeah. I'm so grateful for some Tidjan Island. Like, it truly was like the most life-changing.

thing. It completely changed my career path. Now I, like, now social media and like modeling and things like that or what I'm doing, not sales and dermatology. So honestly, it's been great. I've met so many of my new best friends through that. It's why I moved to Miami. It's why, like, I don't know, I feel like so many doors have opened for me and opportunities that I wouldn't have had without it. So I'm so, so beyond grateful for it. Yeah. That's amazing. I love that for you. Congratulations with everything. Thank you. And now you're going from Temptation. Island Chaos to another Netflix dating show, the Per- match.

What made you want to do the perfect match after everything that happened on Temptation Island? I felt like, I feel like there were so many reasons, honestly, that I wanted to do perfect match because I was really excited when I got the opportunity because I felt like I knew I could actually be myself more on this show. And it would be like an awesome opportunity to. to actually, like, show my personality on TV, date single boys for once, hopefully hotter boys, like, I really seen, like, the bar of the traditional I was really low, like, below a place.

One of the other than a dating show where I could actually, like, maybe really like someone and, like, how does it work out? I was like, okay, you know, this seems more my speed. Yeah. Were there any hesitations about jumping back on a TV show like that at all? or were you ready to go? Honestly, no hesitations at all. I've been so ready.

I was so ready to film. I've been so ready for it to air. And honestly, just so excited because I feel like these are just like once in a lifetime opportunity. So it's like they are. Take them as they come. Very few people in the whole world

get to experience something like that. And it's a lot of fun too, you know. Yeah. You learn a lot about yourself as you go. Yeah. Because watching yourself do things on TV, you're like, hmm, I'm, more so far, I guess, than I watched before watching that.

How is perfect match different from Temptation Island emotionally? I'd say, that's a really good question. I feel like emotionally perfect match is different because there's no really like, it's equal girls and guys and like less pressure, I guess. So it kind of goes back to me just being able to like be myself and like talk. to people like how I normally would not like I spent a lot of like emotional energy on Temptation Island catering to talking to boys about their ex-girlfriends which would never ever entertain in real life that's what I get it so gosh which one's more intense behind the scenes if you had to pick one

I'd see Temptation Island's probably more intense behind the scenes but also because that was my first ever like anything like that i think it was just a very intense thing like i didn't even know how to talk to a camera like i just told you so it was a lot more intense in that way whereas when i was on perfect match regardless of what was happening i wasn't like unfamiliar to being miced up and like where to go or like what to do kind of yeah learning curve it really is and people don't understand that until they actually go through it that was actually going to be my next thing question like what did you learn about yourself from your first reality TV experience that helped you on the perfect match you had never been on camera before so like all of that it takes

some time to get used to so having that show under your belt I'm sure help you be more prepared for the perfect match you know because it's not as easy as people think it's very nerve-wracking it is very nerve-wracking especially when you like walk into a living room and there's four roboc cameras and two cameramen and you're supposed to have like a natural conversation with someone about liking them and like you're supposed to be like emotionally vulnerable with people. So like I feel like I was able to like better again just kind of like put out the noise and actually like connect with people without being like, oh my gosh, am I looking into the camera right now?

I mean, I don't know. I was just about it. I wasn't really thinking about any of that on perfect matches with me. Right. What kind of energy do you feel like you're bringing into this? season of the perfect match. I feel like perfect match. I'm bringing lots of like positive, happy, like, bubbly vibes.

I literally in like pretty much every clip before it aired, I was like cheesy, ear to ear, which is very own brand for me. So it seems like a happy bubbly person. I love that. So are you. Thank you. Yeah. I think live in the joy and that's how you should live life anyways, you know,

stay in that positive mindset. And I love that for you. I love that you're bringing some bubbliness and, you know, smiles and stuff. That's great. What's the hardest part about dating when thousands of strangers have opinions about your relationships? I'd say like in the moment,

I'm not really totally thinking about other people's opinions, but then watching the back, it is interesting to be like, hmm, I wonder like how other people are going to like pick this apart. but I also like am kind of excited I guess for other people to watch it and like see what they think of these relationships because I felt like you know I I binge the first five episodes this morning so it's just interesting to watch me with like I don't know dating people like just getting to know people in general so I understand what type of guy instantly gives you like the ick I hate like super cocky. Like I love a confident guy. But when you're cocky and like you're trying to like hide behind some sort of like look or status or like something right off the bat, it's such a turn off for me.

Because it's like I don't know. Like you should have enough like valuable personality and like charisma and like jokes or things like that to provide before you bring in like other things. I love that. I've been there and that's not going back ever again. I love that. We live in an age of

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Because when there's soggy lettuce and the Chucky Cheese salad bar, it can get pretty ugly. Join us every Wednesday wherever you listen to your podcast. I feel targeted by that Pet Cemetery's comment. I was about to say, wasn't that you? That was me. Yeah. Has it been hard for you since you've been on TV to trust? people's, you know,

intentions and things like that. Definitely, especially for like a second show, I think people like maybe have different intentions a little bit, whereas like on Temptation Island, people go into it and it's very genuine connections because for the most part, none of us did social media, like a couple people did, but a lot of us were just like,

all right, we're going to see how this goes. And then the second show, it's interesting, because, you know, some people might be trying to further their career more than others or they're trying, you know, they're maybe not just there to find love and they're maybe there for both. Or we're all a little bit there for both. But some way a little bit different size of the spectrum. So it is kind of interesting and that wasn't in the back of my mind while filming Temptation Island. So. Oh, yeah, for sure.

What has surprised you most about the Netflix reality TV universe? I feel like the Netflix. it's reality TV universe has surprised me in really great ways because I have like seriously made so many of my best friends through it and there are so many like genuine amazing people that I really couldn't imagine my life without now. So I, I wasn't going in like when I went into Temptation Island, I was not going in expecting to find friendships. I was like, this is not the soul I find love. This is not the show I find friendships. Yeah. And I met multiple best friends who I could not imagine my life without. So that was cool. I love that. Was there a moment while you're filming the

perfect match where you're sitting there thinking, oh, this is going to blow up online? I feel like there was actually multiple times where I was like, wow, this season is going to be gone. Yeah. You can have some drama. It's got some mess. And like, that's what's so fun about being there in person, like, while things are happening because you're like, how are they going to clip this? how are they going to edit this? Is this going to even be in it? But they have to put this in it because this is crazy. But there was a couple things that happened that I thought were like the craziest nights.

And they weren't even added in. So I'm very intrigued by that with perfect match. It's very strange whenever you film so much and then to see what actually makes the show. Yeah. Experience. If viewers think that they already know you from Temptation Island, what side of Natalie, are they about to see now on perfect match or seeing now on perfect match? I feel like if you've only watched me on Temptation Island, you probably don't know me like at all.

So if you're watching Perfect Match, you'll see like a lot more of just like who I actually am and how I interact with people because I mean, even from the first five episodes, I've had a lot. I already saw and, you know, I have had a lot more like personality shown. where which has been really awesome and nice to actually see like okay that's something I would say online and that's like something I would say not online that's something that's how I talk to my friends or that's just like how I act in general so yeah oh I love that for you so Allie louver she was on Vanderpump rules a little bit yeah I know her I'm not super close but I think she's so sweet um are you guys close at all he was my bestie on the show her and I were literally like attached at the hip the whole time and I was like attached at the hip the whole time and I was like attached at the hip the whole time. Oh, great. She is such a sweetheart and, you know, so smiley and bubbly too. So I can imagine you guys kicking it together and hitting it off really well. We definitely had a lot of fun on the show. Good. Okay. I definitely have to watch the entire thing. And it would be interesting to see Allie without James. You know, like I need to see that. Okay. I'm going to do a little rapid fire before I let you go. Are you ready? Okay, I'm ready. Biggest red flag in a guy immediately.

And I know you already said about that, but if you want to list another one. I feel like, I feel like, no, my big, my biggest red flag in a guy is cockiness, like overly cockiness. And where, or like, if, if they're not asking me enough questions about myself or if they're not, like, intrigued, like narcissistic men. Yeah. I hate narcissistic men. And they're hiding everywhere. They're everywhere. Watch out, girls.

A reality TV hookup rule that everyone should follow. I feel like a reality TV hookup rule I should follow is do whatever your heart desires. If it makes me do it. If it doesn't make me do it. I love it. One reality dating show, you'd never survive. Survivor. I would literally never survive.

I need to shower. I need to wash my hair. I need to brush my teeth. I need clean sheets. Like, I would never survive a day out there. I would never survive, survivor. I would never even attempt to. Yeah. That was toxic phrase. A man can text you. Um, like, treat me or treat me like I'm the prize. I don't know why that was the person that came to my mind. No, guys are turning into princess. Yeah, Princess treatment. Guys are wanting Princess treatment these days. It is wild. No, like that. No response for me.

Yeah, no. Have you ever gone through someone's phone and instantly regretted it? Oh, yeah. My high school boyfriend, I guess we broke up when I first went to college. I went through his phone and was like, well, I'm never going to see you again. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if you have an intuition, go through the phone and your gut's probably going to be right.

And hopefully it's not, but you're going to get your answers there. If you don't want to know, don't look. Yeah. It's the rule of them. Yeah. What's more dangerous, drunk texting or posting Instagram stories while mad? Honestly, I don't post Instagram stories mad and I don't really drunk text people. Good.

But I'd see, like, posting, I guess, like, would be worse. worse because then it's yeah that's just epic funniest thing a guy has done trying to win you back

honestly that probably goes back to Grant because the video messages of him like setting up his phone and apologizing and crying and like

making it a whole like he wrote a script practically that was probably the funniest thing Yeah, you guys think about that. Like, they're sitting up their phone to do a video, took all that time, and then still send it after watching it.

I'm like, did you rewatch this because that's crazy? I didn't, I didn't read that. I didn't respond. That was funny. Oh, my God. Worst first date location imaginable. Oh. Worst.

Honestly. like, I don't have any, like, first-state horror stories that I can remember, but I feel like a bad first date would be, like, somewhere that, like, skydiving. I don't know. I'd be like, I'll see you on the ground when you get that. Yeah, I don't know. I had to jump out of a helicopter on special forces, and that's the only time you will ever get me doing anything like that. It's because I was paid. And that was on a show, you know, like that is terrifying. My biggest fears, I would not do that.

I also feel like if you're doing a first date, you need to be somewhere where you can have a conversation. Like, movies normally are a great, like, I love going to movies and stuff, but you can't really talk and get to know each other in a movie. It has to be somewhere where you can have conversations, you know. The movies did cross my mind, but then I thought, well, it's one of me like the worst thing. No, it wasn't me the worst, but you need to be a good game. one thing a guy can do that instantly gives you the ick in bed. Oh, in bed? If you're a bad kisser.

Oh, I hate that. We will not go anywhere past kissing if we're a bad kisser. Like I love to kiss. I feel like it's like fun and intimate and like. Yes, me too. You can know a lot about a person by kissing. And if you can't kiss good, then how the heck are you going to be good in bed? Yeah, no.

I don't even want to. try. If you can't kiss me, that's like baseline, baseline. Exactly. Like, you learned how to do that in, like, middle school, okay? You got some time. You should be better at this one. Now, that means you're not going to be a good lover whatsoever in the bed. And that I agree with that. Who falls in love on reality TV faster? Men or women? Hmm. I think men are much more quick to, like, love bomb and appear in love. But women fall in love. probably or like get real real feelings more yeah like the men will love bomb the women into believing and yeah it's a cycle I agree yeah if your dating life if your dating life had a

warning label what would it say um probably like expect the unexpected or like something about character development like you don't need to be more character development or like, I don't know. I love that. You were adorable. One word to describe your perfect match experience. Amazing. You are so sweet and bubbly and cute.

If you could be on any of the reality TV shows, which would it be? These are my questions. I ask everyone. If you could be on any other reality TV show, what would it be? Honestly, like the only one that I had in mind after Traditionally was perfect match. But I really liked the idea of battle camp or something like that, but they just continued the show. Yeah. What would you ever think of like a Love Island?

That seems kind of like in your... Yeah. Or like a Bachelor in Paradise. I've never been on The Bachelor, so I wouldn't do that. But something like that would be super fun. I love being in a swimsuit with a drink in my hand. There you go. That's like my cup of tea.

So... Right. While you're doing it. Keep it up. Who, if you had to pick one reality TV star, who... who would you say is your favorite of all time? It could be when you were younger, it could be now, anytime. Hmm.

Well, mine would probably be, oh, I don't know, probably like anyone from selling sunset. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching Selling Sunset, but my best friend, Kay, you're her all-time favorite. Reality, she can split over. Hey, girl. I love that. I love that. Tell her I said so, and I appreciate that. I'm really close to Christine Quinn. Oh, really? That's so cool. I started on the show together in the Dominican Republic. It was just announced a couple days ago. So we had the best time we were, yeah, she is my girl. So I love her. And I love Chrisel. She's a Kentucky girl like me. So I know some of the selling sunset girls. They're always so beautiful. It's so great. Yeah, that's a great show.

all right natalie tell everybody where they can follow you um your social medias and all that type of stuff um my platform on everything is not cruz with three zs except for on ticchuk it has four zs yeah it's on everything on instagram i love the name is cruz so i love that name that's a cute way and everything c r u z so oh it brings a smile to my face okay Okay, so everyone follow Natalie on social media. Make sure you're watching her on the new season of Perfect Match streaming now on Netflix. Thank you so much, Natalie.

I had so much fun talking to you. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. It's so fun. Of course. I loved it. Thanks everyone for tuning in to another episode of When Reality Hits. We will see you guys next week.

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