Meet the controversial stars of the Real Housewives of Rhode Island… and their even more scandalous husbands

The Real Housewives of Rhode Island is the newest addition to Bravo’s popular reality TV series, introducing seven new women to the cast.

A new trailer released this week hints at a dramatic first season, filled with both emotional struggles and challenges related to work and money.

The main cast will include Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti (from The Bachelor), Liz McGraw, known as the ‘cannabis queen,’ Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi.

RHONJ alum Dolores Catania will also appear in episodes as a friend in a guest capacity.

The new reality show, Real Housewives of Rhode Island, will begin airing on April 5th later this year.

With the show premiering in just two months, the Daily Mail is previewing the new cast members and their surprisingly controversial spouses.

Alicia Carmody

Oh my gosh, you guys, Alicia Carmody is with Billy Kitsilis – like, engaged! He’s a total power player, a really successful businessman, and they have the sweetest little girl together, Celina. I’m seriously obsessed with their family!

She frequently helps promote Kitsilis’s Rhode Island restaurant, Pizza Mamma, by using social media.

Carmody and her fiance have been engaged for about eight years, but they haven’t gotten married yet.

Carmody jokingly calls herself a ‘flip-flopper,’ as stated in her Bravo biography, and the first season of the show also requires her to revisit her history.

When a celebrity reveals this, it can strain their established friendships and force them to grow as a person, sometimes leaving a close friend feeling shocked and unprepared.

Okay, so I follow Carmody everywhere online, and it’s the best! She’s always sharing little snippets of her life – like, what she’s up to day-to-day. But honestly, the cutest part? All the pictures of her daughter! She’s a total mini-me and just the sweetest. I seriously can’t get enough!

Kitsilis occasionally shares cute photos of her family on her Instagram account.

Rosie DiMare

Rosie DiMare, who used to be a news anchor on Rhode Island television, is now officially part of the main cast of RHORI.

The DJ recently celebrated her one-year wedding anniversary to husband and singer Rich DiMare.

In the trailer, the businesswoman was seen taking part in plenty of drama with her other castmates.

At one point, one of the Housewives stated that DiMare is ‘not afraid to call people out.’

She and her husband are currently building their dream home, according to her Bravo biography.

Rosie is working hard to expand her community program, but she’s also dealing with some personal difficulties. These challenges are making her rethink who her true friends are and where she belongs within her tight-knit group as things change.

Her husband is a jazz singer who frequently performs Frank Sinatra songs, and sometimes appears in her Instagram posts.

Ashley Iaconetti

Ashley Ianconetti is new to Rhode Island, but her husband, Jared Haibon, has lived there his whole life.

The TV star, a mother of two named Dawson and Hayden, met her husband on the show Bachelor in Paradise, and they got married in 2019.

She assists with the operation of Audrey’s Coffee House & Lounge, her husband’s cafe, and also works as a social media influencer with a large following – over 1 million people on Instagram.

The trailer showed the couple struggling with the financial challenges of running their coffee shop, and Iaconetti seemed to be getting emotional, much like she did on The Bachelor.

In the trailer, she was seen crying, and her colleagues were there to support her.

The first season of the new Bravo show follows the star as she discovers married life isn’t the fairytale she expected.

Ashley is juggling a lot – two small children, a new home in Rhode Island, and a café she owns with her husband, Jared. To make matters worse, her friend Rosie claims Ashley can’t count on her, which really challenges their friendship.

Liz McGraw

Liz McGraw is known as both ‘Rhode Island royalty’ and the ‘cannabis queen,’ according to her Bravo biography.

The media personality owns Rhode Island’s largest cannabis dispensary The Slater Center.

I’ve been following Lisa for years, and it’s so lovely to see her happy with her husband, Gerry – he’s a big part of Slater too! She’s also a wonderful stepmom to Miranda, Briana, and Skyla, and you can really see how much she cares for them all.

During the first season, McGraw learns she’s going to be a grandmother, but she has no plans to slow down or give up her sophisticated lifestyle.

With a new phase of family life beginning, she’s finding that changing relationships with those closest to her are challenging her ability to lead and straining long-standing connections.

The trailer, released earlier this week, portrayed McGraw as a powerful and commanding leader.

She’s friends with Dolores Catania, a former cast member of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and Dolores will be making guest appearances on the show.

Rulla Nehme Pontarelli

Rulla Nehme Pontarelli is a businesswoman who works as both a financial planner and wealth manager.

She’s married to Brian Pontarelli, a foot doctor in Rhode Island, and they have two children together.

The reality star appears confident and beautiful in the new trailer.

She’s proud of her Lebanese heritage and brings strong beliefs, particularly about marriage, to the group.

However, speculation about her marriage arose in the RHORI trailer.

When rumors about her husband surface, Rulla finds herself facing difficult questions that test what she believes in, her strength, and her dedication to him, all while her private life is intensely scrutinized.

Last October, her husband, Brian, was arrested and charged with a minor domestic violence offense. He allegedly placed a tracking device on her car without her permission.

Just two months later, however, the charges were dropped.

Kelsey Swanson

Kelsey Swanson, Miss Rhode Island 2017, is also part of the show’s cast.

Her Bravo biography mentions she’s dating someone wealthy, but his name hasn’t been revealed yet.

The beauty queen has been dating ‘one of Rhode Island’s most notable figures’ for around 10 years.

Kelsey is facing a major decision. She can continue living a comfortable, privileged life, or she can choose to forge her own path and build a future based on her own choices.

Let’s be real, navigating friendships, especially when loyalty is on the line, is tough. I’m seeing a situation where Kelsey is really stressed – she’s worried that being honest about where her allegiances lie might mean going up against someone powerful within her friend group, and potentially losing the support of the person who’s always been her biggest advocate. It’s that fear of losing a key cheerleader that’s really weighing on her, and honestly, it’s a totally relatable feeling!

In 2014, a car accident led doctors to discover a non-cancerous brain tumor in Swanson. The tumor was successfully removed, and she continued competing in beauty pageants afterward.

Jo-Ellen Tiberi

Jo-Ellen Tiberi, known around town for being a bit of a gossip, is married to Guy Tiberi, who works as a loan officer and was her high school sweetheart.

Jo-Ellen is in a difficult position, according to her Bravo biography, as private details about Rulla’s marriage are being discussed, and she’s unsure whether to share them or keep them confidential.

Old conflicts with her mother have come back to the surface, making her deal with painful memories from her childhood and realize the price she’s paid for always being honest, even when it’s difficult.

Tiberi is deeply caught up in the show’s drama and rumors, and one of her fellow cast members claims she’s always in the know.

One of the Housewives revealed in a trailer that she turns to Jo-Ellen whenever she needs to investigate something or requires help like you’d get from an FBI agent.

Okay, so the new trailer just dropped, and honestly, I’m already losing it! Everyone’s saying there was so much drama last season, especially about whether Pontarelli’s husband, Brian, was… well, let’s just say he wasn’t being faithful. She’s totally playing it cool and denying everything, but I’m living for the mess! I need to know everything!

‘There are echoes of Rulla’s husband having an affair,’ one says.

‘I want you to know that it’s happening currently,’ she is then warned by one of her friends.

I heard through the grapevine that someone told Mr. Pontarelli I was spreading rumors – apparently, they said I was the one passing information around. It’s frustrating because I wasn’t! I just want to understand where this is coming from.

One husband expressed extreme displeasure about calls made to his wife’s workplace, considering it a serious issue. However, she maintains the rumors of an affair are false.

She stated that someone has been repeatedly attempting to falsely link her husband to certain activities, claiming he is currently or was previously involved, which is untrue.

Dolores Catania, from The Real Housewives of New Jersey, immediately got involved in the conflict, repeatedly stating, “But he is, ma! But he is!”

Iaconetti and her husband, Jared Haibon, are also facing some money troubles with their coffee shop, Audrey’s.

‘I know that you’re insecure about how Audrey’s doesn’t bring enough in,’ she told him over lunch.

Each woman on Housewife is facing personal challenges – one is considering starting a family, another is grappling with issues from her past, and a third is hoping to find lasting love.

One of the stars also has quite the busy schedule.

‘The two people in my life are the most wonderful people ever,’ she says.

‘Now you’re saying that you do have two boyfriends!? What!?’ DiMare replies.

The new reality show, Real Housewives of Rhode Island, kicks off on Bravo April 5th at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time. You can catch episodes on Peacock starting the next day.

2026-02-06 04:51