How ‘The Real Housewives of Rhode Island’ Came to Be, According to an NBCU Executive

The last time Bravo launched a new “Real Housewives” franchise was four years ago in Dubai, a show that featured a lavish locale and an entertaining ensemble cast. So, NBCUniversal knew that the next city to debut would have to make its mark with its own unique cast of characters and jaw-dropping backdrop.

Enter Rhode Island, the Ocean State often outshone by its more famous neighbor, Massachusetts. But Pamela Gimenez, the VP of unscripted, lifestyle and docs for Bravo and Peacock, said the community-focused, ocean-based culture of Rhode Island provided an alluring framework for a new series.

“What is the recipe for a ‘Housewife?’ What are those boxes, right?” Gimenez told TheWrap. “It’s like affluent women, mothers, wives. But, in 20 years, what that looks like has evolved. So, [while] looking for cities, it’s really about what’s out there. What’s the subculture.”

Yet, it takes more than a luxurious location for a new “Real Housewives” show to succeed. Gimenez made sure to shout out Chelsey Stephens of Chelsey Creative for finding the perfect group of ladies headlining the new series — including Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson and Jo-Ellen Tiberi.

“What I liked about this group, and what Chelsey did really well, was [find] what a ‘Housewife’ is today in 2026 — it’s so different. You can not be married and have a child. You can be working, not working, right? We don’t really tell a lot of different stories often,” Gimenez said. “We try to put ourselves into some of the storytelling. So, we can relate to it in different ways.”

And so, thanks to the compelling casting on top of Rhode Island feeling like “such a unique location to explore,” Gimenez said there was “magic” for a new hit show.

For all the insights into the launch of “RHORI,” including Gimenez’s plans for its future, keep reading. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

TheWrap: “Real Housewives” continues to be the tentpole franchise for Bravo. How do you decide when it is the right time to expand to a new city?

Pamela Gimenez: Look, I’ve been with Bravo now and NBC for [almost] eight years, which is crazy. But, prior to that, I was showrunning and worked for many Bravo shows before coming on board as an executive. So, I’ve done the field work and post [production]. In my experience, they were always looking, and are always looking.

You know, we haven’t had one in [many] years … But the last time we launched something was in Dubai. And then, you know, I was working on Miami, working on New Jersey and thinking about, like, what is the recipe for a housewife? What are those boxes? It’s like affluent women, mothers, wives, but in 20 years, that’s evolved. What that looks like has evolved. So, looking for cities, it’s really about what’s out there, what’s the subculture.

Why Rhode Island over Massachusetts?

I’ll take you back a little bit. I took a trip to Rhode Island, and I saw this world of water and it was very aspirational. It was kind of mixture [of people]. It has an Italian background, but also very diverse with Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, etc. And I just spent, a couple of days [there]. I’m like, “What is this world? What is happening here? Why are people coming in and out of the marinas and having lunch on the water?”

It’s very community based, a lot of restaurants. And so, I’ve been to Boston, too. But there was something about Rhode Island that was just so quaint. It was like, the smallest state, you can drive anywhere within four hours back and forth and the food was amazing. So, I kind of brought it back here and I spoke to Rachel Smith, who is the head of unscripted here, and commissioned Chelsey Stephens, who does a lot of our casting. She’s done casting for “Dubai” and for “Potomac.” She’s found women that check all the boxes. So, that’s really kind of the origin of it all.

Were you looking for specific roles to be filled?

There are some archetypes that we default to, but it was the tight connections they all had, the history [that drew us in]. I was telling a colleague of mine, “Think about how you talk to your friends. You could be really mad at them, but at the same time you’re like, ‘Oh, you want to hang out and get sushi?'” They are able to have conflict and resolve, because there’s deep-rooted history — and that’s what we were looking for.

Have you seen the joke on the internet that the “RHORI” cast is made up of six “Lisa Barlows”?

Listen, as you continue watching, you do see a difference. They’re very, very different. Rosie has striking blue eyes and black hair. Jo-Ellen looks like Topanga from “Boy Meets World.”

I don’t know if you know this, but “Real Housewives of Orange County” was our first Housewife [series] and one of the reasons why we did these chapters was because we couldn’t tell them apart. They were all blonde. And the taglines really came about to make them feel different! You’ll see it as you progress. You’ll start understanding their personalities and their looks.

Did you see Ashley’s past “Bachelor” connection as a benefit or was there hesitation to cast her?

I think the more eyeballs the better. It brings a whole different viewership, but it also kind of picks up where they left off. Because there was this romance between them, right? And so now you’re like, “Well, what’s happening now? Now that you’re married and you got the guy, what happens next?” And so it kind of worked out. And her relationship with Rosie is very true. She just she had no friends in [Rhode Island]. She wanted a group of friends. She felt very isolated because Jared [Haibon] is from Rhode Island and her parents still live in Virginia. So, we really documented everything that was happening in real time.

Were you surprised by how open the Rhode Island women were right out the gate?

It was so amazing. I mean, the moment we went down to meet them [they were open], Kelsey especially. We were like, “Are you willing to tell this story on camera? There’s no reenactments here.” You know, she was living with her boyfriend, who was six months there and six months elsewhere [dating other people]. She said, “I’m willing to tell the story, because there’s other women that might be living this.”

With “Rhode Island” arriving amid a pause for “New Jersey,” was that an intentional move to fill the void? Do you think these two similar shows can coexist in the same world at the same time?

They can coexist in the same world. You know, we have “Beverly Hills” and “Orange County” both in California. It’s the East Coast, but just another location. You know, I’m from Brooklyn, originally. It’s very different from Staten Island. Staten Island, you cross the bridge, that’s a different type of culture there than Brooklyn and in Manhattan. Every borough in New York is very different.

I think what’s helpful is the the connection with [“Real Housewives of New Jersey” veteran] Dolores Catania. It helps us catapult a new show, as well as blessing us. Like, “Hey, you should look at this.” And there was an organic connection — just like we did years back with “Vanderpump Rules” and “Summer House.”

Your point kind of touches on the growing Bravo universe. So, where do you hope to see “Rhode Island” fit in this growing reality-verse?

I think it’s going to be here a long, long time. I mean, I think there’s more to uncover. I think we just barely scratched the surface. We go to Newport, but I really want to go to … this festival that happens in Providence. It’s called [WaterFire] … There’s also old money, you know, generational money, I want to uncover that. There’s a lot to explore. I’m really excited to to see where it all goes.

How do you balance longtime fan expectation with the need to evolve?

Andy Cohen said it best, “Please don’t change. Please be yourself.” I think tapping into different seasons … and uncovering more of the culture there. We’re still exploring, which is what makes you want to see more. And maybe down the line — because I love the cast — there’s someone else that’s included. Kind of just keeping an eye on what’s working, what’s not working, what the people want. Sometimes the people speak and we listen. We always listen … [because] you have to evolve. I always say, we’re not reinventing the wheel, we’re just evolving it.

How are you measuring success in that first season?

Ratings are always a factor. But we are looking into the streaming side of things with Peacock. The marketing team and the press team have done such a wonderful job in promoting, and I think it was because of the excitement. Again, we haven’t had one in several years. But I think everyone internally, watched the episodes and were like, “Oh my god, this is so great.” And it gave them some energy and ignited their creativity.

“The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on Bravo, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.

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