By Megan Riedlinger
2:00am PDT, May 22, 2022
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Bravo has blessed us with so many "Real Housewives" franchises, there's always drama coming from one city or another. In honor of Teresa Giudice's 50th birthday on May 18, 2022, Wonderwall.com is taking a look at some of the Bravo women who joined the franchises early on and seeing how they've changed over the years. First up? The birthday girl — who started flipping tables on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" during the first season in 2009 and memorably feuded with cast members like Danielle Staub and her own sister-in-law, Melissa Gorga.
Keep reading to see what she looks like now…
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Teresa Giudice has since made peace with brother Joe Gorga and his wife, Melissa Gorga, who helped care for her four daughters while she served 15 months in prison on federal fraud charges in 2015. After then-husband Joe Giudice served a lengthier sentence for his role in their crimes, he was deported to his native Italy in 2019 — the same year he and Teresa announced their split after 20 years of marriage. Aside from starring on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," Teresa has co-authored three cookbooks and written two memoirs — the first in 2016 about her time in prison, "Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again," and 2017's "Standing Strong." In 2020, Teresa went public with a new romance with businessman Louie Ruelas. "Me and my ex, we didn't like the same things. We were two opposites," she told People magazine. "You know when they say opposites attract? It did for a little while, for like 15 years. But now I've found my true match — my soul mate. He's really amazing." The two got engaged while vacationing in Greece in October 2021. In February 2022, Teresa stunned Bravo exec Andy Cohen when she announced she and Luis would not be getting a prenup ahead of their wedding. And in May 2022 she didn't rule out a television ceremony, telling E! News' "Daily Pop," "We'll see," when asked about the possibility.
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Teresa Giudice's sister-in-law Melissa Gorga joined "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" in 2011 during the show's third season.
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After joining "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" in 2011 for the show's third season, Melissa Gorga — who's married to Joe Gorga, with whom she shares children Antonia, Gino and Joey — continued to work on making music. In 2012, she released the tracks "How Many Times," "Rockstar" and "I Just Wanna." However, following the release of those singles, in 2016 Melissa made the decision to indefinitely step away from pursuing a career in music. In 2013, she released the book "Love, Italian Style: The Secret of My Hot and Happy Marriage" and opened the clothing boutique Envy by Melissa Gorga. In February 2021, Melissa revealed that she and Joe had finally sold their family home in Montville, New Jersey, after eight years on the market and that they were building a new house. "We are designing it right now," Melissa told talk show host Wendy Williams. "I want it different, a little bit more modern. It doesn't have to be massive. But of course, Joe and I are building it, so it's going to be great… we are excited." In January 2022, she showed off video of the new construction; she's continued to give fans updates on the family home. In December 2021, she debuted her podcast, "Melissa Gorga on Display."
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"RHOC" OG Vicki Gunvalson made her debut on "The Real Housewives of Orange County" on season 1 in 2006. When she started on the show, Vicki was married to Donn Gunvalson, with whom she founded Coto Insurance and Financial Services. She remained a star on the reality series through season 13.
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Vicki Gunvalson's struggle to save her marriage to Donn Gunvalson became a big storyline on "The Real Housewives of Orange County." She ultimately filed for divorce in 2010 but didn't actually settle the messy monetary terms until 2014. In the meantime, Vicki started dating Brooks Ayers, a man much disliked by the majority of the other cast members — especially Vicki's daughter Briana Culberson. After being accused of faking cancer on the 10th season, Brooks ended their on-off four-year relationship in 2015. Vicki later found love with Steve Lodge, a retired police officer, in 2016. He popped the question in 2019 but they ended up splitting in 2021. These days, the reality OG is happy in a new relationship with a mystery man she debuted on Instagram in March 2022. Vicki found herself demoted to "friend of" status on season 14 of "RHOC," so fans weren't shocked when she announced in 2020 that she was leaving the very first "Housewives" franchise. "I will always be the OG of the OC, but it's time to say goodbye to The Real Housewives of Orange County. It's been an incredible ride for 14 years and I want thank all of you for your support, for your love and for 'whooping it up' with me along the way," Vicki wrote on Instagram. But never fear, she'll be back on your television screens soon! Vicki will be appearing on "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-Wives Club" on Peacock, which premieres in June 2022.
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Another "Real Housewives" OG? Ramona Singer, who started on the first season of "The Real Housewives of New York City" and has stuck with the show ever since! When she started the series, she was married to Mario Singer and living in the city with their daughter, Avery.
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Ramona Singer ended her 22-year marriage to Mario Singer in 2014 after he was caught up in a cheating scandal. Their daughter, Avery, is now all grown up — she graduated from the University of Virginia in 2017. Ramona has followed in the footsteps of her co-stars and launched numerous products including the Tru Renewal skin care line, the True Faith jewelry collection and Ramona pinot grigio. On recent seasons, the star has been fully enjoying the single life. She's also picked up a new career: In the summer of 2021, she became a realtor and started selling real estate in the Hamptons, joining the team at Douglas Elliman.
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Lisa Vanderpump and her adorable pooch Giggy started out on the first season of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" in 2010. She was focused on running her Los Angeles restaurants since daughter Pandora Sabo and adopted son Max Vanderpump-Todd were all grown up.
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Lisa Vanderpump has been happily married to hubby Ken Todd for more than 30 years. Viewers watched their daughter, Pandora, get married on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" in 2011 — and in 2021, Lisa became a grandmother (she wants to be called Nanny Pinky) when Pandora gave birth to her first child, son Theodore. In 2013, Lisa got her own spinoff show, "Vanderpump Rules," which became a hit as it focused on the staff at her West Hollywood restaurant SUR. In 2018, Lisa announced she was leaving "RHOBH" after the show's ninth season concluded in 2019 and the following year, Lisa launched her latest television series, "Overserved with Lisa Vanderpump," which shows the reality star hosting celebrities for dinner and drinks at her home. Later that same year, she also launched the podcast "All Things Vanderpump" in an effort to keep herself busy while quarantining at home amidst the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, after months of being closed due to COVID-19, Lisa's popular Los Angeles restaurant Pump reopened its doors. Unfortunately, one of her other famous eateries, Villa Blanca, didn't survive the pandemic and never reopened.
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NeNe Leakes started out as an OG cast member of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" during the first season in 2008.
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NeNe Leakes stuck around for the first seven seasons of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" before being demoted to a "guest" for season 8. After that, she left for a season only to return for seasons 10 through 12 before leaving for a second time. NeNe went through some ups and downs with husband Gregg Leakes too: They divorced in 2010 but reconciled and remarried in 2013. That landed her a spinoff show, "I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding," which chronicled their nuptials. They weathered Gregg's first bought with colon cancer in 2018. Sadly, after a few years in remission, it returned and he died in 2021. The same year, NeNe opened Atlanta restaurant the Linnethia Lounge.
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Tamra Judge joined "The Real Housewives of Orange County" early on during season 3 in 2008. Way back then, she was still married to Simon Barney and was a stay-at-home mom to their three children as well as son Ryan Vieth from a previous relationship.
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Tamra Judge's failing marriage also became a big storyline on "The Real Housewives of Orange County" and culminated with Simon Barney filing for divorce in 2010. She's been happily re-married to Eddie Judge — with whom she in 2019 launched the VENA Wellness CBD line — since 2013. Fans saw Tamra become a grandma in 2015 when son Ryan Vieth welcomed a daughter with then-fiancée Sarah Rodriguez. After years of fighting and making up with cast member Vicki Gunvalson, the two seemingly reconciled during season 10. The reality staples invited Shannon Beador (a newcomer on season 9) into their fold to form the "tres amigas," but Shannon was the only amiga left come season 15: Tamra announced a day after Vicki's departure news in January 2020 that she too was leaving the franchise. In December 2021, Tamra revealed her newest business venture — a podcast! She joined fellow "Housewives" castoff Teddi Mellencamp for the reality-centric "Two Ts in a Pod." Catch her next on "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-Wives Club" on Peacock, where she'll reunite with Vicki Gunvalson when it premieres in June 2022.
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When Luann de Lesseps started out on the first season of "The Real Housewives of New York City" in 2008, she was a real-life countess married to French entrepreneur Alexandre de Lesseps with two kids, Victoria and Noel. My, how things have changed since then…
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Luann de Lesseps' divorce from Alexandre de Lesseps in 2009 was a major plot line on "The Real Housewives of New York City" — just like her next relationship with Jacques Azoulay, which played out on the show and ended after three years in 2013. Since then, her love life has been rocky — the show chronicled her quickie marriage to Tom D'Agostino, which began in December 2016 and was over by the following August. She's also faced some legal battles, beginning with a 2017 arrest in Florida for being drunk and disorderly and allegedly attacking a cop. Despite some hard times, the star — who's worked on her sobriety with up-and-down results — has managed to embrace her creative side during her years on Bravo: She's released four songs, most recently 2019's "Feelin' Jovani," and authored the 2010 book "Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair." She's also been headlining her own cabaret show off and on since 2018. In 2021, Luann launched her latest venture, a non-alcoholic rosé wine called Fosé Rosé. She made news in March 2022 when it was reported that she'd been kicked out of a piano bar over drunken behavior. She posted an apology on Instagram a few days later, admitting she'd slipped up on her sobriety journey.
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Paris Hilton's aunt Kyle Richards is an OG cast member of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" — she's been on the show since season 1.
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While Kyle Richards' husband, Mauricio Umansky, dominated the real estate world at The Agency during their early years on reality TV, Kyle launched a clothing store called Kyle, by Alene Too. Though she's since cut ties, the reality star has still been involved in plenty of drama — including how "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" chronicled the end of her relationship with best friend Lisa Vanderpump as the two argued about a leaked tabloid story. Previous seasons documented her rocky relationship with sister Kim Richards and Kim's wavering sobriety as well as how Kyle has handled her daughters growing up and going off to college. On 2021's season 11, a new face joined the show in a "friend of" role — Kyle's sister Kathy Hilton! That same year, Kyle returned to the big screen to reprise her role in the "Halloween" franchise in "Halloween Kills"; she'll follow that up with a part in "Halloween Ends" in October 2022.
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Kandi Burruss joined "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" for season 2 in 2009 while she was engaged to A.J. Jewell. The former Xscape group member, music producer and sex-toy company owner was focused on raising daughter Riley Burruss at the time.
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Kandi Burruss's fiancé passed away in 2009 after getting into a physical fight. Her next romance, with Todd Tucker, became a huge storyline on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" when her opinionated mother, Mama Joyce, didn't approve of him. Still, the couple got married in 2014. Kandi welcomed son Ace in 2016 and daughter Blaze arrived via surrogate in 2019. While Kandi's still active on "RHOA," she's also starred on multiple spinoff shows on Bravo including "The Kandi Factory," "Kandi's Wedding," "Kandi's Ski Trip," "Just Kickin' It" with the women of Xscape, and more recently, "Kandi and the Gang," which debuted in March 2022 and centers around her restaurant, Old Lady Gang. Aside from dominating Bravo, Kandi also makes waves on other reality shows — she was the first female winner of FOX's "The Masked Singer" and came in second place on season 2 of "Celebrity Big Brother."
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Bethenny Frankel was one of the only unmarried ladies on the first season of "The Real Housewives of New York City" back in 2008. But that soon changed…
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Bethenny Frankel met Jason Hoppy while on "The Real Housewives of New York City," but she left the show in 2010 for her own Bravo spinoffs chronicling her road to the altar: "Bethenny Getting Married?" and "Bethenny Ever After." She welcomed daughter Bryn the same year, found huge success with the sale of her Skinnygirl brand in 2011 and split from Jason in 2013. Their very long divorce (it took more than eight years!) was followed by a very long custody battle. After leading her short-lived "Bethenny" talk show from 2012 to 2014, she decided to return to her "Real Housewives" roots for the show's seventh season in 2015. She continued on the show through season 11, which touched on the tragic news of her on-again, off-again beau, Dennis Shields' death in 2018. Despite being a fan favorite, Bethenny announced in 2019 that she wouldn't be returning for season 12. In early 2021, she and film producer and real estate developer Paul Bernon rekindled their two-year romance after splitting in 2020 and oon got engaged. These days, the star keeps busy with her "Just B With Bethenny" podcast, which debuted in 2020, and her charity initiative, B Strong, which she started in 2016; it's grown to become a massive force for good in humanitarian crises all over the globe — from earthquakes to natural disasters to wars.
