--- description: From controversies to the new cast, here's everything you need to know before watching the reboot of the Real Housewives of New York, s14. title: Everything You Need to Know About the New Era of RHONY image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf8f68ebfba7be3e1/698a3eb047ca38994d3baf69/NUP_201236_08000.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Television](/tag/television/) ## Television Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Everything You Need to Know About the New Era of _Real Housewives of New York_ ## Video: Watch: Jenna Lyons on Leaving J. Crew and Joining Real Housewives of New York [Watch (HLS stream): Watch: Jenna Lyons on Leaving J. Crew and Joining Real Housewives of New York](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KyLky1eV.m3u8) (3:17)  _Published 2023-04-12. After being named executive creative director at J. Crew, Jenna Lyons was on the TIME 100 list in 2013. She left the company in 2017, and today she has a line of natural-looking fake eyelashes, and will be the first openly queer member of the Real Housewives of New York._  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 14, 2023 8:57 PM CUT  The cast of The Real Housewives of New York City, Season 14\. Pictured: (l-r) Brynn Whitfield, Erin Lichy, Sai De Silva, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, Ubah Hassan. The cast of The Real Housewives of New York City, Season 14\. Pictured: (l-r) Brynn Whitfield, Erin Lichy, Sai De Silva, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, Ubah Hassan.Gavin Bond—Bravo Media, LLC  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 14, 2023 8:57 PM CUT Opulence, glamour, and some [good ‘ol reality TV drama](https://time.com/collection/reality-tv-most-influential-seasons/6199108/reality-tv-influence-on-world/ "undefined") will grace our screens on Sunday, July 16, with the premiere of [_Real Housewives of New York_](https://time.com/5929741/real-housewives-beginners-guide/ "undefined"), season 14\. Making its long-awaited return to Bravo, the season introduces viewers to a brand new cast, after season 13 ended amid controversy and low-ratings. The rebooted _RHONY_ stars Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Dana Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, and Brynn Whitfield, and ushers in a new chapter for the show, [which originally debuted in 2008](https://time.com/3525930/bethenny-frankel-real-housewives/ "undefined"), making it one of the longest-running and beloved housewives franchises, with a cast that’s one of the most diverse in Bravo history. The challenge of not only re-casting, but reinterpreting what shape the show took was no small undertaking, something that Andy Cohen, the face of Bravo and an executive producer on _RHONY_ acknowledged [at the show’s premiere party](https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhony-season-14-premiere-party-see-inside "undefined") ahead of its official release. --- ### More from TIME --- **Read more:** [The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Watching _The Real Housewives_](https://time.com/5929741/real-housewives-beginners-guide/ "undefined") “What a task. How to reboot a show with a legacy as brilliant as _RHONY_ and with a group of all stars who really made that show what it was?” he said. “And the answer seemed simple: Just find a new group of women. No biggie…And guess what? We found the right group of women.” While the original _RHONY_ was famous for producing some of the most iconic pop culture figures, moments, and memes to come out of Bravo, the new cast promises plenty of potential for fresh new adventures in the Big Apple—especially with its influential cast, which includes [Lyons, the former president and creative director of J. Crew, and a fashion industry giant](https://time.com/6270697/watch-jenna-lyons-on-leaving-j-crew-and-joining-real-housewives-of-new-york/ "undefined"). With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about the show’s past, present, and future, as well as the new crop of housewives, ahead of the premiere of season 14 of _RHONY._  THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY -- Season 14 Premiere Event -- Pictured: (l-r) Ubah Hassan, Sai De Silva, Andy Cohen, Erin Lichy, Brynn Whitfield, Jessel Taank, Jenna Lyons at The Rainbow Room on July 12, 2023 -- (Photo by: Cindy Ord/Bravo) Cindy Ord/Bravo—2023 Bravo Media, LLC ## Why did the old _RHONY_ end? The end of the _RHONY_ viewers had grown familiar with over a decade of episodes materialized in a perfect storm of challenges and conflicts that included low ratings, alleged tension among cast members over race and politics, and the pressures of filming during the COVID-19 pandemic, culminating in a cancelled season 13 reunion and an announcement from Bravo and Andy Cohen that the franchise was being “rebooted and recast.” After former cast members Tinsley Mortimer left filming midway during season 12 and Dorinda Medley was “put on pause” following its conclusion, the cast was smaller than in past seasons, despite the addition of Eboni K. Williams, _RHONY_‘s first Black housewife, who joined the franchise following Bravo’s push to address its missteps and shortcomings with race after nationwide reckoning with racism in 2020. **Read more:** [Reality TV Has Reshaped Our World, Whether We Like It or Not](https://time.com/collection/reality-tv-most-influential-seasons/6199108/reality-tv-influence-on-world/ "undefined") The smaller cast was one factor that fans have speculated led to _RHONY_ being reworked; others included the difficulties and limitations of filming during the pandemic, as well as the differences in age and lifestyles of the older and more experienced housewives like Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan with the younger housewives, like Williams and Leah McSweeney. This dynamic often played out in heated discussions about race and politics, especially between Singer and Williams, as filming took place ahead of the 2020 election. According to [_People_](https://people.com/tv/bravo-rebooting-real-housewives-of-new-york-city/ "undefined"), there were reports of an internal investigation after complaints of racism were filed among the cast; the investigation included the interviewing of cast and members of production, but was ultimately closed after “nothing substantial was found.” The report also alleged that this contributed to the cancellation of the season 13 reunion. ## Who is in the new cast? The new cast of _RHONY_ is younger and more diverse than their predecessors (and most of the other franchises) in what appears to be Bravo’s bid to not only keep up with the times, but appeal to a younger audience that cares about inclusivity. The multiracial cast of six women is majority POC, a first in the history of the franchise. It also features two firsts for _RHONY_ housewives: the first openly gay housewife, Lyons, and the first Indian housewife, Taank. The rich diversity of New York City was at the forefront of the show’s producers as they revamped _RHONY_ and began looking for its new cast. “There are thousands of stories to tell here,” Cohen said in an interview with [_Variety_](https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/real-housewives-of-new-york-city-reboot-new-cast-rhony-throwback-1235211905/ "undefined")_,_ ahead of the reboot. “This is the most multicultural, diverse, and energetic and exciting city in America: We are searching for a multicultural group of friends who really best reflect the most exciting city in the country. We’re looking for a group of women who are real friends, and who are of diverse backgrounds, races and religions.” The diversity of the cast also extends to their professions and lifestyles, which run the gamut from fashion to being a social media influencer. Lyons is undeniably the most high-profile of the cast; as the former president and creative director of J. Crew, she’s still a fashion heavy weight, who now has her own line of false eyelashes, Loveseen. Taank also has her feet in the world of fashion, as a brand consultant and fashion publicist, while De Silva is one of the pioneers of fashion blogging. She’s been running her website, _Scout the City_, since 2008, but has also become an influencer on YouTube and Instagram. Hassan’s experience with fashion came by way of the runway and editorials; she’s worked with brands like Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta. She’s no stranger to the world of reality TV either; her cousin, model Chanel Ayan, appeared on _Real Housewives of Dubai_. Meanwhile, Lichy works as a luxury real estate agent for Douglas Elliman, while also running her own design firm, Homegirl. Whitfield was a former PR lead for Assembly, and now works as a freelance communications consultant and is also a certified yoga instructor. [**_Sign up for_** **Worth Your Time**](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/signup?nln=worth-your-time "undefined") **_for weekly recommendations on what to read, watch, and listen to._** ## What happened to the old RHONY housewives? While they may no longer be on the _RHONY_ roster, the cast of season 13 has stayed booked and busy since the show went on hiatus. For Luann “the Countess” de Lesseps, a housewife since season 1, and Sonja Morgan, a longtime fan-favorite, this meant a Bravo spinoff of their own, the hilarious series _Luann and Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake,_ a delightfully campy, _Simple Life-_esque romp for the zany dynamic duo in Benton, a quiet midwestern town in Illinois. Both de Lesseps and Morgan will join fellow _RHONY_ season 13 housewife Ramona Singer and season 12 housewife Dorinda Medley for an upcoming season of Peacock’s wildly popular housewives spinoff series, _Ultimate Girls Trip;_ de Lesseps and Singer both appeared on the first season of _Ultimate Girls Trip,_ which took place in Turks and Caicos, while Medley hosted housewives at her famed (some would say infamous) vacation home, Bluestone Manor, for the series’ second season. For season 5 of the show, which was filmed in St. Barts and is anticipated to release this fall, de Lesseps, Morgan, Medley, and Singer will also be joined by former _RHONY_ housewives, Kristen Taekman and Kelly Killoren Bensimon. Leah McSweeney, a housewife for seasons 12 and 13, appeared on season 3 of _Ultimate Girls Trip_, which filmed in Thailand; since her time as a housewife ended, she’s launched a podcast, _The Leah McSweeney Show_ and published a memoir, _Chaos Theory: Finding Meaning in the Madness, One Bad Decision at a Time_. Eboni Williams, who became _RHONY_‘s first Black housewife on season 13, has had plenty on her plate since closing out her housewives chapter: she’s published her second book, _Bet on Black: The Good News About Being Black in America Today_, re-launched her podcast, _Holding Court with Eboni K. Williams,_ and begun hosting a daily news show with _The Grio_. She’s also set to host a court show called, _Equal Justice With Judge Eboni K. 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