Feature Story
We all need a break from the everyday once in a while, and sometimes television can help us escape from our troubles, at least temporarily. One of summer's biggest reality TV shows is about to whisk away viewers to give them a look at lives that seem, well, unreal.
Wealthy socialites invite cameras along as they enjoy intimate dinners, embark on lavish vacations and drum up tons of drama in the Season 12 premiere of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” airing Wednesday, May 11, on Bravo. Part of one of the most successful reality TV franchises of the modern era, the series pulls back the curtain on the private and professional lives of rich and famous women living in Beverly Hills.
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” aka “RHOBH,” was the sixth show in the Real Housewives franchise, and it has since become one of its most popular, thanks to the outrageous antics of its stars. The spinoff's viewership grew over the course of Season 11, rising from just under one million average viewers for the season opener to around 1.5 million by the season's first “Reunion” episode.
Season 12 now introduces a new full-time cast member, and it's clear that she's already shaking things up — something that could boost ratings even further.
Diana Jenkins is a Bosnian War refugee-turned-philanthropist who founded a lifestyle drink company and co-founded the Jenkins-Penn Haitian Relief Organization with actor Sean Penn (“Gaslit”). In the official Season 12 trailer, it appears there is some tension between Jenkins and castmate Sutton Stracke.
“I think you're a soulless person,” Stracke says to Jenkins in the trailer, to which Jenkins replies, “You need a new villain? Here I am.”
Jenkins won't be the only new face to grace the small screen during this season of “RHOBH.” Sheree Zampino will also be introduced as a friend of the main cast, a girlfriend of regular cast member Garcelle Beauvais. Zampino is an entrepreneur and the ex-wife of actor Will Smith (“King Richard,” 2021), with whom she shares a son, Trey. She may be a newbie to the group, but she is not afraid to speak her mind.
Fans may also be happy to hear that the entire Season 11 cast will be back. In addition to Stracke, Beauvais and the newcomers, the Season 12 cast includes Kyle Richards, Erika Jayne, Lisa Rinna, Crystal Kung Minkoff, Dorit Kemsley and Kathy Hilton. Filming began in October 2021, and, as usual, the women shared all kinds of ups and downs with cameras in tow.
Richards, who is the only cast member who's been with “RHOBH” since the first season, is hopeful that grandchildren may be on the horizon when her eldest daughter finally gets engaged this season. However, in true RHO fashion, that doesn't mean family drama won't threaten her happiness.
Meanwhile, actress and daytime talk show host Beauvais purchases a beach house, but worries that her work may be getting in the way of her relationship with her teenage boys, and Jayne is hoping for a fresh start after going through a difficult divorce last season. Unfortunately, it's clear from the trailer that her friends are worried about her coping mechanisms.
As beloved soap opera star Rinna reels from the death of her mother and leans on her friends for support, she isn't afraid to call out her friends on their obscene or unruly behavior.
Entrepreneur Minkoff opens up and expresses her true feelings to her “RHOBH” friends this season, but, in this case, honesty may not be the best policy. It appears she may even lose some hard-earned friendships as a result of her frankness.
Designer Kemsley, meanwhile, is still trying to come to terms with the after-effects of her trauma this season after she was robbed at gunpoint in her home in October while her husband was away on a business trip. Despite her struggles, at least one member of the group isn't sympathetic.
Not worried about people in her home, however, is Stracke, who is excited to host friends in her new dream residence. Of course, conflicts do arise with some of her besties. Nevertheless, nothing can stop her hunt for the perfect man.
As in past seasons, things get heated as the Housewives tackle their problems head-on, but there are lighter moments, too. A dress code mishap teaches one of the new friends that these ladies don't do “casual,” and the BFFs are also seen laughing and living life to the fullest on extravagant vacations in Aspen and Mexico. They also enjoy several over-the-top shopping trips that most people could only dream of.