'RHOSLC' Star Monica Garcia Shares Details on Strained Relationship With Mom, Linda Darnell

Jan. 17 2024, Published 10:54 a.m. ET

During her first season as a housewife, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Monica Garcia opened up to viewers about her complicated relationship with her mother, Linda Darnell. These two have thrown each other under the bus numerous times, with Monica claiming her mom was ready to join the RHOSLC cast, with or without her.

After a whirlwind of drama and heartache, it looks like Monica and Linda are hitting pause on their mother-daughter saga. Yep, you heard it right — they're no longer speaking. Dive in to discover Monica's take on the radio silence with her mom below, and as you scroll, uncover the mystery of why Monica used to go by four different names.

'RHOSLC' star Monica Garcia is no longer on speaking terms with her mom, Linda Darnell.

If you tuned in to the Season 4 finale, you already know that Monica and her mother, Linda, are currently giving each other the cold shoulder — and it looks like that frosty situation hasn't thawed. During the second part of the RHOSLC Season 4 reunion, Monica spills the pipping hot tea on her relationship with her mom.

"My mother and I are not speaking," Monica reveals during the reunion. Andy Cohen, being the gossip guru he is, asks when was the last time Monica spoke with her mom. Monica's reply? "Since the filming wrapped."

As if that isn't enough drama, Monica adds a twist — her mom abandoned her when she was 12 years old so she could pursue a television career. OK, talk about major drama!

"She got on TV," Andy points out before asking Monica, "Do you think your mom was auditioning to be a housewife?"

Well, duh! Monica recounts the very moment she thought she "bombed" her RHOSLC audition and sought solace from her mom, who then prayed that if Monica didn't get it, she would. Ugh — that's just pure evil.

Monica Garcia used to go by four different names.

During the reunion, Monica also sets the record straight and reveals why she used to go by four different names in the past (in case you missed it, Linda once accused Monica of changing her name "every five minutes").

"My maiden name was Darnell," she says, clarifying why her mom previously called her Monica Darnell. "Fowler is my married name."

Enter the curious Andy, inquiring about where the surname Delgado comes from. Monica casually drops that it's from her "dad's side." As for Garcia, that's her current surname, courtesy of her mom's birth name. However, the housewife explains that her mom didn't go by Garcia once she became an adult.

"Garcia is [a name from] my mother's side. My mother was born Linda Darnell Susan Maria Garcia," she reveals in Part 2 of the RHOSLC reunion. "When she was growing up, she was teased for being [Portuguese] in Boston. So, when she became of legal age, she chopped her entire name off because she was ashamed of it, and just kept Linda Darnell."

Monica continues, "When I was born, I was Monica Linda Darnell. But, that name means nothing to me, so when I was getting a divorce, I wanted a family name."

As a result, Monica opted for her mother's surname, Garcia: "I legally have only ever used three, which is the one that I was born with, when I got married, and when I got divorced," she says.

Catch new episodes of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.

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