Controversial entertainer Todrick Hall played a 'cutthroat' and 'nasty' game on 'Celebrity Big Brother' and was 'growing up in front of the world,' his costars say

• "Celebrity Big Brother" star Todd Bridges called Todrick Hall's gameplay "cutthroat" and "nasty."
• Hall, who came in second, faced criticism as the season aired and canceled press interviews on finale night.

Controversial entertainer Todrick Hall came in second place on the "Celebrity Big Brother" season three finale Wednesday night because of gameplay that some of his castmates, like "Diff'rent Strokes" actor Todd Bridges, called "cutthroat" and "nasty."

A representative for Hall did not respond to Insider's request for comment on Bridges' and other houseguests' comments to Insider about Hall's behavior on "Celebrity Big Brother."

"Celebrity Big Brother" is a game of psychological manipulation in which 11 celebrities are put into a locked house, with no access to the outside world, and live together for 30 days with the goal of scheming their way to a $250,000 grand prize.

Lying and cheating is usually to be expected during gameplay, but many celebrities went into the house this season with less knowledge of how to play the game than Hall, a self-professed superfan of the reality show who previously had players of the original, non-celebrity version of the game stay at his house when their season was over.

Hall has faced widespread criticism from fans and former houseguests online throughout the season for his behavior in the house, canceled all scheduled interviews with press following finale night, and has yet to publicly address the controversy on social media.

Talking to Insider in exit interviews throughout the season, some of his Hall's castmates believe his actions in the game went too far, with several agreeing that he used his race to win favor with them in a way that they feel crossed a line.

Bridges and former NBA star Lamar Odom both told Insider Hall used race to win favor with them

"Todrick is amazing at whipping a bunch of crap," Bridges, who placed fourth, told Insider in his exit interview in February. "He makes the crap smell like it's fresh chicken and fresh beef, and you want to take a bite of it. The problem is we take a bite of it — and then you find out it's not chicken, it's doo-doo."

Bridges said that Hall talked about race with castmates "all the time" and claims that "he was the only one that always talked about it."

"I think it's a fine line between actually being for real about it and not being for real about it," Bridges said of bonding with people because of shared racial identities. "I think Todrick was just a head spinner, and he was good at it."

Former NBA player Lamar Odom also told Insider in February that Hall did try to use race to bond with him often.

"But his alliance was to a white woman, so that was hard for me to understand," Odom said, referring to Hall's final two deal with the season's eventual winner, UFC fighter Miesha Tate. "He wasn't getting me with that one."

Some of Hall's castmates told Insider they hope he grows from his experience on 'Celebrity Big Brother'

Many fans online pointed out how Hall took gameplay manipulation to extreme levels and launched unnecessary personal attacks on others. A Reddit user alleged that Hall's apparent "slut shaming" of houseguest Shanna Moakler, captured on live-feed footage but not aired on the show's broadcast episodes, after she exited the show was one example of bad behavior that had nothing to do with winning the game.

Redditors also noted that Hall said the phrase "don't be too hard on me" to Moakler as she was leaving the house, which was shown on the February 14 episode when Moakler was evicted. In an earlier moment captured on the show's live feeds but not aired on any broadcast episode, Moakler had previously told houseguests, including Hall, that "don't be too hard on me" was what a home intruder said to her during an event "she described as the most traumatic moment of her life," the Reddit user wrote.

Moakler hasn't directly commented on these allegations, but told TooFab in an interview published February 16 following her eviction that she felt Hall "clapping and cheering" on her way out the door "was in poor taste" and agreed with fellow houseguest Chris Kirkpatrick's earlier comments to TooFab that Hall sometimes made things "too personal" in the game.

"I didn't really respect the gameplay or the style or making things personal," Moakler told TooFab in February. "I wanted to keep it about 'Big Brother,' I wanted to keep it about what we were doing."

According to fan-captured footage from the live feeds, Hall was also seen accusing fellow houseguests of saying homophobic words that many live-feed watchers never heard them say.

"I think Todrick is going through a process of growing up and what happens is that he's growing up in front of the world," said Odom of Hall's behavior in the house. "So everyone's going to see his mistakes or downfalls."

Bridges said he didn't think Hall's self-confidence was as strong as he portrayed it to be. "The stuff he said was just unnecessary, but I take that away from him maybe being insecure."

Not all of Hall's former castmates feel as negatively about their experiences with Hall, and several told Insider they wish him well

After "Real Housewives" star Cynthia Bailey's closest ally, Carson Kressley, was voted out of the "Celebrity Big Brother" house, Hall protected her, resulting in Bailey making it to the final three.

During her finale night interview with Insider on Wednesday, Bailey said she was "grateful" that Hall took her "under his wing" at the time.

When asked about Bridges and Odom's earlier comments to Insider about Hall and his gameplay, Bailey said that she can "understand" why Bridges and Odom think Hall talked about race with them too much, but added that her "experience with him in the house was good."

Kressley, who won the fan-voted America's Favorite Player award on finale night, told Insider on Wednesday that Hall played the game "recklessly," but he hopes his friend learns from it. He said he had conversations with Hall in the house explaining that "this game only lasts on TV for three weeks, but you need to protect your brand and your career for the long term."

"I don't want anyone to be hurt because of a game," the former "Queer Eye" star said, adding that he thinks Hall "will move on" from this.

And Tate, the season's winner and Hall's closest ally throughout the game, told Insider on Wednesday's finale night that she just hopes people judge Hall "for his heart and not his mind."

"People do make mistakes; we all make mistakes," she added.