Lisa Ann Walter Reveals Why She Turned Down Real Housewives 5 Times

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Lisa Ann Walteris schooling Bravo fans with some little known reality TV lore.

Janelle James, known for her role on Abbott Elementary, has shared that she was approached multiple times to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Walter revealed in an Instagram video posted to Betches on May 12th that they asked him to appear on the show five different times.

Why did the 62-year-old actress – known for her role as the outspoken Melissa Schemmenti on the award-winning ABC comedy – decline the opportunity to appear on the show 90210?

She clarified, ‘I’m not a typical housewife. I don’t even own a house, and I certainly don’t live in Beverly Hills. I’m not married either. The only thing authentic about me is, well, me.’

Despite the network’s attempts to attract Walter by promising a drama-free environment – assuring her the show wouldn’t focus on conflict between the cast – the actress isn’t interested in sharing her private life publicly. The series recently finished its fifteenth season.

Okay, look, I totally get why people are obsessed with this show! Honestly, I’m a reality TV junkie myself – I live for 90 Day Fiancé! So, seriously, who am I to even think about judging anyone else’s guilty pleasures?

Walter isn’t the only celebrity who’s decided against joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. LeAnn Rimes recently spoke out about rumors she might be on the show, especially considering her husband, Eddie Cibrian, was previously married to former cast member Brandi Glanville.

The singer of “How Do I Live?” quickly dismissed the rumors on Instagram on May 6th, stating she has no interest in joining the cast of any ‘Housewives’ reality show.

After all, the country star is already busy with a starring role on another TV series.

As Rimes noted, “Playing Dixie on 911 Nashville is drama enough for me.”

Last year, when current cast member Bozoma Saint John jokingly asked Sophia Bush to be part of the show, Bush reacted in a similar way.

Okay, so I was at Create & Cultivate and Bush was SO real! She admitted, and I was honestly shocked, that for the longest time she thought that show everyone’s obsessed with was just… a bunch of women screaming at each other! Can you believe it? She said it wasn’t meant as a judgment, but seriously, that’s what she thought! I’m obsessed with her even more now for being so honest!

I was so thrilled when Bozoma joined the show! Honestly, she brings such a refreshing energy. Some people come in and try to dominate with shouting, but Boz is the opposite – she’s incredibly supportive and a true team player. I didn’t quite understand the buzz at first, but then I started watching her, and it hit me: she’s completely transforming the way things are done in this industry. It’s amazing to witness!

Although Walter, Rimes, and Bush aren’t becoming part of the Bravo family, you can find TopMob’s complete ranking of all the Real Housewives right here.

Bravo’s reality show about Washington D.C. featured four women—Mary Amons, Lynda Erkiletian, Cat Ommanney, and Stacie Scott Turner—who didn’t exactly make a lasting impression. The show also included one woman so eager for attention that she actually crashed a party at the White House. We’ll talk more about her later.

Who?

Vaguely familiar, but…

Once upon a time, DeShawn starred on the same TV show as NeNe Leakes. Surprising, we know.

This one-season Housewife brought nothing to the Orange County table.

The newest cast member on The Real Housewives of Utah had a dramatic and short-lived run on the show. In January 2022, Jennie was let go after old, offensive Facebook posts with racially insensitive content were discovered online. She later issued an apology, but the show decided to remove her from the cast.

Her defining trait was “cougar.”

Okay, so Dr. Jen wasn’t exactly causing chaos last season, and honestly, her little drama with Ryne—or was it Ryan?—was kinda boring. But let me tell you, I will never forget her at Shannon and David’s dinner party! She was totally plastered on wine, and it was a glorious, awkward mess. Seriously, that night was iconic, and I replay it in my head constantly. It was the most entertainment we got all season!

The nurse anesthetist’s first season was a disaster, best remembered by the embarrassing incident now known as ‘Esophagus-gate.’

Katie frequently talked about her charitable efforts, but she didn’t offer much else when filming. She appeared briefly and then didn’t really participate as a supportive friend. And leaving the cast’s trip early is a major breach of etiquette for a reality show cast member.

Charrisse is mostly remembered for her highly publicized marital issues during her two seasons on the show, as well as her famously lavish champagne room.

A one-and-done Housewife, Shamari was at least fun?

Although it was refreshing to see some diversity on The Real Housewives of Orange County, Peggy became a difficult cast member in season 12. She frequently started strange arguments, often over misunderstandings of simple words, and her refusal to participate during the Iceland trip showed she wasn’t suited for the lifestyle.

Nneka’s first season on the show focused on a surprising and dramatic conflict: she accused Wendy Osefo’s mother of practicing witchcraft. It was a shame, as it would have been great to see Nneka and Wendy connect over their Nigerian heritage instead of being caught in this unresolved dispute.

Oh my god, Noella! She was everywhere in season 16, just a whirlwind of emotion! Honestly, her life was falling apart – can you believe her husband, James, just left her right before filming?! – and while that was heartbreaking, it was her fights with Heather that really kept me watching. I’m still not sure if I totally get her, but I’m really hoping she gets another season because I think we’ll finally see the real Noella then. I’m rooting for her, seriously!

She went from being a peacemaker in her first season to facing accusations of anti-Semitism and complaining about a cake being thrown in her second – and final – season. It’s hard to think of a Housewife who had such a quick and dramatic downfall.

It seemed like Amber and her husband, Jim, were acting out of desperation. He also appeared more caught up in the problems than she was, which wasn’t a good sign.

The only thing people recall about Karent is her profession – she was a dentist – and that her colleagues didn’t get along with her. Moving on!

This was a real person with a show on Bravo. We promise.

Jules was only on RHONY for one season, so it’s hard to place her higher on a ranking list. Still, she definitely brought the drama during her time on the show.

It’s rare for a new cast member to be disliked so quickly, but Amanda Francis, who joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in season 15, immediately rubbed many Bravo viewers the wrong way.

Amanda, a financial advisor who calls herself the “Money Queen,” irritated both her fellow cast members and viewers. People were turned off by her focus on possessions and the dubious financial guidance she offered.

What really showed she wasn’t suited for the show was her unwillingness to argue or confront the other women. Being a Housewife is a tough role, and it’s not for everyone.

So unnecessary they couldn’t even get individual taglines.

Similar to Sara Al Madani, Nina showed how a successful Arab woman can balance a modern lifestyle with her cultural heritage. She generally stayed out of the season’s conflicts and, at times, didn’t get as much attention as her more outgoing co-stars.

Taleen joined the second season of RHODubai and made a positive impression, but it’s hard to fully evaluate her after only seeing her in one season of the show.

Angel’s time on the show was a complete disaster. As the wife of former NFL player Bobby Massie, she struggled throughout season 10, constantly failing to connect with the other, more experienced cast members who seemed to enjoy watching her attempts fall flat.

Even though things didn’t go perfectly, it’s quite a story that her glamping trip in Colorado resulted in the whole group getting lost and having to rely on gas station food.

Definitely a first for the Housewives.

Though she appeared on seasons 11 and 12 of America’s Next Top Model, she didn’t make a significant impact on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, mainly remembered for being pregnant throughout her time on the show. However, her memorable confrontation with Marlo Hampton while in Tokyo was a highlight.

Usually, we like to see how a new Housewife does over a couple of seasons before ranking them highly. However, Katie made a huge impact right away on season 18 of RHOC, immediately challenging veteran Housewife Heather Dubrow. It takes guts to question someone as established as Ms. Fancypants!

To be frank, Stephanie wasn’t a favorite of ours. Although she had the potential to be a compelling Housewife due to her wealth, we didn’t appreciate how she used her private jet to try and control the other women on the show during season seven. It just didn’t sit right with us.

Maybe Steph can redeem herself if she returns for season eight.

Sara had a consistently cheerful and optimistic attitude, which made her a joy to be around, though things were usually quite calm around her – except for the time she gave her co-star, Caroline Brooks, some parenting advice that wasn’t appreciated. More importantly, as a tech entrepreneur, she challenged common ideas about modern Muslim women in the Middle East, and that’s something to celebrate.

The new cast members on season 13 of RHONJ quickly fell into the familiar pattern of New Jersey Housewives, getting caught up in a drawn-out and ultimately meaningless feud, as Andy Cohen pointed out. Sadly, their second season didn’t offer much more depth or substance.

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2026-05-13 20:48