Elizabeth McGraw, Kelsey Swanson and Jo-Ellen Tiberi on episode one of ‘RHORI.’
Scott Eisen/Bravo
Rhode Island
Small State, Big Attitude: How Bravo Brought Its Splashy New ‘Real Housewives’ Entry to Rhode Island
The smallest state with the biggest attitude is already making waves in the Real Housewives franchise.
Last May, Bravo announced that Rhode Island would be the latest addition to its repertoire, enticing viewers to see what the women of the teeny tiny state could be getting into. As it turns out, there’s a lot going on in the smallest state in the nation.
The arrival of the new series arrives amid the landmark 20th anniversary of the whole franchise itself, as The Real Housewives of Orange County debuted on March 21, 2006. It’s a monumental year for the reality television phenomenon that will later be celebrated with The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th special this year.
NCBUniversal’s evp of unscripted content, Rachel Smith, tells The Hollywood Reporter that it was not a “conscious decision” to launch a new series, even though it’s such “an auspicious occasion this year.” Instead, The Real Housewives of Rhode Island naturally presented itself.
Creating a new Real Housewives is a tall task, one that can be birthed in many ways. Sometimes, Bravo comes across a new dazzling location that draws in interesting talents; in other cases, a promising cast member is all it takes to start building a new show.
The latter of which happened with Mary Cosby, the beloved star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Smith confirms. But with Rhode Island, she explains that a co-worker took a trip to the state and “was really struck by what an interesting ecosystem” the New England location had to offer.
“She saw people jumping on their boats and going to lunch. It was very visually aspirational,” Smith says, adding that upon some digging, they learned that The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Dolores Catania, who appears on RHORI as a friend, had a connection to the women who now make up the main cast.
“That then led us to a kind of whole connection of women in Rhode Island that we found through this Dolores connection,” she adds. “We’ve really fell in love with them.”
When scouting out new locations for a potential Real Housewives, Smith explains that the network strives to “be representative of the whole swath and tapestry and diversity that is the United States.” Prior shows, and where they are based, also weigh into where a mint series could potentially spawn.
“We’re looking at how many Housewives we have in total, and what’s already been represented culturally, geographically, and how we can complement that,” she notes. Rhode Island has already been compared to New Jersey — and not just because you can drive to both of the states in roughly four hours.
The tight-knit community, family-forward ideals and Italian influences are all clear parallels, but the women of Rhode Island stand apart. Smith herself references one of the show’s key descriptors (“It’s a small state with a very big and distinct personality”) as a contrast, though the luxury coastal setting also naturally made the series optically stand out from other shows in Bravo’s discography.
“This is a show, visually, that’s on water. Living around water is very beautiful and distinct to look at,” she says. “We were all so taken with the visual when we were first casting [RHORI] and learning about the women; Like, Liz lives right on the water, and then she’ll go jump in her boat and meet her friends for lunch. Everyone else [on another Real Housewives] would use their car.”
As the Real Housewives has evolved over its two-decade tenure on air, what it means to be a Real Housewife has also certainly changed.
Rhode Island kicks off with Liz McGraw deeming herself the “Cannabis Queen,” as she and her husband own the state’s most successful cannabis dispensary; Rosie DiMare brings up a rumor that Jo-Ellen Tiberi is a “swinger”; and Kelsey Swanson admits that her boyfriend spends half of his year in Miami with his other girlfriend (and the cast speculates that she might have another boyfriend, too).
There’s certainly a lot going on, but the willingness to bare all for the cameras and leave no stone unturned in the women’s personal lives is representative of what is expected of the modern Housewife (on Bravo’s terms, that is).
“During our vetting and casting process, a price of entry is that you have to be open and real about your life,” Smiths says of the cast’s candid nature, adding, “If you’re trying to conceal things that are genuine, then don’t participate. This isn’t the show for you.”
Dolores Catania, Elizabeth McGraw, Alicia Carmody and Jo-Ellen Tiberi on ‘RHORI.’
Scott Eisen/Bravo
The women of Rhode Island could have picked up on this upfront requirement upon watching any of the other modern series, with Smith asserting that “by the time everyone signed on, they really understood that they were making a choice to share their lives.”
The unconventionalism of some elements of the cast’s lives, too, pulls the curtain back on the life of a modern Housewife.
“It feels very contemporary and of the moment,” Smith says of varying occupations and relationship structures of the RHORI women. “There are many ways to be in a relationship. There are many ways to parent, there are many ways to be a working mother, and these are all the universal themes that get explored in Housewives in general that make it so relatable. And this felt like another iteration of that, where these are real women living, hustling, working, mothering, being friends, living their lives, and without self judgment in 2026.”
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island bared all of their deep, dark secrets right from the jump, and Smith promises that even more drama will come as the season unfolds. “[Season one] is jam-packed with surprising and great story. These storylines around these marriages and what lies behind this surface just intensify, and it just becomes more and more fascinating,” she teases.
The Rhode Island-based Housewives also features quite the reality TV crossover, with Bachelor veteran Ashley Iaconetti making the jump from ABC to Bravo. Some may assume that a woman hailing from another profound reality TV franchise could have turned off the network during casting, but Smith asserts that was not the case. Instead, Ashley’s outside perspective, being the only woman who was not born and bred in Rhode Island, offered “viewer proxy input for the audience.”
“[Ashley is] the outsider, and she can break down for you what Rhode Island’s like and what the customs are and the idiosyncrasies of this group in a way that’s slightly more objective, because she isn’t from there. That was very, very appealing to us more than anything else,” Smith notes. “It wasn’t stunt casting, it wasn’t manipulated. We wouldn’t have gone in that direction.”
Solidifying its weekly air date on Sundays after premiering last Thursday, episode two will shed even more layers of the onion that make up RHORI. “The small town, big lives theme that [comes from them living in] such a small and intimate community” will predictably continue to deliver a compelling narrative, Smith notes.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island are already off to a splashy start, one that not only compliments the preexisting Real Housewives slate, but restores it to its messy, expensive roots.
“I think Rhode Island just stands on its own two feet,” Smith adds. “It has such a different vibe, and people are just gonna fall absolutely in love with these women.”
Ashley Iaconetti and Rosie DiMare on ‘RHORI.’
Scott Eisen/Bravo
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island airs Sundays at 9 p.m. New episodes stream Mondays on Peacock.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island Season 1 reunion looks are finally here! And the shell-holders look amazing in their ocean-inspired gowns in varying shades of blue hues.
Cast members Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi all donned their most fabulous fits for their first-ever sit down with Andy Cohen. And every one of the ladies delivered with their dresses, opting for different textures and shades of their blue gowns.
The women looked so stunning in their ensembles. Some, like Alicia and Kelsey, opted for sequins. Others, like Ashley, Jo-Ellen, and Rulla, went for some intricate beading. Meanwhile, Rosie and Liz chose unique textures for their looks. The ocean also inspired their hair too, with most women going for beach-y waves, while Ashley went for a sleek ponytail.
Read on to get all of the details from their ensembles and see their fabulous outfits down below.
Alicia Carmody
Dress: Rat & Boa; Shoes: Jimmy Choo; Jewelry: Hannoush Jewelers; Makeup Artist: Cara Valente; Hairstylist: StephDstyle
Alicia explained to BravoTV.com that she wanted to go full mermaid with her light blue, cowl-neck dress, covered in paillette sequins. “I love a mermaid,” she said backstage. “And so my look today is inspired by a mermaid. A Rhode Island mermaid.”
Rosie DiMare
Dress: Albina Dyla; Shoes: Arnoconti; Jewelry: Baxter’s Jewelry; Makeup Artist: Cara Valente; Hairstylist: Steph Demato
Rosie explained to BravoTV.com that her first ever reunion look, comprised of a light blue off-the-shoulder gown covered in 3D floral embellishments was very true to herself. “My reunion look is very princess-y. Very floral. Very Rosie,” she stated.
Ashley Iaconetti
Dress: ASHLEYlauren; Shoes: Nina; Jewelry; Jennifer Karimi; Stylist: The Stylist Duo; Makeup Artist: Erica Wright; Hairstylist: Jennifer Karimi
Ashley told BravoTV.com that she felt like a Disney princess in her bright blue beaded gown with off-the-shoulder beaded sleeves and silver heels. “My look, my outfit is so mermaid. It’s a very heavily bejeweled blue dress. I feel like Ariel in her wedding scene with Prince Eric,” she explained.
She complemented this dress with a more toned-down makeup look. “For makeup, I’m doing this look I did a couple of weeks ago for press. And it was so nice and relatively natural looking so love that,” she added backstage.
Bravo’s Spring 2026 Schedule: All Shows and Premiere Dates
Liz McGraw
Dress: L’IDÉE WOMAN, Sleeves: Graehme Alden; Makeup Artist: Kasey Spickard; Hairstylist: Kevin Kelly
Liz explained to BravoTV.com that had two looks to choose from for the reunion, one that brought “fire” and one that brought “ethereal” vibes. “I went with the angelic one because we don’t need any more anger from Elizabeth,” she quipped of her long-sleeved light blue gown with a pleated texture.
Rulla Nehme Pontarelli
Dress: Tabja Couture; Shoes: Jimmy Choo; Jewelry: Ross Simmons (Diamonds and Estate Collection); Stylist: Erin from Bravo; Makeup Artist: George Miguel Arnone; Hairstylist: Julius Michael
Rulla told BravoTV.com via email that she was going for an “elegant, sexy, chic” vibe with a “coastal feel” for her first reunion look. “I just wanted the best look possible and to feel like ‘me.’ And I think we nailed it!” she added.
Kelsey Swanson
Dress: J’amemme; Shoes: Schultz; Makeup: Erika Wright; Hair: Erickson Arrunategui
Kelsey admitted to BravoTV.com that she went for a more simple look with her bright blue, halter-neck, sequin gown. “The dress kind of has a wet look to it. It’s sequins, it’s simple,” she explained backstage. “But the fact that it’s wet is why we’re doing the wet look for the hair.”
Jo-Ellen Tiberi
Dress: Jovani; Shoes: Valentino; Jewelry: David Yurman; Stylist: Anthony Palmeri; Makeup Artist: Priscilla Distasio; Hairstylist: Kauri Sartini
Jo-Ellen told BravoTV.com via email that she was inspired by movement with her outfit. With this look, she channeled “an underwater goddess brought to life by crystals, couture, and a sculpted silhouette that moves like the ocean.”
Meet the RHORI Season 1 Cast (Official Bios and Photos)
Get a look at the RHORI Season 1 reunion seating chart ahead of the reunion.
A unique Rhode Island story is headed to the big screen with cast and crew in Warwick currently filming the project.
New England filmmaker Hanna Gray Organschi’s feature directorial debut is underway in the Ocean State, telling the tale of a controversial drive-thru condom kiosk that once really existed in Cranston.
Rubber Hut has been filming on West Shore Road in Warwick since early June and now Deadline.com is reporting even more big names have joined the cast.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
From the beginning actress Grace Van Patten (The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox) has been attached to the project playing Emanuella DelVecchio, a former Pan-Am stewardess who opens the condom kiosk in her Italian Catholic town and becomes a lightning rod in the community.
Big Names Join the Rubber Hut Cast
Now, additional big names like Emmy Rossum (Shameless), Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos), Ariana Greenblatt (Now You See Me, Now You Don’t), Rosemarie DeWitt (Untamed), and Fisher Stevens (Succession) have been added to the cast as well.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Critics’ Choice Awards; Theo Wargo/Getty Images; Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images for L’Oréal Paris; Aurore Marechal/Getty Images; Lia Toby/Getty Images; canva
Though character details are still being kept under wraps, filming is expected to continue in Warwick until late June. Some of these stars could be spotted locally soon.
READ MORE: Real Housewives of Rhode Island To Film Second Season Soon
No word on what other Rhode Island locations might be used in this production or if any further Ocean State filming will continue after the condom-kiosk scenes are through. No release date has been revealed either.
The True Story Behind the Condom Hut
Rubber Hut is the true story of a one-time photo kiosk turned condom kiosk that gained national attention in 1992. DelVecchio had the idea to paint the renovated Fotomat kiosk pink and white and exclusively sell condoms as a public health response to the AIDS crisis.
The Italian Catholic neighborhood she opened in had other ideas.
DelVecchio enraged the community with her “Condom Hut” and they protested the concept. The “Condom Hut” was also condemned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, had a rock thrown through its window and was covered in graffiti. The business closed within a year.
READ MORE: New Bedford’s Closed Down Bars That Are Impossible To Forget
Now this wild tale out of Rhode Island is getting national attention once again. Cast and crew are shooting scenes at the newly built hut to share this unique story with a whole new generation soon.
15 of the Weirdest Laws in Rhode Island
The world has changed and yet some laws have stayed the same.
These are some of the strangest laws still on the books in Rhode Island.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
Weird Sports It’s Now Legal to Bet On in Massachusetts
You might not know what floorball is, but you can now bet on it.
Gallery Credit: Michael Rock
Weird Weather Phenomena That Has Struck Massachusetts in the Last 50 Years
This suffocating heatwave that has arrived on the SouthCoast may be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t compare to these strange moments in Massachusetts history that had us wondering what Mother Nature was up to. Which one do you remember the most?
Gallery Credit: Maddie Levine
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A Scottish soccer fan we first introduced you to back in March
has passed through Rhode Island on his remarkable cross-country journey.
Craig Ferguson, 22, is walking from California to Massachusetts just in time for Scotland’s first World Cup match in Foxboro on Saturday.
After more than 100 days on the road, thousands of miles walked and countless steps taken in a kilt, Ferguson’s ‘Tartan Trek’ is almost complete.
“It is such a mix of emotions now. I remember we spoke for, I believe when I was in Colorado when we last spoke,” Ferguson said as he approached Kennedy Plaza on Wednesday. “It’s such a mix of emotions thinking, ‘What am going to do when this is done? It’s so close to being over.”
Supporters greeted Ferguson in Providence during one of his final stops of a journey that started more than 3,000 miles away.
“We thought it would be a great thing to come see him, cheer him on, because it’s a fantastic thing raising money for charity,” said Stephen Nicholason, who is visiting from Glasglow for the World Cup.
“Look at this today. And all along the way, that’s been the theme to this entire thing … Scotland and America showing their support,” Ferguson said. “The Americans as well who have been following me from every step of the way.”
He started his journey at the Santa Monica Pier and after more than 100 days, he has walked nearly 3,000 miles to raise money and awareness for mental health.
Ferguson said he was inspired to go on this journey after Scotland qualified for the European Championship in 2023, and his best friend, Struan, said they should walk to the game.
“That’s the reason behind every single step that I take,” Ferguson added. “I’m doing this for every person who’s ever been affected by mental health, anyone who’s ever lost someone to suicide, anyone who’s ever suffered with mental health issues.”
Joining Ferguson on his journey is his friend Matthew, who’s been following him in an RV to make sure he is safe.
The walk has not been easy, with plenty of blisters, bad weather and other challenges along the way.
“Walking 35 to 40 miles, every single step that I take, I think would put anyone in a very tired position,” Ferguson explained. “I’d say the hardest point was probably coming across the Mojave Desert … we are not built for the desert, especially not walking in a kilt.”
Now, the end of his journey is finally in sight as he expects to arrive in Boston on Friday before watching Scotland play Haiti at Boston Stadium on Saturday.
“You’ve just got to overcome the challenges,” Ferguson said. “That’s what makes getting to moments like this and hopefully Boston so special.”
You can follow his journey on social media and donate to his cause, which supports the Scottish Action for Mental Health.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
Follow us on social media:
-
Miami, FL5 minutes agoMichael Stern’s JDS to bring on partner Jeff Soffer at Mercedes-Benz Miami project, working on $1B loan
-
Boston, MA8 minutes agoFlight from California to Germany diverted to Boston due to disturbance
-
Denver, CO13 minutes ago
Broncos sign Head Coach Sean Payton to new five-year contract through 2030 season
-
Seattle, WA20 minutes agoWEST SEATTLE SCENE: Pride flags in The Junction, plus more on tonight’s celebration
-
San Diego, CA23 minutes agoReport: Phil Mickelson kicked out of San Diego club for inappropriate contact with female employee
-
Milwaukee, WI28 minutes agoMilwaukee City Attorney touts higher conviction rate for reckless driving
-
Atlanta, GA35 minutes agoDecatur Square restaurants finally ready for watch parties
-
Minneapolis, MN38 minutes agoMinneapolis man indicted in $4 million pandemic fraud case turns himself in, officials say
