‘The Courtship’: Nicole Rémy Opens Up About Dating, Regency-Style, and Her Favorite Jane Austen Movie
Finding love in the modern world isn’t easy. So is it any wonder that Nicole Rémy, the star of the new reality dating series The Courtship, jumped at the chance to trade dating apps for ballroom dances in a quest to find the man of her dreams? Showbiz Cheat Sheet recently spoke with Rémy about her experience on The Bachelor-meets-Bridgerton show, what it was like to wear those gorgeous costumes, and how being on The Courtship has changed her attitude about dating.
Nicole Rémy explains why she decided to do ‘The Courtship’
When the chance to appear on The Courtship fell in Rémy’s lap, she felt she had nothing to lose.
“I was very excited to find love,” the former NFL cheerleader turned software engineer shared. And the fairy-tale setting didn’t hurt. Filming for The Courtship happened at Castle Howard in Northern England, which also appeared in Bridgerton Season 1 and the 1981 adaptation of Brideshead Revisited.
“If I can’t fall in love in a castle, where can I fall in love?” she said.
But Rémy wasn’t the only one who needed to say yes to the project. She also had to get her parents, sister, and best friend to sign on as well. The foursome serves as Rémy’s court, helping vet suitors and providing guidance as she navigates dating, Regency-style. But how exactly did Rémy get her loved ones to uproot their lives to help her find love?
“They were not so keen on the idea of being on a TV show,” she said of her parents, Claude Rémy and Dr. Claire Spain-Rémy. But once it became clear she was likely to be cast, they threw their support behind her.
“They were so sweet,” Rémy said.
Rémy reveals her favorite Jane Austen movie
Having her parents weigh in on her dating prospects before she’s even spent one-on-one time with them was new to Rémy. But she wasn’t totally unfamiliar with Regency ideas of romance. The 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightley is one of her favorite movies. She said she appreciated that Jane Austen’s heroine Elizabeth Bennet is in many ways a modern woman who doesn’t hesitate to stand up for herself.
Elizabeth “tells Mr. Darcy what she wants,” Rémy pointed out. That’s an attitude that Rémy embraced during her journey on the reality show. While her parents, sister, and friend are on hand to help her whittle down her list of suitors, the ultimate decision rests with Rémy.
“I’m still a modern girl,” she said. Though she might be dating 19th-century-style, she was committed to “stay[ing] true to who I was.” And she wasn’t afraid to break a few rules that would have gotten one of Austen’s heroines thrown out of polite society, such as sneaking kisses with some of her suitors. (Rémy locked lips with Daniel Bochicchio and Dan Hunter in the show’s first two episodes, and teasers hint at more scandalous moments to come.)
Still, she was a 21st-century woman in Regency-era dress. Rémy admitted the show’s elaborate costumes helped add to the unique experience of being on The Courtship.
“I sit a little taller and with a little more confidence,” she said of wearing the many gorgeous gowns she dons on the show. “It made me feel so regal.”
How ‘The Courtship’ changed her ideas about dating
With her court by her side, Rémy navigates having more than a dozen men fighting over her. She admits the experience has shifted her ideas about dating.
“I went in with a checklist,” she said. But over her time in the castle, “what became important was how they treated me.” By moving beyond the superficial, she was able to forge deeper connections with her suitors. While she said there’s “no harm” in using dating apps, she urges people to embrace a different approach to romance and love – and not just reject people because they’re the wrong height or live in the wrong zip code.
“Open your heart to more options,” she said.
As for what’s to come on The Courtship – and which man might win her heart – Rémy wasn’t giving away any spoilers. But she did tease some “really amazing moments on the dance floor” in upcoming episodes.
In the meantime, Rémy is happy to see The Courtship put a Black woman at the center of its love story, something that has all too often been missing from reality dating shows. With its stories of strong Black love – including that of Rémy’s parents, who’ve been married for 35 years – The Courtship is showing that true love truly is for everyone.
“It means everything to me,” Rémy said.
The Courtship airs Wednesdays at 11 p.m. on USA Network. Episodes 2 and 3 will air back-to-back on March 23. Episode 4 premieres March 30, and new episodes air weekly thereafter at 11 p.m. on Wednesdays. Episodes also stream the next day on Peacock.
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