Dolores Catania has the rare privilege of living in two Real Housewives worlds as she travels from The Real Housewives of New Jersey to The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, and she spilled all about the experience during an exclusive interview with The Daily Dish ahead of RHORI’s series premiere on Thursday, April 2 at 9/8c on Bravo.
The series set in the Ocean State also includes cast members Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi.
As the only experienced ‘Wife in the new circle of friends, Dolores shared her sound advice for the ladies, what it was like filming in Rhode Island versus New Jersey, and exactly how she’s connected to the cast. Keep scrolling to get Dolores’ unfiltered guide to RHORI.
How Dolores Catania is connected to the RHORI cast
Dolores is the first to admit that you’ll likely do a double take when you see her next to Liz on RHORI, joking, “People think we look like sisters.”
While their bond isn’t by blood, according to Dolores, it is strong. “Me and Liz became friends a few years ago. And we got very close, very fast,” Dolores told The Daily Dish. “But because we have a lot of similarities, there is a certain loyalty I see in Liz that I really appreciate.”
It was through Liz that Dolores was introduced to the rest of the ‘Wives, and Dolores felt instant bonds. “In a really crazy way, I felt like I knew them forever,” she revealed. “They’re all very relatable to me. Each person, in their own way, I very much understood and felt that I fit in.”
Dolores Catania reveals how filming RHORI is different from RHONJ
Dolores, who was born and raised in New Jersey, first joined the RHONJ cast in Season 7. She revealed to The Daily Dish that despite her jump to RHORI, she’ll always be a Jersey girl.
“Jersey is always in my heart, and comes first, and, you know, I’m loyal,” she shared. “I will never disparage Jersey in any way. Do not talk s—t about Jersey.”
Although they may seem like they’re from different worlds, Dolores admitted there’s a big similarity among the RHONJ and RHORI ‘Wives. “The cast is relatable, and I think that was a love that people also had for Jersey,” she said.
Despite her Jersey love, Dolores revealed there were positives to filming in Rhode Island. “It was nice to get away from the scene of Jersey,” she admitted. “New Jersey’s more of a fast hustle and bustle. So, for me, it was much more calm here.”
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Adding to Dolores’ peace of mind in Rhode Island was her status as a “friend” rather than a “Housewife.”
“Being a friend was certainly fun. I felt like I wasn’t involved in a lot of the visceral drama and the hard stuff,” she shared. “I actually really got to enjoy it, instead of being sometimes stressed.”
She joked, “I was also the wellness team behind the scenes — just letting you know.”
As far as her relationships with the RHORI ‘Wives, Dolores added, “I was able to really speak to them like friends. And they listened — unlike Jersey.”
Dolores explained her role was simply more casual as a friend: “I also felt like a friend to them in a way where I can like teach them or help them calm down.”
Dolores Catania reveals her advice for the RHORI cast
As a seasoned Housewife, Dolores admitted she had plenty of advice to give the RHORI cast while filming their first season. “You’re putting your life out there. You don’t know what to expect. You don’t know what’s coming. There’s a lot of self-doubt. You have to be thick skinned,” she explained.
Her top piece of advice? “Don’t look at social media,” Dolores insisted. “Don’t respond to negativity. Don’t give it light. And try as hard as you can not to get into the habit of reading every bad thing.”
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Dolores revealed she follows her own advice “a hundred thousand percent,” and explained, “I’m not gonna sit there and read stupid s—t comments by somebody I don’t know. I don’t really care.”
Don’t miss Dolores sharing how filming RHORI also changed her relationship with her fiancé, Paul “Paulie” Connell.
