Andy Cohen shared new insight into the casting process for The Real Housewives during Part 2 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 17 reunion.
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The intel came about as the RHOA Season 17 cast was arguing about newcomer Pinky Cole filing for bankruptcy. “You don’t have to turn in tax returns to get this job,” Phaedra Parks said.
This led Andy to chime in. “I mean, we don’t check bank accounts,” he stated. “Maybe we should.”
Andy Cohen shares the requirements for a Real Housewife
In a 2021 interview with Bravo Insider, Andy admitted that in casting shows, he looks for “unique people with unique stories to tell, aqnd unique perspectives and unique points of view.”
He continued, revealing what makes for a good potential Housewife. “They all [want] to be famous. They’re very opinionated,” he explained. “They’re not afraid, they’re not shy. They’re outgoing. Many of them are very funny but don’t even realize how funny they are. And often, you know, through all those things, there’s some sort of relatability about them that keeps you watching.”
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Andy Cohen discusses casting Real Housewives’ kidsÂ
Andy once revealed that he hasn’t ruled out casting a Real Housewives kid to be a Real Housewife in the future. He took to his Instagram Story in September 2024 where he held a Q&A, admitting that it might take some time to cast a daughter of a Real Housewife in an upcoming season. “Seems inevitable. But how many years and who???!!! (No time soon)” he wrote.Â
Andy Cohen reveals how the reunion seating charts are determined
While Andy has been open about what he looks for in a Housewife, he has also shared how the seating charts are determined at a Bravo reunion. During a May 2025 episode of his SiriusXM show, Andy Cohen Live, Andy admitted that someone sitting in the last chair at the reunion has no meaning. “I mean, there’s only so many chairs…” he explained.
In an Oct. 2024 TikTok video for Cosmopolitan UK, Andy further opened up about how the reunion seating chart is determined. “We decide the lineup of who sits where [based on the events of the season],” he explained. “If they’re sitting on either side of me, that means they’re involved in a lot of mess this season. And then I will say…usually they’re sitting next to someone they like, usually they’re sitting across from someone that they don’t and a lot of it is really for camera angles. If you have two people who are directing ire at each other, you kind of want them to be across from each other so they’re not turning to one side or another all the time.”
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Learn more about what Andy was texting the Real Housewives moms during the Next Gen NYC Season 2 reunion.
