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'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills': Crystal Kung Minkoff is cast's 1st Asian American

Crystal Kung Minkoff is married to filmmaker Robert Minkoff, who co-directed the original "Lion King" movie, since 2007.
Screening of "Right to Desire" Video Short by Funny or Die - Hosted By Cindy Eckert
Crystal Kung Minkoff in March 2019 in West Hollywood, California.Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images
/ Source: TODAY

Break out your diamonds!

Crystal Kung Minkoff will star in the upcoming 11th season of Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," TODAY has confirmed. Kung Minkoff, 35, the wife of filmmaker Robert Minkoff, will be the show's first Asian American housewife.

She will join Kyle Richards, Erika Girardi, Lisa Rinna, Garcelle Beauvais and Dorit Kemsley, following the departures of Denise Richards and Teddi Mellencamp after the show's 10th season, which finished airing in late September. Richards was on the show for two seasons, and Mellencamp was on for three.

Kyle Richards, one of the show's original cast members, opened up about the new addition in an interview on SiriusXM's "The Jenny McCarthy Show" on Tuesday.

"I like her, you know, I've met her a couple of times now, and I think she's going to be just great," Richards said. "She's very outgoing and confident. And I think that she's very smart, and she's beautiful."

“You really have to be a strong, confident person," she continued. "It's really hard coming into this group. ... I can't imagine what it feels like coming into this group of this show that's successful all these years. ... It must be so strange, so you really have to have a lot of confidence and be very opinionated and outspoken and not afraid to speak up. So I think she fits all that.”

Kung Minkoff co-founded, alongside brother Jeffrey Kung, food company Real Coco, which produces organic coconut products. She and Robert Minkoff, 58, have been married since 2007 and have two children together, a son, Max, 8, and a daughter, Zoe, 5. Robert Minkoff is best known for co-directing the original "Lion King" movie from 1994. He also directed both "Stuart Little" and "Stuart Little 2" and 2003's "The Haunted Mansion" starring Eddie Murphy.

The Minkoffs recently celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary, and Kung Minkoff marked the occasion with a sweet Instagram post. "Best decision I’ve ever made," she captioned a throwback photo of herself and her husband on their wedding day.

Kung Minkoff's casting comes amid Bravo's recent efforts to diversity the "Real Housewives" franchise. Garcelle Beauvais, who joined "Beverly Hills" for season 10, is the show's first Black cast member.

It was also announced earlier this month that attorney, TV correspondent and book author Eboni K. Williams would become the first Black cast member on the "Real Housewives of New York City."

"NYC is filled with successful and dynamic Black women," Williams wrote in a statement to TODAY at the time. "I’m excited to join this legendary franchise as the first Black housewife. Can’t wait to share a slice of life in this city that hasn’t been seen before."

Kung Minkoff did not immediately respond to TODAY's request for comment.