Everything You Didn’t See at The Real Housewives of New York City Season 14 Reunion
Learn who shared a dressing room, who needed a coat during filming breaks, and more secrets from the RHONY Season 14 reunion.
It's something every Bravo fan's wondered before: What really goes on at a Bravo reunion?
Well, wonder no more. While viewers get to see almost everything onscreen, there is plenty that happens off camera during the day a reunion films. So, we're taking you behind the scenes of The Real Housewives of New York City Season 14 reunion to explore some filming secrets, including shared dressing rooms, lunch menus, and what was happening before and after the cameras started rolling.
Here's everything you didn't get to see at the RHONY reunion, which featured Jenna Lyons, Brynn Whitfield, Jessel Taank, Erin Lichy, Ubah Hassan, and Sai De Silva and was hosted by Andy Cohen:
Erin and Jenna Shared a Dressing Room
When it came to getting ready, all the women did the glam process in their own room — except Erin and Jenna. The two shared a larger room together as Jenna selected which outfit to wear (as we know, she opted for a reunion rarity: jeans) and Erin got her hair and makeup done. It was probably a nice moment of bonding before the larger discussions began at the reunion.
Stand-Ins Are Used Before Filming Even Starts
If you walked onto the reunion set early, you'd be in for a surprise: People were already sitting on the couches and acting out a reunion. And while they wore placards that had a RHONY cast member's name on them, they definitely are not part of the show. Instead, these people are used to ensure everything is properly set up and looks correct on camera.
Snacks, Snacks Everywhere
Don't worry about getting hungry at a reunion set. The kitchen was fully stocked with an assortment of snacks, including sweet treats, chips, bars, and more, as well as waters, seltzers, and sodas. There were multiple options for lunch, though: The menu included grilled chicken with veggies and quinoa salad; lemon herb Greek chicken with toasted couscous, balsamic grilled eggplant and red pepper feta tsatziki; Asian cold noodle and flank steak salad with tomatoes, pepper, mango, soba, cilantro, and avocado; grilled salmon with wild rice, farro salad, and broccolini; or a vegan falafel bowl.
The Reunion Start Time
Almost all of the ladies were there bright and early with their assorted glam teams, as the taping was supposed to begin well before noon. Ubah, however, chose to do much of the getting-ready routine in her own space before arriving.
Of course, the glam process doesn't really end until the last minute. After the women sat on the couches, the makeup artists went over for another touch-up before the reunion really began.
Ubah Started Off the Reunion with Kind Words
Any Bravo fan knows that reunions can be brutal, as the drama of the past season is rehashed. There are usually tears and arguments, which is likely why Ubah wanted to kick off the reunion on a positive note.
Before the cameras started rolling, Ubah said she wanted to tell all the women something: "I love each and every one of you on the stage."
Erin added, "Same," while Andy said, "That's nice!"
In response, Ubah confirmed, "It's the truth."
The Women Revealed Which Bravolebs Gave Them Advice
Before getting into the hot topics of the season, Andy asked the women if they've bonded with any stars from other Bravo franchises. Brynn revealed she's friends with Southern Charm's Madison LeCroy, while Jessel said she's become friends with a different Charm-er: Leva Bonaparte.
Ubah, meanwhile, explained she recently went to The Real Housewives of Potomac's Gizelle Bryant's birthday party, and Erin added she's been friendly with The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Meredith Marks.
As for Jenna, she already knows some women from past seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City, including Heather Thompson, Carole Radziwill, and Kelly Kiloreen Bensimon.
Comfort Was Key Between Takes
Obviously, the women are dressed to the nines for the reunions, with most rocking gowns and high heels. But while they all looked incredible, that kind of wear isn't exactly comfortable, especially for a day of filming.
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Erin, for example, noted she was often freezing in her minidress, and bundled up in a puffy white coat during breaks so she could warm up. And Sai kicked off her heels on a break — basically 10 minutes into filming, as the other women laughingly pointed out.
Lunchtime Hangs
When it was time for cast and crew alike to break for lunch, many of the women retreated to their dressing room to devour their meal, including Erin and Jenna, who headed back to their shared space for the break (although Brynn popped by to eat with them, too). Before adjourning for the second part of filming, many of the women met up one on one to discuss how the morning had gone — and reflect on what turns might happen in the afternoon.
Jenna Had Questions About Filming
This was the women's first reunion, of course, which meant many of them had questions about how it worked. At one point, Jenna even asked Andy about the cards in his hand (and wow, is it a thick stack of cards in the beginning), wanting to know where the questions he asks even come from.
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"We get a lot of these off Facebook and Twitter," he explained (so hey, make sure you answer those posts if you have burning reunion questions!).
Andy Had Complimentary Words for the Women
After the final block of filming was complete, the women had a toast with Andy, where he noted, "This is the most Kleenex we've ever gone through at a reunion," to the shock and laughter of the 'Wives.
But despite all the tears, Andy was quick to note all the women did amazing for their first reunion.
"You all killed it," he told them as the RHONY ladies cheered.
