In a surprising turn of events, Alexia Nepola, 58, star of The Real Housewives of Miami (RHOM), has made it crystal clear that neither Real Housewives of New York City alum Bethenny Frankel, 54, nor her close friend and Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, 53, are welcome on the Miami franchise. Despite earlier speculation sparked by castmate Lisa Hochstein, 42, who expressed openness to Bethenny joining the show after her relocation to Miami, Alexia swiftly shut down the idea in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly on June 17.
“I don’t think we would want [Bethenny] there. She’s not Miami,” Alexia stated firmly. “Miami’s become a very transient city, and I love that and I welcome that. But when you’re going to be in this kind of show, I feel like you have to be a real Miamian. You have to have your roots here.” According to Alexia, being a true Miamian is a non-negotiable requirement for joining the RHOM cast, and Bethenny, despite her recent move, doesn’t fit the bill.
Alexia also addressed why her dear friend Teresa Giudice wouldn’t be a good fit for the show. “I feel like there’s a lot of people that want to go to Miami,” she explained. “They could go to Miami, but not to our show. We already have nine girls. We don’t need any more.” With a packed roster, Alexia believes the current cast is more than sufficient to deliver the drama fans crave.
The RHOM cast recently welcomed a new face, Stephanie Shojaee, 40, following the departure of Dr. Nicole Martin, 39, during production for season seven. Alexia praised Stephanie’s addition, noting, “She’s definitely Miami and she’s bringing that Miami drama and I love it. I think she’s been a great addition to the show. She comes full of energy. She’s very opinionated. She has a very strong entrance. Some like it, some don’t. But I think she’s great.” However, the trailer for the upcoming season hints at tension between Alexia and Stephanie, with Alexia admitting their clashes stem from both being “alphas.”
“She needs to calm down,” Alexia declared. “I’ve been here for a long time. I’ve taken a lot of punches, so you’re just not going to come in and take my crown. We all have crowns, but we have to respect each other. You can keep yours, but don’t try to take mine off. We figure it out.” Despite their differences, Alexia teased that Stephanie brings a dynamic energy to the group, promising viewers an exciting season. “You’ll have to watch and see because she does bring a lot to the group, and it’s really been great filming with her,” she added.
Meanwhile, Lisa Hochstein had previously shared her positive feelings about Bethenny on the June 3 episode of Tamra Judge and Teddi Mellencamp’s podcast, Two Ts in a Pod. “I personally like Bethenny,” Lisa said. “She’s always really nice to me.” However, Alexia’s strong stance suggests that Lisa’s openness to Bethenny joining RHOM is not shared by the rest of the cast.
As the drama unfolds in The Real Housewives of Miami season seven, fans can expect fiery clashes, bold personalities, and a cast determined to keep their Miami roots front and center. Will Stephanie’s arrival shake things up for good, and will Alexia maintain her crown? Tune in to find out!