Art curator Racquel Chevremont is set to join the Real Housewives of New York City cast for the show’s 15th season.
GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQIA+ media advocacy organization, made the announcement on Thursday, June 27, releasing an interview with Chevremont, 52, in which she called joining the cast “a family decision.”
“My entire adult life has been about representation and using whatever platform I have to get the voices of queer folks of the diaspora out there,” she said. “What better way to do so if not as a member of this iconic franchise?”
Chevremont, who was previously engaged to artist Mickalene Thomas before they split in 2022, is mother to two children: son Corey and daughter Elle. She will be the second queer housewife in the show’s history, joining her friend and RHONY vet Jenna Lyons.
“I’m hoping to bring it all, show people a loving fun family along with our chosen family,” Chevremont continued. “It’s extremely important to me, [because] this show reaches millions of people.”
Born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, Chevremont is a New York lifer who entered the art world as a collector more than 20 years ago. That opened up countless opportunities for her, including a consultant role for the set decoration on the Netflix movie Leave the World Behind and a trustee spot for the Studio Museum in Harlem.
She is also a model who has done ads for brands, including Benetton, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Fila, L’Oréal and Nivea.
Chevremont admitted she is not a Housewives superfan, but took the time to binge the franchise when she was asked to join the cast. It was an opportunity that she did not expect.
“I honestly didn’t think they would be interested in me in the end because they already had a queer woman,” she said. “I wasn’t sure if they were going to want two queer women on a franchise that has historically been about married heterosexual women. I think it was a bold decision and honestly a more authentic representation of NYC.”
GLAAD Senior Director of Communications Tony Morison applauded Bravo’s history of inclusivity in the LGBTQIA+ community in a statement released on Thursday.
“It’s exciting to see Racquel Chevremont, a highly successful Black queer model, art curator, mom and more, join the cast,’” he said. “Together with Jenna Lyons, Chevremont will undoubtedly bring a fresh perspective and new storytelling to one of the most-watched franchises on television, enhancing it to better reflect the vibrant and celebrated diversity of New York.”
Bravo previously announced that Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield would all return for season 15. The network has not yet announced a premiere date.
