INTERVIEW - Chris Tolleson (Are You The One)

MTV sure know how to make a hit show and 'Are You The One' was no exception. A huge hit in America, it soon became cult viewing for us over here in the UK too. It was a show that had absolutely everything, the drama, the game, the love. One person who was involved with all three of those was Chris T making him one of the most loved contestant on the show. We had a chat with him about it all...

What made you take part in the show? Was it love or money?

We didn’t even know that we were going to get money until we got there, so initially I was kind of like this is a chance to help me work on my relationship side of things, and that’s how I went into it.  Then once we learned about the money that was always going to be in the back of your head, but for me it was still, hopefully I would find somebody. It was definitely about the love for me, but the money was a nice touch to it.

Were you skeptical about the whole idea of the ‘perfect match’?

Oh yeah, it’s like ‘you’re going to choose someone for me to fall in love with’ that all to me was a little skeptical. I had nothing to lose so I gave it a shot.

What made you fall for Shanley so quickly?

I think coming on to the show I was in somewhat of a vulnerable state as it was from a past relationship but definitely ready to put myself out there and move on, I was willing to do a leap of faith if it was there to take and when I met Shanley it was just kind of one of those things. Obviously I thought she was beautiful from the get go but once we started talking there was a connection that we just kept feeding off of which seemed really right for that moment. I jumped into it a little too fast but I didn’t regret it. I was like ‘I’m going to ride this one out and see what happens’. Then after we went into the truth booth it came out we weren’t a match but I was like, you know what, I’m just going to go with my gut and my heart and hopefully my head tags along with me.

What went through your mind when it was revealed she wasn’t your match?

At the time it was very… it sucked. I was like ‘damn’, I was really feeling this person but they’re not my perfect match, what do I do now, I don’t really want to meet someone else but at the same I can’t spend all my time with this person either. So it was really tough, I had to make a decision for myself and for the house. It came to down to, well we know we’re not a perfect match, but we would just gravitate to one another. I’m glad we weren’t a perfect match because we got time to figure out ourselves and other people in the house rather than just being locked away in the honeymoon suit. That could have potentially ruined everything for us, it might have been too much too soon.

What was it like living in a house with everyone what they were so against you and Shanley spending time together?

There was a lot of tension; I just tried to keep my head held high. A lot of people said they supported it but at the same time they didn’t. It was one of those things where they really thought it was hindering the game although Shanley and I knew it wasn’t. It sucked having people keep trying to push you away from each other, but at the end of the day we’d just gravitate to one another anyway.

What was the night like in the house when it was revealed Paige was actually your perfect match? Was it was intense as it looked?

Oh yeah, if not more intense. To be in that atmosphere it was shitty to say the least. For me, I always have something to say and I was speechless, Shanley kind of took the reigns on that. It was definitely an emotional moment, a really powerful moment, but it was definitely something that needed to be done. That intensity you saw on TV was only a fraction of what the actual event was like.

We didn’t get to see a lot of what went on in the honeymoon suit, what was it like over there compared to the main house?

The honeymoon suit was great. Paige and I kind of kept our distance from each other, we never did anything, and it was just very civil between us. We got to go with Dillan and Coleysia and travel all over Hawaii, then Wes was with us and it was fun. We got to do a lot of really cool things; I had a blast out there.

Since the show ended you and Shanley are no longer together, how did that all end?

Shanley and I, when reality hit we started to butt heads a little bit when we came back home. I was very overwhelming, I was like, right we have a long distance relationship, I’m not very good at these but I want to make this work and I was constantly on her ass just making sure I was keeping this connection. When reality hit it was tough to deal with for Shanley especially. With that, the differences and reasons we weren’t a match came out, we just constantly argued and decided to take a break. I have to admit, even though I didn’t want to, Shanley did, I thought it would be the good boyfriend thing to do. It had only been a couple of days since we were taking this break, but when I would call Shanley it would just be more attitude and we’d butt heads again and at this point I was kind of like, how do we need distance in a long distance relationship when there’s already so much distance there, and the only thing I could think of was maybe we should call it off and take time for real without a relationship. My intentions were never by any means to be, oh the relationships done. We both have things we need to work on, but the fact it was just constant bickering between us, it would get tough to resolve. I think for me that straw was, you know, its Christmas and we still couldn’t have a good conversation. So I called her, we talked a little bit after we’d broken up and I tried to get back with her, I was like, lets restart this, lets do things right. But at that point Shanley was like, we can’t do a relationship, and she was right. Having that relationship for us, it just wasn’t the right moment. So we didn’t talk half as much, then the whole Paige thing. I got really depressed and Paige picked up the pieces a little bit and nude pics or not, regardless of how it was handled, I was at a very bad point in my life. I was sitting there, Shanley has sort of shed my shell, I feel like a big whimp, I was super depressed so I asked Paige for nudes, whatever, and that was that. Paige and I don’t talk now, Paige and I don’t text, I haven’t talked to her since the reunion show at all, I’ve just been doing my own thing.

What was it like filming the reunion show when it all came out, was it as awkward was it looked?

Yeah, a little awkward. It was a lot of drama and a lot of tense moments. As soon as that was revealed I was like, oh man, this is great. It was nice that I got to explain myself a little bit but it was definitely awkward. I’m just glad I had Shanley there to have my back and I’m glad I told her everything I did. It was good in the end but it was definitely an intense reunion show.

Where are you and Shanley at now, are you talking? Friends?

I tried to keep in contact with Shanley but I probably haven’t spoken to her in a little bit. I know she’s busy; she’s focusing on her career stuff. I would definitely like to talk to her more but I don’t like to bother her when she’s busy. I will always love Shanley, I’ll love her forever and I wish we could have a relationship, but at this point in time you can’t force anything, I’ve just got to let things play out. If I had known that breaking up with Shanley would cause all this, I would have never done it in the first place, it wasn’t what I’d intended. I never meant to hurt Shanley, I annoy the shit out of her all the time, I know I do, but I’ll always love her regardless. I have a connection with her and it’s one I’ll never really get over. Good luck to her and whatever she’s doing, I wish her the best and I hope that out paths cross sooner rather than later.

What was it like watching the whole show back, are you pleased with how you came across?

I came across like I did and in that literal sense that’s who I was. Like I said I was in an emotional place, which was a side of Chris that falls for a girl and is head over heels about her. That’s a little piece of the pie of me. That’s a side of me that is the love struck Chris. I feel that there’s so many different sides to everybody on the show, its hard to really assess somebody and get to know somebody just off the show, a few of us were the real deal. So I’m happy with it, that’s who I am.

Is there anything that went off in the house we didn’t get to see on TV?

The white party, there was so much more to that. You didn’t see a lot. There was a few arguments between some of the girls, there was a lot more making-out between the girls. It was intense. JJ swimming in the water that was like a little process, it was crazy. That white party you could really have a whole segment that would just blow peoples minds.

Some of your fans wanted to know about your tattoos, why the labyrinth and any plans for more?

I definitely have plans for a lot more; I still have to finish my Labyrinth sleeve. I just love the movie, I love the whole idea behind it, I love Jim Henson, David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly. The whole movie just stood out to me and I fell in love with it and I decided to tattoo it on my body.

What’s next for you? Any plans for more TV?

I’d love to do more TV; I’d love to get behind a camera again. Wherever the road of life takes me is where I’ll go, but I’ve got a few opportunities popping up here and there for career moves and what not. I’d like to stay in the entertainment industry and give back to people a little bit more, whether it’s making people laugh or just taking pictures behind a camera. I love the entertainment industry and the fan base that comes from it. The people that love me, you guys make who I am really, the more you guys talk about me and post stuff asking questions, the more people seem to become intrigued and I love it. It’s a nice feeling to have a cushion of people that have your back, it’s really cool.