Tayshia Adams Says Rachel Lindsay’s Bachelorette Journey Gave Her “Hope”

While Viall didn’t end up giving her his final rose, Lindsay went on to star on season 13 of The Bachelorette, where she got engaged to Bryan Abasolo. They tied the knot last year.

“If Rachel Lindsay wasn’t the Bachelorette, I don’t know if I would have went on the show,” Parker said. “Just because, just the representation of Black women and people of color, you know, growing up, shows that are super popular—I’ll just say, like, Friends—I never watched that show because there was not a big representation of me on the show. None of the main cast members were. I watched Fresh Prince; I watched Martin; I watched the shows that people looked like me. So, having her go on The Bachelorette and actually have like a—you know, she had success, she found her man. It was a huge inspiration to see her do this and she was one of the bigger reasons why I was comfortable to go on this show.” 

Adams said she completely agreed.

“I think that’s what encouraged me to go on it,” she added, “because I feel like she was so true and authentic to herself and, at the end of the day, she got her person….She got her fairy-tale ending and that’s what I wanted. So, she gave us hope.”