Credit: Bravo, Instagram
After Reality Blurb exclusively confirmed the season 11 cast of The Real Housewives of Potomac, an insider exclusively confirmed intel regarding two new potential cast members.
Specifically, rumors popped up claiming Courtney Ajinca, the wife of an assistant coach of the Wizards, and Brittany Ford, an award-winning luxury event planner who is the co-publisher of Potomac Lifestyle DC, were filming for the show.
According to the source, “Brittany is a friend of Stacey Rusch‘s, not a contractual friend on the show.”
“She may pop up time to time. on the show, but she is not contracted,” they continued.
“It’s good that Stacey will have a friend she can trust, because a lot of the cast are not fans of hers,” the insider added. “They may play nice with her because they have to, but none of them sincerely like her.”
As far as Courtney, the insider confirmed she does indeed “have an actual contract.”
“Bravo will announce what her actual role is at some point in the future,” they added.
As for adding friends to the show versus adding new full-time cast members, the insider offered up an opinion, sharing they feel “all prospective housewives should do a season as a friend and, then, if it works out, move into a Housewife roll.
“This is better than throwing new women into the mix, as it’s easy for them to be preyed on by cast members who don’t have any storylines,” they elaborated. “Main cast members simply don’t feel as threatened by women with ‘friend’ titles.”
In late March, an insider revealed to Reality Blurb who the cast of season 11 would be, sharing the following women who were a part of last season are all returning: Gizelle Bryant, Karen Huger, Wendy Osefo, Ashley Darby, and Tia Glover.
As for Stacey, they noted she is absolutely returning and “is the most secure” in terms of who will be full-time.
“Robyn Dixon has also made the cut,” they added. “There is also a new girl in the mix.”
As for Robyn, Reality Blurb confirmed she’d be coming back in a “friend of” role.
“Although she didn’t want to return in any capacity last year after she was let go – and even refused to show up at the event Gizelle hosted for the podcast they are both on – she changed her tune this season,” a source shared on April 8.
As for why she changed her tune, the insider alleged she “needed the money” and thus ultimately “swallowed her pride” and took the Bravo bait.
“Robyn is real and always has been,” they said. “But a friend of role makes more sense for her at this point in time. It was clear in the past she didn’t like a microscope being put on her relationship with her husband, Juan Dixon, and if she’s in a ‘friend of’ role, this is not something that will be focused on.
“Juan also didn’t like being dissected on TV and being involved in the show, and by Robyn being a friend, he won’t have to play a part in it.”
While casting roles can always shift as the season films, the insider insisted Robyn would “have to do a lot” to have her status changed from ‘friend of’ to full-time.
“Robyn will definitely get extensive camera time if she has something that production decides they want to focus on,” the source added. “However, as things stand now, she will be back in a ‘friend of’ role. She still has many fans and supporters, as well as authentic relationships with some of the cast members, so she will be a seamless fit to return.”