How ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star Shamea Morton got so rich — and why fans can’t get enough of her luxury lifestyle
"Quadruple threat" Shamea Morton makes her lavish debut as an official housewife on the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" season 16 premiere.
In this new era of “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Shamea Morton isn’t just a friend of cast member Porsha Williams. She’s got her own peach and has declared herself “the glue” of the group— the very rich glue.
Season 16 of the series kicked off on Sunday, with Morton reintroducing herself to viewers in her luxury $9 million mansion, dubbed “Sterling Hall,” as the backdrop. However, the wife and mother of two set the record straight right away: She’s more than her money.
“My $9 million-dollar house was the second largest sale in Georgia that year. But you know what, I don’t even get down like that. Family is the most important thing to me,” Morton said, adding, “I hate being defined by my wealth.”
“If you can afford to buy me the cheapest house tequila at the bar, let’s do it,” she continued. “I might spit it out over there. And then, let’s buy us the good stuff!”
Although Morton swears she’s more than her money, it may be among the top reasons why fans are happy to see her as a full-time castmate this season. Viewers have been lauding Morton online for bringing back the aspirational vibe to the franchise with her lavish lifestyle.
Morton’s longtime friend and now fellow Real Housewife, Williams, even vouched for her during a recent appearance on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.”
“There’s real-life Black queens in Atlanta, and she is one of them for sure,” Williams said. “Her and her husband, they’re very successful. And she is one of the people who deserve[s] that.”
To really solidify the level of luxury Morton is playing with, her all-white birthday party, held at her mansion, was so fancy, it included the unveiling of a new Rolls Royce valued at nearly $450,000, while a trap riff on the theme from HBO’s “Succession” played in the background.
When Cynthia Bailey, a friend of the housewives this season, arrives for the party, she remarks, “This is how amazing Shamea’s house is. It didn’t even come with an address on the invite. It just said ‘Sterling Hall.’ This is wealth, honey!”
Morton, who shares daughters Shya, 6, and Shiloh, 2, with husband Gerald Mwangi, has gained enormous success as a “quadruple threat” in the entertainment industry. A college-educated woman with a double degree in psychology and sociology from Georgia State University, Morton has both smarts and versatility.
“Career-wise, I like to coin myself the female Jamie Foxx. I’m a quadruple threat. I am an actress, a singer, a dancer, a host,” Morton explained during a confessional. “It just kind of happened that way because I’m a lover of music; I’m a lover of arts; I’m a lover of people. I’m blessed to be able to do it all.”
It’s true. From starring in films like “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” alongside fellow ATL Housewife and actress Drew Sidora to being a professional cheerleader for both the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Falcons, Morton has dabbled in a wide range of entertainment industry projects.
Her husband’s work, she said, can be seen in many popular airports.
“Some of the airports you’ve walked though, my husband has built, manufactured, and installed the HVACs,” she explained. His multi-million dollar successful business is a testament to wealth being able to be built in a variety of industries, not just entertainment.
Morton and Mwangi, who have been together for 11 years, first met in 2014 at Rose Bar in Atlanta. The multi-hyphenate isn’t the only person viewers credit with bringing the bougie back. Fans also meet fellow newcomer Kelli Ferrel as she is bestowing her daughter with seventeen designer handbags for her seventeenth birthday.
“She’s been a good girl,” she notes.
Beyond that, on this season of RHOA there are talks of divorce settlements in the millions, waffle empires, video vixens, multiple brands, 20-inch buss downs, and head-turning designer looks. But don’t let all the posh manicures and designer handbags fool you; the season kicks off ripe with the juicy drama RHOA fans love about the franchise.
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” airs Sundays on Bravo at 8 p.m. ET and streaming Mondays on Peackcock.
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