A Look Into the Friendship Between RHOBH "Best Friends" Garcelle and Sutton
The Beverly Hills Housewives' friendship game is so strong that it was nominated for an MTV Movie & TV Award.
It looks like Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke have one another’s back heading into the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as the quintessential best friends forever.
The glamorous duo was seen in the RHOBH Season 13 First Look, laughing it up over horses and Birkin bags (fans will recall when Sutton helped coerce Garcelle into buying her first Birkin in the Season 12 finale). Since Season 10, audiences have had a front-row seat into Garcelle and Sutton’s sisterhood, whether they were giggling like schoolgirls or going up to bat for one another.
“Garcelle and I have bonded over being divorced, single mothers who share custody with our ex-husbands, and you just kind of want somebody to talk to because we don’t have men,” Sutton told RHOBH producers in Season 12, Episode 12. “And that’s what we respect in one another.”
Here is a timeline of the RHOBH ladies' friendship over the years.
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Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke's Friendship in Season 10
Actress and model Garcelle joined the RHOBH cast in Season 10, making her grand debut when the cast attended New York Fashion Week. It was also when the Georgia-raised socialite Sutton made her RHOBH debut after having a years-long friendship with Lisa Rinna, though Sutton would remain a friend of the series before becoming an official Housewife.
The pair attended the same events and rubbed the same elbows, but their friendship seemed to take shape in Season 10, Episode 11 when they met for drinks to get to know one another a little better, an event that Sutton would later call her “favorite moment.” Sutton impressed Garcelle by knowing that the hair on the nape of the neck is sometimes referred to as “the kitchen.”
“That gave her a little cool factor just then,” Garcelle told producers.
The friendship only blossomed after the Housewives went to Rome in the latter part of the season, and Sutton invited Garcelle to attend mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The friendship would evolve as the months went on and became more of a focal point in RHOBH Season 11, when Sutton joined the group as an official Housewife.
Garcelle Beauvais is Team Sutton Stracke
The COVID-19 lockdown affected Season 11 filming, though it didn’t hamper Garcelle and Sutton’s sisterly bond. After all, hilariously chasing vitality shots for your immune system with Fireball liquor sounds like something that could only be shared between people who really trust one another.
“In the last year, Sutton and I have spent a lot of time together,” Garcelle said. “She doesn’t seem like she’s holding anything back.”
During the break between seasons, the pair enjoyed meals and trips to the beach, but they took things full-speed when Garcelle joined Sutton to shop for a Bentley.
“Sutton is fun,” Garcelle said in a previous episode. “She’s a little odd, she’s a little kooky, but I like that.”
Their friendship withstood the drama of Season 11, and a lot of it had to do with tensions with the other castmates. Garcelle defended Sutton when newcomer Crystal Kung Minkoff — also appearing in the upcoming Season 13 — accused Sutton of being “manic.” Garcelle defended Sutton another time when things got especially heated with Erika Jayne.
“I’ve gotten close with her, and I feel like she’s quirky, she’s funny,” Garcelle told Crystal and Erika. “I think she’s finally getting a voice.”
Garcelle later told producers she was “Team Sutton,” which became evident when Garcelle became Sutton’s “resident nurse” during the girls’ trip to Del Mar after Sutton severely sprained her ankle. At the luxurious Fairmont Grand Del Mar, Garcelle helped wheel Sutton in a wheelchair around the hotel and for a sound bath.
They also had a good laugh on the balcony when Erika caught them “red-handed” when talking about Erika behind her back (don’t worry, it was mostly good).
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Sutton Stracke convinced Garcelle Beauvais to stay on RHOBH
In another interview during Season 11, Bravo’s The Daily Dish asked the ladies to spill it all about their friendship.
“I love Garcelle with all my heart because she’s such a special person,” said Sutton. She called Garcelle a “forthcoming” and “solid friend” and someone with whom she could connect on a “deep” and “spiritual” level.
Of Sutton, Garcelle said, “We have a lot of fun,” adding, “We also have real conversations.”
In an interview with ET Online, Garcelle admitted she was on the fence about returning to the Housewives franchise for another season. She said she liked being a part of the series but that filming could be “really tough” when factoring in family and self.
“I really thought about it,” she confessed. “Sutton really twisted my arm.”
By the time RHOBH Season 12 came around, Garcelle and Sutton’s friendship was on solid ground. In the season premiere, both were in Miami Beach when Garcelle was honored at the Angels for Humanity event and awarded the Distinguished Humanitarian Award. While there, Sutton even shared a meal with Garcelle’s sisters, Gladys and Chantal.
Garcelle went up to bat for Sutton on several occasions throughout the turbulent season, including for the Elton John gala drama between Sutton and Lisa, in addition to Diana Jenkins.
Is their friendship still strong ahead of Season 13?
The sisterhood continues in the lead-up to RHOBH Season 13, despite online rumors that swirled when a social media influencer called the friendship a sham. But thankfully, both women have addressed the unsubstantiated buzz, reassuring fans that their bond was as strong as ever.
“I have a very real friendship with Garcelle; we text, we call, we visit. We’re going on vacation this summer,” Sutton said in a June 2023 interview with Hollywood Life. “We’re really best friends, and I love her so much, and we love our families together and everything.”
On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Garcelle also addressed the rumor, stating, “This couldn’t be more wrong, but I don’t have to prove anything.” Sutton responded to Garcelle’s post by calling the friendship the “best thing that’s happened to me in a decade.”
Both women were nominated for Best Reality On-Screen Team at the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards, though it was the women of Vanderpump Rules for the win. The RHOBH was also nominated for Best Docu-Reality Series.
In recent weeks, Garcelle and Sutton attended a Dodgers game and (separately) gave all Friday feels at the Beverly Hills Hotel. On September 20, 2023, Garcelle posted an adorable slideshow for her “beautiful friend’s” birthday, stating: “I adore you and our friendship.”
Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke's BravoCon Appearance
On Day 1 of BravoCon 2023, the RHOBH besties attended a chat session on BFFs along with Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson, where they spilled new details on their strong bond.
During the sit-down discussion, Garcelle and Sutton revealed the nicknames that they have for each other. “We call her Olive sometimes,” Garcelle joked about her blonde friend. “Olive-a-Sutton.”
As for Sutton’s nickname for Garcelle, she admitted: “I call her Garcelly or just Celly.” However, Garcelly isn’t a total fan of the rendition of her name, saying, “I don’t like.”
Cute nicknames weren’t the only thing the pair shared about their friendship. During the session, the moderator asked the ladies if they were jealous of their best friend’s other friendships.
“Oh, sometimes when she’s with Cynthia [Bailey] all the time,” Garcelle explained.
Sutton response? “It’s OK, It’s OK. There’s room for love,” she said.
The RHOBH ‘Wives even took the time to describe each other’s best qualities. “What you see is what you get, and I love that in a person,” Sutton mentioned of Gracelle’s personality.
When it was Garcelle’s turn, she talked about Sutton being such a nice person overall. “I think what I love about Sutton is that she really doesn’t have a mean bone in her body,” she said. “She’s just really sweet.”
We’re excited to see their friendship evolve in Season 13 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo. Stream episodes the next day on Peacock.
Originally published Oct 12, 2023.
