The Real Housewives of Miami’s Alexia Nepola isn’t exactly rooting for Florida’s new resident Bethenny Frankel to join the show.
“I don’t think we would want her there. She’s not Miami,” Alexia, 58, exclusively shared with Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 17, while promoting the Bravo reality show. “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.”
Back in April, Bethenny, 54, announced her plans to move from New York to Florida. The former Real Housewives of New York City star reportedly purchased a Miami condo for around $1.7 million in June 2024.
While Alexia wasn’t keen on bringing Bethenny to The Real Housewives of Miami, costar Lisa Hochstein appeared to be more open to the idea.
“I personally like Bethenny,” she shared on the June 3 episode of iHeartRadio’s “Two Ts in a Pod” podcast. “She’s always really nice to me.”
While chatting with Us, Alexia also gushed about her friendship with The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice. Although they have a strong connection, Alexia said she doesn’t think her close friend needs to join the Miami franchise either.
“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.”
Season 7 of The Real Housewives of Miami currently includes Alexia, Lisa, Larsa Pippen, Guerdy Abraira and Julia Lemigova. Adriana de Moura, Marysol Patton and Kiki Barth serve as “friends” of the cast.
Later this season, fans will be introduced to a new cast member named Stephanie Shojaee. According to Alexia, the newbie certainly makes an entrance when she joins the group.
“She’s definitely Miami and she’s bringing that Miami drama and I love it,” she teased. “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.”
Related: Bethenny Frankel Reacts to Potential ‘RHONY’ Shakeup After Florida Move
The Bravosphere is chattering after a recent The Real Housewives of New York City update, including show alum and newly-minted Floridian Bethenny Frankel. “New York City was my playground,” Bethenny, 54, said in a Friday, May 9, TikTok video. “It’s poetic [and] it’s bittersweet.” Several hours earlier, speculation swirled that RHONY would not be returning […]
As for the trailer that shows Alexia and Stephanie, 40, feuding, perhaps the teaser doesn’t show the full story.
“We’re both alphas, and you know what? She needs to calm down,” Alexia said. “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. 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.”
The Real Housewives of Miami airs on Bravo Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET. Stream old episodes anytime on Peacock.
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