They may live in the smallest state in the country, but their drama? Extra large. As “The Real Housewives” hits its milestone 20th anniversary next year, Bravo is expanding the distinguished franchise with “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island,” spotlighting a fresh, charismatic group of women whose lives intertwine across the storied coastline of New England luxury.
The premiere season of “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” will follow Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson and Jo-Ellen Tiberi as they navigate the highs and lows of Rhode Island’s close-knit social scene. New series premieres Thursday, April 2nd on Bravo (9pm ET/PT)
I have one very real question for Andy Cohen and Bravo. Are we really expected to believe that in the entire state of Rhode Island, there isn’t a single person of color worth casting? Watching another lineup made up exclusively of white women, with zero diversity, feels out of touch and frustrating. It’s 2026 representation matters, and it’s long past time for Bravo to reflect the real world on screen!
But anyway, meet the ladies inside…
Fresh from finding her Prince Charming on television, influencer and former “The Bachelor” personality Ashley Iaconetti quickly learns that life after “I do” isn’t as blissful as she imagined. Between raising two young children, adjusting to life in Rhode Island and co-owning a struggling café with her husband, Jared, Ashley’s loyalties are tested when Rosie claims she never has her back.
Dolores Catania was born and raised in Paterson, N.J., one of five children to Chief of Police Lawrence Spagnola and mom, Valerie. On a nontraditional road to fame, Dolores has been a waitress, shampoo girl and a surgical assistant, but it was working in the prison system that made her passionate about helping the less fortunate, especially families suffering in unfair circumstances. As co-parents to two adult children, Dolores and ex-husband Frank Catania have delighted audiences with their unconventional loving relationship as friends despite divorcing decades ago. In 2018, Dolores was voted fan-favorite “Miss Congeniality” across the entire “Real Housewives”franchise.
Dolores has been celebrated for her charitable work, particularly with women’s shelters and animal rescue organizations. She has received the key to the city of Paterson in recognition of her dedication to the community and in 2020 was given the Ambassador of Hope Award by Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn for bringing awareness to women’s health issues.
Rhode Island’s cannabis queen, Liz McGraw, isn’t just running one of the country’s most successful dispensaries, she’s also the person to know in the smallest state in the union. When she and husband Gerry learn they’re about to become grandparents, Liz makes one thing clear – she will not be trading couture for a rocking chair. As she prepares for a new chapter in her family life, shifting dynamics within her inner circle test her influence and the bonds she’s long held close.
Alicia Carmody is kick-starting her boss-babe era, pushing her way into her fiancé Billy’s popular restaurant, Pizza Mamma. A proud self-described “flip-flopper,” Alicia might call you a “whor-ah” one minute and pull you into a hug the next. When Alicia opens the vault on her past, she is faced with navigating long-standing relationships and personal growth that leaves one lifelong friend completely blindsided.
Grounded in tradition and guided by faith, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli puts family above all else. Proud of her Lebanese roots, she brings deeply held values into the group, especially when it comes to marriage. When rumors about her husband begin to circulate, Rulla is forced to confront uncomfortable questions that challenge her beliefs, resilience and commitment, putting her personal life under an unrelenting spotlight.
Former Rhode Island television news anchor Rosie DiMare and her husband, Rich, are leveling up, trading their cozy over-the-garage apartment for a sprawling dream home. As Rosie focuses on growing her local lifestyle program, she also faces challenges within her inner circle, leaving her to reassess loyalties and where she truly fits in with this evolving, close-knit group.
Kelsey Swanson has lived a charmed life as a beauty queen playing house in a castle owned by her wealthy boyfriend. Now at a crossroads, Kelsey must decide between the comfort of her gilded arrangement and a future on her own terms. When her loyalty to Liz is tested, Kelsey worries about going up against the group’s heaviest hitter and losing her greatest cheerleader.
Jo-Ellen Tiberi may not be known for cooking dinner, but she’s never short on spilling tea. When sensitive information involving Rulla’s marriage circulates within the group, Jo-Ellen finds herself caught between honesty and discretion. Unresolved issues with her mother resurface, forcing her to confront long-buried childhood wounds and reckon with the personal cost of always being the one who tells it like it is.
(Photos by: Bronson Farr/Bravo)
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