Overview

• Brittany Cartwright told Us Weekly the Fox series’ strict contact rules made the separation from four-year-old Cruz the toughest part of filming.
• She video-chatted with her son whenever she could and carried his photo, saying she wanted him to know she would come back given his autism.
• Cartwright previously disclosed in April that Cruz is mostly nonverbal after experiencing speech regression around age two.
• She described the course as the hardest thing she has done and said facing fears, including heights, left her feeling empowered.
• Cartwright shares custody with estranged husband Jax Taylor and has primary custody; Season 4 premieres September 25 at 9 p.m. ET with Teresa and Gia Giudice and Eva Marcille among the cast.