More than 20 years after the Real Housewives franchise launched, Andy Cohen says he believes a transgender woman could become a full-time Housewife—but only if the casting happens organically.
Speaking during an appearance at the Newport Beach TV Fest, the longtime Bravo executive addressed the possibility of adding a transgender cast member to one of the network's reality juggernauts. Rather than introducing someone solely to make headlines, Cohen said the ideal candidate would already have genuine relationships within an existing cast's social circle.
“I think if there was a trans ‘Housewife’ who was friends with other ‘Housewives’ that would be the way,” Cohen explained, per Page Six. “You wouldn’t want it to be stunt. You know, you wouldn’t want it to be like, ‘Let’s cast into this.’ If someone was friends with that person, then that would be great.”
Cohen's comments arrive as the Real Housewives universe continues to evolve alongside broader conversations about representation in reality television. Since debuting in 2006, the franchise has expanded across multiple cities and introduced a growing number of LGBTQIA+ cast members.
However, no openly transgender woman has ever held a full-time Housewife role or served as a prominent recurring “Friend of” across the franchise.
While Cohen said he supports the idea, he acknowledged that he doesn't currently know which city would be the right fit. The Bravo executive emphasized that personal connections remain the foundation of successful casting decisions. “I have no idea what franchise that would be,” he admitted.
The franchise has come close before. In 2015, transgender model and influencer Amiyah Scott was announced as a cast member for The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 8. Had the move materialized, Scott would have become the franchise's first transgender Housewife. She ultimately departed production before the season aired.
Former RuPaul's Drag Race star Carmen Carrera has also been linked to discussions surrounding a possible appearance on The Real Housewives of Miami over the years.
Cohen also reflected on another casting idea that never made it to the screen. He revealed that producers once considered adding Jaime Laurita, brother of former Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Caroline and Dina Manzo, during the franchise's early years.
Ultimately, Cohen said the series has always been centered on women and their relationships. “This is a show about women and celebrating women,” he said.
Even without a transgender cast member, Bravo has made several LGBTQ milestones in recent years. Braunwyn Windham-Burke became the franchise's first openly gay Housewife after publicly coming out in 2020.
Later, Julia Lemigova made history as the first openly lesbian woman cast on the show from the start, while Jenna Lyons and Racquel Chevremont further expanded LGBTQ representation on The Real Housewives of New York City.
