The 12th season of Bravo’s "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" is quickly approaching, and it’s clear: Diamonds are in season, and these diamonds are ready to shine.
"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" highlights the aspirational lives of prominent housewives in Beverly Hills and has been captivating viewers for the last 11 years, with the latest season looking to be the best one yet. Promising high fashion, raw storylines and elevated drama, Beverly Hills remains a star in Bravo’s hallmark franchise year over year.
This year, all wives are returning with two newbies: an uberly accomplished housewife and a friend with deep Hollywood history. This season’s cast is one of the largest in Beverly Hills history (eight housewives and two friends), promising looks for days and drama aplenty.
With the premiere quickly approaching, TODAY has the refresher you need to get caught up and all that you need to look out for this season.
When does 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Season 12 premiere?
Season 12 premieres Wednesday, May 11 at 8/7c.
How many episodes are in Season 12?
TBD!
Who's in the Season 12 cast?
Season 12 unites veteran housewives Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Garcelle Beauvais, Sutton Stracke, and Crystal Kung Minkoff with new housewife Diana Jenkins and friends Kathy Hilton and Sheree Zampino (yes, we’re talking about Will Smith’s ex-wife), for a season filled with over-the-top glam and highly anticipated drama.
Here’s what to remember from Season 11
Erika Girardi’s divorce and legal challenges left the group shook
After years of professing the beauty of her unconventional marriage on-screen, Erika stunned the group by announcing her decision to file for divorce from then-husband Tom Girardi in November 2020.
While filming season 11, she explained the necessity of the divorce to her castmates, “I let go of my Lamborghini. I let go of my 16,000 square foot home. I let go of my marriage. I let go of everything. I literally made a decision that I had to.”
For Erika, the decision came with a covert plan to get out, unnoticed. She explained to her castmates that she “drove him to work, I told him I loved him and he said, ‘Thanks, hun.’ Like I was an employee. I went home and started putting everything in the moving van. I drove off, went to my new place, spent the night there and he was served the next morning.”
As if their divorce news wasn’t enough, in December 2020, a month after Erika filed for divorce, both Tom and Erika were sued for embezzling settlement funds intended to help the families of Lion Air Flight 610 victims. Since then, other lawsuits have been filed alleging that the Girardis misappropriated millions more of client funds for personal use. In fall 2020, Tom told the court that at one point he had 80 million or 50 million in cash that was “all gone,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Throughout Season 11, Erika’s castmates questioned her intent to divorce, whether or not she knew the lawsuits were coming, and her alleged involvement with the cases. Erika and fellow housewife Sutton’s fiery interactions became a common trend, as Erika remained tight-lipped about her ongoing legal challenges.
Other castmates turned to a more comedic approach, with househusbands Paul (PK) Kemsley and Mauricio Umansky expressing their hilarity over Erika’s account of her husband crashing his car in a snowstorm in Pasadena. Yes, a snowstorm in Pasadena, California. (If you were wondering, it did snow in Pasadena, California, this year, causing Andy Cohen to give Erika his Mazel of the Day on "Watch What Happens Live" on Feb. 15, 2022).
Kathy 'Hunky Dory' Hilton brought hilarity in the 90210
Kathy Hilton, mother of Paris Hilton and sister to Kyle Richards, joined as a friend for Season 11, immediately becoming a meme-able fan favorite, including the iconic moment when she didn’t understand Sutton saying “hunky dory,” and questioned her as to “Who is Hunky Dory?”
Kathy’s hilarious quips throughout the season had viewers enthralled with her antics. During the cast’s Lake Tahoe trip, Kathy got in bed with her sister Kyle with six newspapers, potato chips and Red Bull, giving viewers a laugh-out-loud moment when Kyle informed Kathy that she was drinking a Red Bull in the wee hours of the night (Kathy thought it was a soda!). As if that wasn’t enough, Sutton hilariously recounted that Kathy visited her room in the middle of the night with eight pillows and her box fan all in tow.
During their Palm Springs trip, Kathy tricked her castmates into downing martinis for the sake of the dinner, “bottoms up” style — all while having just water in her glass. She also pranked her castmates during a game of two truths and a lie … when all of her answers were truths!
New drama and changing dynamics impacted the Beverly Hills ladies
During Season 11, Garcelle set out to become more integrated with the ladies, as her closest friend on the cast, Denise Richards, departed the series during Season 10.
Kyle and Garcelle worked to overcome their tension and form a stronger bond, but drama with Kyle’s close ally Dorit threatened the progress they made. After decades of friendship between Garcelle and Lisa were disrupted by Lisa’s issues with Denise (and Garcelle’s loyalty to Denise), Lisa and Garcelle came to a resolution at the Season 11 reunion.
Crystal joined the cast and came in hot, delving into an early conflict with Sutton about racial perceptions in America. Crystal, Beverly Hills’ first Asian-American cast member, voiced her concerns with Sutton’s perspective, creating a dialogue over the prejudice she’s faced and an opportunity to bond with Garcelle.
What to expect in Season 12
Expect raw, dramatic emotions from the entire cast
The Season 12 trailer promises deep personal drama for the ladies. Leading off the season is Dorit’s jarring home invasion, leaving her family to pick up the pieces after robbers traumatically robbed her at gunpoint, stealing upwards of $1 million in valuables.
In the trailer, Dorit recounts her experience pleading for her life while being held at gunpoint during the robbery, “please I have little babies, please I’m a mother, please I beg of you, my kids need me, please, please.”
Lisa experiences the loss of her mother, Lois DeAndrade Rinna, this season. Throughout Lisa’s tenure on RHOBH, Lois quickly became a fan favorite during her cameo appearances due to her relationship with her family and her takes on the drama that swirled in her presence.
In the Season 12 trailer, Lisa explains, “I’m trying to figure out how to live without my mom. I’m in a lot of pain, you guys and I’m doing the best that I can.”
On the April 25 episode of Two T’s in a Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge, Lisa explained why she chose to share grieving on the show, “I think that grief is so taboo.”
“It’s a process and I’m here to show you how I did it and how I do it.”
Crystal continues to confront her challenges with her eating disorder, a topic she’s been vocal about on social media and will carry onto the show for her second season.
Crystal explains, “I want to eat a meal and like, be okay with it, you know, I don’t want to hate what I’m eating every day.”
Drama erupts between sisters Kathy and Kyle, as Kyle is seen in the trailer tearfully saying “I feel like you hate me or something” to Kathy while Lisa looks on in disbelief. While many rumors have swirled about what led to the sisters’ latest conflict, viewers will have to tune in this season to see how the drama progresses.
Erika legal challenges remain center stage
Throughout Season 12, viewers will see the continued evolution of Erika’s legal challenges, leading the ladies to question whether her behavior is due to her self-medicating.
Erika is previewed as having a few messy moments, with a purported Lisa comeback, “pick your anti-depressants or you drink, but you can’t do both.”
The Season 12 preview shows a dramatic moment between Erika and Crystal, with Erika saying, “You want to be on the side of the victims because you think that’s cool? What I’m telling you-”
“I don’t think it’s cool” Crystal responds.
“I don’t give a f--- about anybody else but me,” Erika exclaims, leaving Kyle and Sutton in disbelief.
In another exchange, Erika goes back and forth with Garcelle.
“Is that to make Erika look bad, or is that out of genuine concern?”
Garcelle responds, “Erika, I don’t have to make you look bad, you can do that on your own.”
Newbies Diana Jenkins and Sheree Zampino shake up Beverly Hills
A new season of Beverly Hills wouldn’t be without new faces, including new housewife Diana Jenkins and friend Sheree Zampino.
Introduced to the group by Crystal, Diana is a Bosnian war refugee who married into a massive banking fortune. Diana quickly integrates into the group, as we see Lisa exclaiming, “cheers to Diana Jenkins!” in the Season 12 trailer.
Diana also has a fiery interaction with Sutton, as Sutton exclaims, “I think you’re a soulless person.”
“You need a new villain? here I am” Diana replies.
Ex-wife to Will Smith and best friend to Beauvais, Sheree Zampino is well-known in Hollywood and joins the group as an official friend after previous cameos left fans wanting more. In the trailer, Sheree is hilariously seen showing up to a “casual” event in sweatpants, leading Garcelle to say, “never ever listen to casual.”
Drama swirls on after filming concludes
Although filming on Season 12 wrapped in February 2022, drama between the stars has raged on.
During an April 13 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live" with Andy Cohen, Garcelle said that she was “absolutely” closer with Kathy than Kyle currently is. Kyle responded during an Amazon Live stream, explaining how much it upset her.
Kyle further explained her thoughts on the April 25 show of Two T’s in a Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge, where she stated, “I just immediately started to cry, because she answered it so quickly.”
“It was very pompous, very pompous and arrogant to say something like that. ... I did get a text apologizing saying that it was reckless of her,” Richards remarked.
Garcelle addressed her apology to E! News, stating she “apologized if I hurt her feelings. I felt really bad.”
Garcelle’s castmate Erika felt less than apologetic for their feud this upcoming season, as she posted an Instagram story on Sunday, April 10, of her throwing Garcelle’s new book, "Love Me As I Am" in the trash, with the caption “@Garcelle, even though you unfollowed me I’m sure you’ll see this.”
Garcelle responded on social media by posting a video of Ross Mathews jokingly pulling her book out of the trash while backstage at "The Drew Barrymore Show," leaving fans with even more to anticipate as Season 12 approaches.
