Shanique and Randall address their Ultimatum reunion show revelation and current status

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers on the finale and reunion of Netflix's The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On.

Shanique Imari and Randall Griffin were one of six couples who put their relationship on the line as part of Netflix's The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, but ultimately, when all was said and done, they neither married nor moved on.

The series finale showed the couple meeting up on the very serious and dramatic sounding "Ultimatum Day", and eternal bliss seemed within their grasp when Randall finally did propose to Shanique and she said yes. Yay! Love wins again!

But not so fast. Because then came the reunion, where Shanique showed up without her engagement ring, and revealed to an intently listening Nick and Vanessa Lachey that the couple had broken up for about six months after filming, during which she dated other people.

However, perhaps there still is a reality TV fairytale ending for these two star-crossed lovebirds after all, as the couple also explained that they were (once again) back together. At least they were at the time of the reunion filming. What is Shanique and Randall's status now? And will there be another ultimatum issued? We caught up with the pair to get the latest update on everything that went down, as well as their future. (Also check out our finale/reunion interview with Colby.)

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So first off, I see you both together on the Zoom screen, but there's been some back and forth on this, so are you together-together?

SHANIQUE IMARI: We are together. We did take a little break, and if you watched the reunion, you did see us kind of get into that. But yeah, I decided that we just needed to kind of take a little bit of time apart. And I think Randall thought that was probably the best decision as well, just after filming wrapped.

After we got back to our normal lives, there were a lot of things that were uprooted during this experience, and we had to really take time to figure out what that meant for each of us. So yeah, we separated, but now we're back together. We're doing pretty good now

What is it that ultimately brought you guys back together after taking the break?

RANDALL GRIFFIN: I think it just was a little bit of everything. Some self-reflection, some time to ourselves to just understand what we really want in relationships. And then a little bit of prayer as well. But I think the break helped us a lot, and although we were on a break, we still saw each other, we still were communicating, but we didn't have that title as engaged couples or boyfriend and girlfriend, for that matter.

So I think just taking those titles out allowed us to realize like, "Okay, this is real. Let's see if we can kind of live without each other." But then we realized that wasn't possible. So I think ultimately we just brought us back together and made us even stronger.

IMARI: I want to add to that if I can, actually. I think you made a really good point about taking the titles out of it. I think we both at different points in knowing each other and dating each other, we were hung up on being boyfriend and girlfriend and then being engaged. And I think once we were able to take that out of it and just focus on the individual person — like focus on Randall as a person and focus on Shanique as a person — we were able to see where we were compatible and where we weren't and whether or not we were willing to work through the things that were hard for us to work through.

So what does being together mean now? Are you two living together?

GRIFFIN: Yeah, we're living together right now. And this happened just recently. But I think we just both agree that we did appreciate the experience, let's just say that. We're just taking it one day at a time. I feel like we're way more mature in our relationship than we were prior to the experience. And I think that is what's helping us right now in growing to the people that we're meant to be. And then us realizing that our journey's going to be a little different then, let's say Madlyn or Colby or anybody else that just gets engaged and gets married for that matter. So it's unorthodox, but it's something that we appreciate.

So let's get into to the show. When you go on a show like this you put all your dirty laundry out there for the world to see. Did you ever find yourself regretting that decision?

IMARI: Yeah.

GRIFFIN: Yeah. I mean, I was skeptical from day 1. I didn't know if it was meant for us to actually grow stronger together or just to kind of tear us apart and just be for everybody's entertainment. So I was skeptical from day 1. I don't know how you feel about it.

IMARI: Yeah, I think very early on, I was like, "This is not exactly what I was planning." And the reason why I say that is because I've gotten a lot of feedback on this. Like, "Well, hey, you signed up for this. You asked him to come on this experience." I did, but I think what I was hoping for was for him to kind of walk into this and be like, "Wow, none of these girls compare to Shanique. Look at all the amazing memories we have, look how amazing the person she is."

And when I wasn't getting that, I think naturally as a human being, I started to doubt myself and doubt our relationship. And it was instant regret. 'Cause we weren't perfect by any measure, but now I just threw a wrench in the whole situation. So yeah, I definitely had moments where I was like, "Man, this could have just probably been avoided having you not done this." I don't know.

What was harder about watching the season play back: seeing your partner with someone else or seeing your own behavior sometimes on the show?

IMARI: It was both.

GRIFFIN: Yeah, I'll say both. Obviously, you don't want to see anybody with your current partner, and the fact that this experience allowed that, it was like, okay, you really had no choice but to see somebody happy with your girlfriend or boyfriend. And the fact that you look back on it and realize, "Wow, maybe I should have said something differently in this situation. Or maybe I could have acted more mature in this situation or taken a different route." It was awkward because you've never been in a position like this, so it's kind of hard to just take it all in and then accept it. So yeah, it was tough to watch.

IMARI: Yeah, I think no one can imagine watching their partner date someone else in real life, right? So you really don't know how you would respond to that, and I definitely thought I was going to be able to hold it together a little bit better. And there were definitely moments to your point when I watched it back and I was like, "Oh my gosh, that was so ugly of me. Oh my gosh, that's not how we communicate. We're better than that." And so I think there were definitely points in experience where I was like, "Man, this didn't do our relationship any... it does it a huge disservice in a way.

But definitely the other part of that is watching somebody else bring out sides of your partner that may have taken months, or, in our case, years to bring out. That was hard, probably for both of us in different ways, but certainly for me seeing that kind of instant chemistry and I'm like, "Hey, wait a minute. We're supposed to be working on us. You're not supposed to be invested in another relationship." So yeah, that was definitely hard to watch as well.

I imagine it's even harder, because from what I understand, you guys basically were sequestered and had to watch the episodes separately before the reunion, which just sounds brutal. So Randall, just sort of take me through watching the scene with Shanique and Zay when they're getting physical. Are you covering your eyes? Are you pacing around the room?

GRIFFIN: What I will say is we spoke about it a long time ago. So it was going to show, because obviously, that's the entertainment factor of it, but obviously it sucks to see. So I was trying my best to fast forward it like, "All right, I know what's going on. Let me go fast forward it."

But yeah, it wasn't the most pleasant to see, but I know Shanique was super honest with me about everything that happened, and I was as well. So I think that was one of the things that we spoke about prior to even coming on the experience. What a lot of couples did was just complete honesty, and that's what we were showing each other throughout the experience. And yeah, I feel like had I seen it without her telling me, it would've been a different story, but we spoke about it prior to the switchover and I think it didn't really affect me too much.

IMARI: I think watching that scene, all I could think was "Man." Imagining Randall watch that, I was like, "Oh my gosh." I could only think about him in that moment. So, I think we all admitted to it; at the reunion, everyone had different levels of connection. There were emotional connections, there were physical connections. People admitted to doing things off camera or outside of the experience.

And we've heard that a lot throughout the show that things were happening off-camera and it just so happens that our intimate moment, Zay and I, was on camera. It was very hard to watch, and in some ways embarrassing, but I think more so for him than even for myself. No one wants their partner to watch that; that was tough. So I respect him for his response, and I think to his point, a huge part of was that's just being honest and upfront about it.

How was it for you then, Shanique, also watching the stuff with Randall and Madelyn?

IMARI: I heard everything on girls night. Just to put it into perspective, I didn't want to react toward Madlyn on girls night cause this was the first time that I was hearing some of these things. And so when I'm sitting there and I'm watching it alone, it's starting to piece together in my mind. I'm like, "Oh, so this is why she thought they had a really great connection, and this is why she is telling me that her and Randall could potentially be a better match than him and I."

Because it was very evident that they were having a good time, and that was really hard for me to watch, for sure. But because it was so long ago and we were so past it, I was able to watch and just take everything with a grain of salt, understand that there is some magic that happens behind the camera, if you will. So all of the pieces aren't going to be there. And I just have to give everyone in the situation grace.

So If you guys had your break right after the show, and you were single, Shanique, and Zay was single — was there any communication there or any dating between you two in that period after the show wrapped?

IMARI: That's a good question, but no. After the show wrapped, and I hope I'm not speaking for anyone else, but Rae and Zay did actually try again. They did try to kind of figure their situation out. At that point, Rae and I were actually, I would say, friends. And so we were all kind of aware of those hangouts.

Any of the other results from what happened with the other couples surprise you? Either who is still together or who is no longer together?

GRIFFIN: I think the obvious one was the whole Jake and Rae situation. We saw from the beginning the instant chemistry they had, you can't deny that. And to be honest, I think a lot of fear of just public backlash went into play because had that not been publicly put on television, I feel like they would've instantly connected and probably will be dating right now.

So I think that's something that surprised me, because obviously as you can see, Zay and Rae's connection after the show kind of diminished while Jake and Rae's connection seems to still be strong. They just were keeping people's feelings in mind, and I think had that not been the case, they would've been a great couple.

IMARI: I'd probably say watching it back, I was honestly surprised by Madlyn and Colby, if I'm being totally honest. Not that I thought she was going to leave with my man, but I thought that maybe she would leave alone because she was very adamant at certain points that she just could not do this.

And so watching them get engaged, and then not only that, but actually get married and then where they are now and the baby coming, it's just like, oh my gosh, a lot of big things happening in such a short amount of time. So I think I was a little surprised by that.

When they film a show like this, there are hundreds of hours of footage that they don't end up using. What is something that didn't make it to air that you wish viewers had a chance to see?

GRIFFIN: For me, I wish they would've shown all the great dates Shanique and I did have. A lot of the dates that were shown on television were the dates where we were just getting super critical of each other or just talking about things we need each other to work on, and my reservations.

But there was a lot of dates where we were just hanging out, having a good time. That's how the core of our relationship is. We just always have a good time and enjoy each other's company. But I think just for the sake of the show, you had to have those tough conversations in order to kind of get the result that you wanted, which was engagement. So I wish they would've shown those lighthearted moments and not the big arguments and meltdowns that were had during the show.

IMARI: Yeah, I can plus one on that and just say, I think had they shown the more emotionally evolved conversations, that would've been nice to see. There was a lot of arguing. There were a lot of moments where we were not agreeing or seeing eye to eye and that's real. That happens in relationships, sure, but I think the part of it that sucks is it kind of went from, "We're not sure if they like each other" to "They're now engaged." I think there was a sharp shift there, and I wish there was a little bit more of our actual romantic and emotional connection.

They need the drama! They got to have the drama. You know the way TV is.

GRIFFIN: Yeah, got to have the drama.

Where do you think you all are if you don't go on this show? Where do you think your relationship is right now if you don't do this experiment?

GRIFFIN: I think our relationship would still be in a comfortable place because I would say on my end, I wasn't big on being pushed prior to the show. I was very comfortable in my own ways. Almost like, "All right, if you want to adjust to me, then you got to be the problem because I'm such a chill guy." When in reality, I had a lot of things I needed to work on. Just be a better man in general for my future wife. So I just think if Shanique would still have me, if she didn't break up with me, I think we would be in just a comfortable position just still being boyfriend and girlfriend and just not progressing towards that next step.

IMARI: That's a really hard question to answer, if I'm being honest, because I think we were at a point in our relationship where I did feel like he was really, really comfortable in that I was the only one that was pushing for things and initiating things and wanting to figure out what's next. So I do think in the real world, outside of an experiment, it would come to a point where one of us would feel like I'm not getting everything that I need.

It's hard to say what that would look like and put a timeline to that, and that's part of the reason why it's hard for me to also regret the experience. I think it did pull a lot of those things out in a very accelerated way, in a way that we had to address them. So I don't know. It's hard for me to answer that. That's a really tough one.

Well, let's end with another tough one: Will there be any more ultimatums issued?

GRIFFIN: I hope not. She's already run out her one. So, I got to make my ultimatums because we're not doing more than one on your end.

IMARI: That's fair. Okay, I think I'm going to chill on the ultimatum for now.

GRIFFIN: And if we do it, we're not going on television. We're discussing it with the therapist.

IMARI: Yeah, we're going to go see a therapist about that one.

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