Eboni K. Williams becomes first Black cast member of ‘RHONY’
'I'm going to keep it just as real here as I do everywhere else,' said TV vet Williams, a former lawyer.
The Real Housewives of New York City is adding a history-making member.
Eboni K. Williams will be joining the reality-show series, the first Black woman to join the cast.
“NYC is filled with successful and dynamic Black women. I’m excited to join this legendary franchise as the first Black housewife,” Williams said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight.
“Can’t wait to share a slice of life in this city that hasn’t been seen before,” she shared. “Anyone who’s aware of my work knows I don’t hold back. I’m going to keep it just as real here as I do everywhere else.”
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Williams has worked in television entertainment for years. She was the host and executive producer of the Revolt network show, State of the Culture, and is a former Fox News host.
Also an author and a former criminal defense attorney, Williams’ 2017 book Pretty Powerful: Appearance, Substance, and Success implores women to embrace their beauty as a positive and powerful asset.
Her casting comes just a few months after actress Garcelle Beauvais joined the Real Housewives franchise in Hollywood.
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Williams attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at only 16. She is a North Carolina native who went on to attend law school at Loyola University New Orleans’ College of Law. As an attorney, Williams specialized in family law and civil litigation.
She has previously written legal opinion stories, like the January 2019 piece for Essence titled, “On The Criminal Justice System And Its Biases Against Black Women and Girls.”
Williams, who is not married, previously told Essence that she is not “a typical housewife.”
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She said show viewers are going to learn that family is the most important thing to her, maintaining that they will enjoy her journey as she comes into her own and potentially creates her own family.
“That’s gonna be exciting,” said Williams. “It’s a little scary to kind of go there, but I know it’s necessary for me to become the full woman that I want to be.”
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