Real Housewives of Miami viewers know it’s been a rocky road for Lisa and Lenny Hochstein, but there were signs their marriage was over before they officially called it quits.
Bravo viewers were introduced to Lisa and her plastic surgeon husband when she joined the cast of RHOM during season 2. For two seasons, fans watched as the couple struggled to expand their family amid fertility issues.
“After three miscarriages and four failed IVF tries, it was a nightmare,” Lisa told In Touch in 2013, revealing that their surrogate had just fell through. “We thought we’d found the right person, but she had some personal issues and it didn’t work out. It was so disappointing.”
The twosome went on to welcome two kids via surrogate, son Logan in 2015 and daughter Elle in 2019. Their marriage, however, hit a roadblock in between seasons 3 and 4 of RHOM. After the 2013 season, Bravo canceled the series. Peacock, however, rebooted the show with Lisa as part of the cast in 2021. During the premiere that December, Lisa revealed that the twosome nearly split for good after Lenny had an “emotional” affair during a brief separation.
“A lot of people had a lot of questions about where we are in our marriage and a lot of the issues were from so long ago, like, eight years ago. So they really aren’t issues in our life right now, but I had to address it because people wanted to know. And I signed up for a reality TV show,” Lisa told Us Weekly exclusively in March 2022. “It definitely opened up the old wounds. It’s not something I wanted to talk about, but I knew it was a topic that would come up because some people knew about it. I wanted to talk about it on my terms before somebody kind of, like, just asked me about it in a scene or in a group setting.”
Lisa added at the time that she and Lenny “love each other very much,” noting, “You can’t have a 14-year relationship or marriage without love. I mean, there’s nothing holding us back. Like, I would be fine if I wasn’t with him and vice versa, but we wanna be together cause we love each other.”
Things clearly changed, however, in May 2022 when Page Six reported that Lisa confronted Lenny at a Miami nightclub when he was seen partying with Katharina Mazepa. While the doctor denied split rumors at the time, he confessed days later that the spouses were headed for divorce.
“It is true that I am seeing Katharina but none of this happened until after the decision was made to get divorced,” Lenny told Us in a statement. “This is a very difficult time and I would ask for some privacy so that we can best take care of our children who mean the world to us.”
He added that their issues “have nothing to do with the filming of the show.”
Lisa, meanwhile, told Us in a statement: “With two young children involved, as a mom I’m going to focus all of my energy and time on them. I’m blindsided by his behavior and reckless handling of the situation.”
Scroll through for a complete timeline of the Hochstein’s relationship:
The pair exchanged vows on October 24, 2009. Courtesy of Lisa Hochstein/Instagram
Reality TV fans met the couple on season 2 of RHOM, which premiered on Bravo in September 2012. Lisa was candid on the show about her struggles to get pregnant, worrying about not being able to have kids putting a strain on their relationship. Mark DeLong/Bravo
Sometime after season 3 of RHOM wrapped, Lenny and Lisa briefly separated – and he had an “emotional affair.” "We were already separated. We were going through a difficult time trying to have children. It wasn't happening,” she recalled on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in 2022. “So we were separating just because we were having a really hard time, you know, conceiving a child. So then he strayed. And I found out because I was very crafty, and I have all of his passwords, you know? And so, I saw some things. But we were separated, so yeah, that's how I found out." Courtesy of Lenny Hochstein/Instagram
After a lengthy fertility journey, the twosome welcomed son Logan via surrogate. “I just feel like, ‘Wow, we've just been through so much on the show. And all of these fans and supporters [were] with me throughout my journey, and now this and to see the outpouring, it's amazing.’ It's truly a miracle. He's a miracle baby,” she told Bravo in a statement at the time. “[Lenny is] great. There's like always a constant huge smile on his face. He can't wait to get home and see his little guy," she said. "He likes to think that he looks just like him and I'm kind of arguing with him saying 'Nope, he looks like me.' I mean, we're both so in love… I've never felt a love like this. It's amazing." Courtesy of Lisa Hochstein/Instagram
Lisa and Lenny expanded their family again when daughter Elle was born via surrogate. "She is an absolute angel baby and we are overflowing with joy,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. Courtesy of Lisa Hochstein/Instagram
Lisa broke her silence on their brief separation during the RHOM season 4 premiere. “We almost got a divorce, and it was devastating. During this separation, Lenny had this emotional affair with some $2 hoe,” she said during the December 2021 episode, claiming her spouse “came groveling back and it was the best decision of his life.” Tommy Garcia/Peacock
“I definitely feel like we are a success story,” Lisa told Us in March about the duo overcoming their issues. “Because we decided to work through our issues and we didn't wanna give up and thank God we did because we have our two children that I couldn't imagine life without. I'm happy. And I hope that other people can be inspired by that and not give up so easily because I feel like we live in a world where people give up way too easily. Divorce is, you know, like, an option [but] it shouldn't be an option, like, unless something really horrible is happening.” Courtesy of Lisa Hochstein/Instagram
Reports surfaced in early May that Lisa and costar Larsa Pippen confronted Lenny and Mazepa at a Miami club, alleging drinks were thrown. While Peacock picked up RHOM for season 5, Page Six reported that cameras were not present for the altercation. Lenny denied that he and Lisa had split at the time. Courtesy of Katharina Mazepa/Instagram
Lenny announced their split on May 16. "Lisa and I have contemplated divorce for the last several years,” he claimed in a statement to Us. “I tried my best to avoid it for the sake of our children who we love deeply. We have been living separate lives for months and made the decision to divorce last month. It was after the decision was made that I started seeing Katharina. This is something that Lisa was well aware of before it happened.” Lisa, however, told Us that she was “blindsided” by Lenny’s “reckless” behavior. Michele Eve Sandberg/Shutterstock
Us confirmed that Lenny filed to end their marriage on May 20, citing “irreconcilable differences” and noted in the docs that they signed a prenuptial agreement. Days earlier, the back and forth between the twosome made headlines again when Mazepa alleged that Lenny “never blindsided” Lisa with their relationship. “Lenny & I are both separated from our spouses. We are both currently going through divorces. I was informed Lisa was fully aware that he was going out with me,” the model told Us. “Despite her efforts to make the situation look otherwise, Lenny NEVER ‘blindsided’ her; in fact, he is going to great lengths to protect his family and do right by everyone involved in this difficult process.” Lisa, for her part, fired back: “To clear things up, she does not know any private matters of family outside of the lies Lenny is telling her. She was invited in my home, a decision I now regret, but that does not mean she is privy to what happens with my family.” NBC; Courtesy of Lenny Hochstein/Instagram
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