Un total de 164 « Real Housewives » ont été présentées dans la franchise phare de Bravo. Parmi elles, Emily Simpson a émergé comme une voix de raison lors de l’une des saisons les plus tumultueuses de « The Real Housewives of Orange County ». Alors que les conflits autour de Shannon Beador dominent la saison, Simpson, bien qu’initialement peu appréciée, a su naviguer dans les drames sans se trouver au centre des tensions. Sa popularité a lentement augmenté alors qu’elle conservait son authenticité et son intégrité au sein d’un casting en proie à des tensions croissantes.
A total of 164 women have graced Bravo’s iconic “Real Housewives” franchise, not counting the numerous international editions. Next year, the lineup will include the newly announced “Real Housewives of London” produced by Hayu. Among the original cast members of the American series, very few remain, such as Kyle Richards from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and Teresa Giudice from “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” both of whom have been with their shows since their inception. Conversely, there’s the “one and done” group—those who either failed to resonate with viewers or had intense fallout with their co-stars, making any sort of reality TV friendship impossible after just one season. An example is Monica Garcia from Season 4 of “Salt Lake City.”
Emily Simpson, however, does not fall into either category. She joined “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” the franchise’s inaugural series that began in 2006, during its 13th season in 2018. At first, both she and her close castmate Gina Kirschenheiter were not warmly received by fans. Yet, despite initial indifference, they are part of a select group of Housewives who have successfully filmed six consecutive seasons without being dismissed or demoted to a mere “friend” role. This is impressive, considering the competitive nature of a franchise that often resembles a game of “Survivor” where fame-driven women face potential dismissal at any moment. Uniquely, Simpson has never been at the forefront of the drama and has never sat in the “center chair” next to executive producer and host Andy Cohen during reunions—a position often regarded as being in the « hot seat. » Furthermore, it would be difficult to label her a “fan favorite” until recently.
This year has marked a shift in how audiences perceive her. Amid one of the most tumultuous seasons of “Orange County,” Simpson has taken on the role of the voice of reason, particularly regarding the ongoing saga of Shannon Beador. Beador, who joined the cast in the ninth season in 2014, has shared her challenging life experiences over the past decade, which include infidelity, divorce, weight issues, and more recently, breaking up with her boyfriend. This season, Beador faced backlash after being arrested for crashing her car into a stranger’s home while drunk in September 2023. Adding to her turmoil, her ex-boyfriend, John Janssen, is now in a relationship with former cast member Alexis Bellino. Shortly after their relationship became public, Bellino was announced as a “friend” in Season 18. To complicate matters further, Janssen has filed a lawsuit against Beador for $75,000, alleging that he loaned her money for cosmetic surgery—a claim she disputes. This evolving legal feud has placed Beador under immense pressure, worsened by Bellino’s claim that Janssen has unsavory video footage of her during intoxicated incidents.
These developments have become some of Bravo’s most engaging story arcs lately, capturing fans’ attention while causing divisions among the cast. Several of Beador’s co-stars, including the long-time Housewife Tamra Judge, have publicly criticized her, leading Beador to forge friendships with Simpson and Kirschenheiter, whom she had previously clashed with.
Simpson has sparked moments of drama on the show, but she generally maintains a calm demeanor after confrontations, lending herself to being seen as a reliable narrator. In a recent conversation, we touched on the finale of Season 18, where her children were unwittingly dragged into the confrontation, and even discussed a gambling scandal involving Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani’s translator, which connected “The Real Housewives of Orange County” to Jennifer Pedranti’s fiancé, Ryan Boyajian. We delved into the shifting dynamics of the cast, Simpson’s growing popularity, the authenticity of Heather Dubrow, and her perspective on some cast members exposing personal secrets of one another. Additionally, she shared her rationale for not confronting Bellino sooner.
« I don’t tend to engage in significant feuds, » she expressed. « Throughout my six years on the show, while I’ve had my outbursts, I believe I’m quite reactionary; something bothers me for a while, and then I explode over something seemingly trivial, like a towel left on the floor. I’m open with my feelings and then I move on. Unlike some ongoing feuds that seem endless, I can’t imagine maintaining that kind of resentment. »
She noted that both she and Kirschenheiter have been genuine since the start. « We’ve never tried to create drama or self-produce narratives. Many newcomers who have watched the show for years often arrive thinking they know how to act and start off dramatically, but it’s