The time is now. Leah McSweeney called on Bravo to diversify the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City when season 13 rolls around.
“I hope that there’s not only diversity of race but an even deeper diversity of where someone lives or what their interests are,” the Married to the Mob founder, 37, told Page Six in an interview published on Saturday, August 8. “I hope that there’s just more diversity all across the board because New Yorkers are not a monolith, obviously. I think that it is gonna head in that direction.”
In the 12 years that RHONY has been on the air, no women of color have been main cast members. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills also never had a Black Housewife until Garcelle Beauvais joined the current season, which indicated that the network was moving in the right direction. Additionally, Bravo is set to air a special titled Race in America: A Movement Not a Moment on Sunday, August 9.
“When we’re talking about race and racism — why do we even have the word ‘ally?’” McSweeney, who appears in the special and has attended a number of Black Lives Matter marches in recent months, asked Page Six. “This is an everyone problem. ‘Ally’ shouldn’t even be a thing. Everyone should be against racism, no matter what freaking color you are, no matter where you’re from. It’s truly a very evil idea, racism in general. So it should be, across the board, completely looked down upon and destroyed.”
The fashion designer’s costar Luann de Lesseps also teased some changes that are coming to the show next season, telling Extra on Friday, August 7, “There’s definitely gonna be some new Housewives.”
Amid the rumors, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly, “Bravo is planning to shake things up with The Real Housewives of New York next year.” A second insider echoes, “There’s going to be some changes. … A handful of white women doesn’t necessarily represent what New York City is all about.”
McSweeney previously spoke to Us about the lack of diversity on RHONY, noting that The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Potomac are the only installments that have consistently had Black stars.
“Bring on the diversity!” she said in June. “I hope going forward that we can do that.”
Luann, meanwhile, told Us in July that she was “asking some friends” to join the show and help “diversify the cast in New York.”
