In an exclusive interview with ‘Distractify,’ Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard’ star Preston Mitchum opened up about the man in his life.
While not everyone on the first season of Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard made it to the season finale, one castmate — Preston Mitchum — left fans wanting more after the eight-episode season wrapped.
Preston, an “attorney by day and a social butterfly at night,” quickly became one of the fan favorites in the house. From the moment he calmly and succinctly gathered his friends over the term “Black Excellence,” it was apparent that Preston was ready to educate during a good time.
Article continues below advertisement
The good times, however, came at a price since he had to leave his longtime partner behind for a few weeks. Although Preston gave us a taste of his relationship in the penultimate episode of Season 1, the openly gay activist’s boyfriend didn’t have to endure the group’s many, many house meetings.
In an exclusive interview with Distractify, Preston opened up about who he’s dating and shared if we will see more of his love life if there’s a Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard Season 2.
Article continues below advertisement
Who is Preston Mitchum from ‘Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard’ dating?
During Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard Season 1, fans became accustomed to seeing multiple couples. However, between the resident married couple Jasmine and Silas Cooper’s incessant lovemaking and Bria Fleming’s fighting for her man, Simon Marco, to stay in the house, a few housemates left their significant others at home for one reason or another. Nick Arrington, for instance, shocked his co-stars when they discovered he had a girlfriend after he DM’d several women in the house.
Preston also opened up about his boo, Donald Cooley, on the show. But unlike some of his castmates, he opted not to have Donald with him in the house.
Article continues below advertisement
Fortunately, there’s no need to think Preston was “hiding the world” from his boyfriend of over two years. He shared with Distractify that Donald’s reason for not joining him at Martha’s Vineyard was work-related and said they would’ve been together otherwise.
Article continues below advertisement
“He works in big law,” Preston explained. “So the time that he has is fairly limited in that way. But you know, again, fingers and toes crossed for season two. I would definitely love for him to come and visit.”
Preston and Donald, both lawyers, started dating in 2020. While Donald isn’t on the show, a few scrolls on his and Preston’s Instagram accounts show them enjoying their company away from reality TV. Donald will be there if Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard returns for another season. He’s busy in Washington, D.C. as an associate lawyer for Latham & Watkins LLP.
Article continues below advertisement
Preston Mitchum said he had “moments of isolation” as the only gay person in the house.
Despite Preston’s leading man, Donald, not being on Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard, he still represented himself as a Black gay man. Preston stayed to educate his friends about the LGBTQ+ community through his Pride party.
Article continues below advertisement
The event started with a soul food dinner followed by Preston revamping the house with rainbow-themed decorations and a moment of reflection on why Pride month exists.
Article continues below advertisement
Although Preston said he was excited to celebrate one part of his life with his friends, he admitted the party was his way of combatting the “moments of isolation” he felt as the sole queer roommate of the house.
“I started to feel some moments of isolation, even throughout our friendships,” Preston admitted. “We are all friends and having a good time (for the most part), but something was missing in day-to-day interactions. There was that extra layer of shade that my queer friends usually provide. There was an extra layer of lightheartedness that they usually provide.”
Article continues below advertisement
Preston continued saying that most of his castmates failed to acknowledge his sexual identity, except for his “wife,” Jordan Emanuel. Though he found his friends’ choice to gloss over his being gay “insulting,” he said the party helped him feel more included in the group moving forward.
“Everyone was so receptive, and it was the most beautiful night I had there,” Preston said. “ For some, it may have felt like a caricature or stereotypical, but it’s like, what else can I do now but celebrate who I am? And one of the things I love the most is traveling for Pride events. And that was the connective tissue for me that was initially missing.”
Source: https://www.distractify.com/p/preston-mitchum-dating