Bravo has unveiled the brand-new cast of its rebooted “Real Housewives of New York City” franchise.
Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Lizzy Savetsky, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield will all be joining for Season 14. The news was revealed at a “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen” taping on Sunday night during BravoCon, when the ladies surprised fans by walking on stage. In an exclusive interview with Variety in March, “Real Housewives” executive producer Andy Cohen had said that Bravo was looking for a cast that better reflected New York City. And indeed this one does: Lyons identifies as gay, and Taank will be the first Indian Housewife.
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Production is set to begin this fall and the highly-anticipated show will premiere in 2023. According to its official logline, Season 14 will follow “an all-new group of seven dynamic women who run in the same social circles, thriving in one of the most diverse and electric cities in the world. From fashion and real estate, to philanthropy and social influence, these women have made their mark in NYC and will now share their lives as they juggle careers, family life and jam-packed social calendars in the city that never sleeps.”
Variety hears that the legacy version of “Real Housewives of New York City” is essentially fully cast, and deals are in the process of closing. One source says that Dorinda Medley and Sonja Morgan will be part of the cast. During an “Ultimate Girls Trip” panel at BravoCon, Variety‘s Elizabeth Wagmeister asked producers about the legacy show, and while they didn’t reveal too much, executive producer Lisa Shannon suggested that the show is well on its way.
When asked by Variety at BravoCon about the possibility of joining the “Legacy” cast, Medley played coy. “I swear to you, you know as much as we do. I promise you,” she said. “I’ve heard more about the new girls [on the rebooted ‘RHONY’] than I have about ‘Legacy.’ Listen, if you hear something, call me! I’ll be at Blue Stone Manor waiting, decorating for Halloween.”
Sunday night’s “Watch What Happens Live” taping included 28 surprise guests, such as Teresa Giudice, Whitney Rose, Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Taylor Armstrong, Eva Marcille, Jill Zarin, Kyle Richards and Dorit Kemsley. As the new “RHONY” cast members exited the stage after being introduced, Hassan said to the audience: “Be nice to us, give us a chance!”
“RHONY” is produced by Shed Media with Shannon, Lauren Volonakis and Glenda Cox serving as executive producers. Cohen also executive produces.
Read Bravo’s official “RHONY” cast descriptions below.
Sai De Silva is an Afro-Latina, born and raised in New York. She is the creative director of Scout the City, which originated as a passion project blog and quickly evolved into an online lifestyle destination. Scout the City chronicles Sai’s adventures of chic parenting from her home in Brooklyn where she resides with husband David Craig and their two children, London and Rio.
Ubah Hassan is a Somalian model and philanthropist who moved to New York and made it her home. At a young age, Ubah fled to Kenya with her dad and brother, but later moved to Canada where she was spotted by a photographer and was subsequently signed by a modeling agency. Ubah is also an entrepreneur and the founder of UBAHHOT, a hot sauce company she built from scratch.
Erin Dana Lichy is a funny, confident and candid New Yorker, raised in Manhattan as one of five children in a close-knit Israeli family. A born go-getter, Erin became a real estate agent at 19 and owns her own home renovation and design firm, Homegirl. Erin’s husband is an attorney and owner of Lichy Law. The couple share three children together and live in Tribeca. Erin is super sociable, loves being around others and is always up for a good time.
Jenna Lyons is the former president and executive creative director of J.Crew Group, where she was widely recognized as the creative force behind the American retail chain’s phenomenal rise from floundering catalogue chain to one of the most coveted fashion brands in the U.S. Jenna is now co-founder and CEO of direct-to-consumer beauty brand, LoveSeen, and resides in New York City with her son Beckett.
Lizzy Savetsky is a digital influencer, activist, mom of three and wife to plastic surgeon Dr. Ira Savetsky. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Savetsky moved to New York for college and, after a brief stint back in her home state, returned to the Big Apple. Lizzy uses her platform to express her style, educate others on her deep-rooted beliefs and hosts Instagram show “Bashert,” where she is setting out to help Jewish singles find love.
Jessel Taank is an outgoing and unreserved fashion publicist and brand consultant, known for thinking outside the box. Jessel, who is of British-Indian descent, met her husband, financier Pavit Randhawa, after they were introduced by a friend at a bar on the Lower East Side. Romance didn’t spark immediately and they remained close friends for years before they began to date. The two married in Mexico in 2014 and have twin boys.
Brynn Whitfield is a brand marketing and communications professional. A cheeky “trophy wife in training,” Brynn has a penchant for interior design, fashion and hosting dinner parties from her (small but mighty) West Village apartment. Originally from a small town in the Midwest, Brynn was raised by her grandmother who taught her invaluable lessons about navigating life, owning her narrative as a biracial woman and the true meaning of hard work.
Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this report.
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