Eboni K. Williams Joins The Real Housewives of New York City as the First Black Cast Member

Jodi Guglielmi
·2 min read

Eboni K. Williams Joins The Real Housewives of New York City as the First Black Cast Member

She’ll be joining returning Housewives Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Leah McSweeney and Sonja Morgan

It's official! The Real Housewives of New York City has found its newest Housewife.

Attorney and television host Eboni K. Williams has joined the cast, making history as RHONY's first Black Housewife, PEOPLE has confirmed.

"NYC is filled with successful and dynamic Black women. I'm excited to join this legendary franchise as the first Black housewife," she said in a statement. "Can't wait to share a slice of life in this city that hasn't been seen before. 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."

TMZ was the first to report the news of Williams' casting on Thursday.

She’ll be joining returning Housewives Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Leah McSweeney and Sonja Morgan.

Williams, 37, is currently the host and executive producer of Revolt Black News. She also has hosting credits on Fox Sports, Fox News Channel, NBA 2K and more.

Lev Radin/Getty Images

But before joining the television world, the North Carolina-native earned her law degree at school at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. After receiving her Juris Doctor degree, specialized in family law and civil litigation.

In 2017, she released her book titled Pretty Powerful: Appearance, Substance & Success.

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37. I’m so glad to see your ass!! ⁣ ⁣ The past year has tested and gifted me in ways that I couldn’t even conceive of before. ⁣ ⁣ For starters, I started my REVOLT TV journey exactly a year ago with my premiere episode of #SOTC 🙌🏾. Truly loved my job for the first time in a long time. ⁣ ⁣ Then I suffered a moderate case of coronavirus in April (thank God I didn’t have to be hospitalized 🙏🏾). But I was sick, and it was scary. For the first time in my life, I REALLY contemplated my own mortality. Shit hits different when you legit think you might be in your last days. ⁣ ⁣ Happiness is now my priority. And for the first time, I don’t feel guilty about it. ⁣ Y’all know I’m driven by my God-given purpose: to make this world better for others, especially those that look like me. ⁣ I work non-stop. And it’s been a great distraction to keep me busy enough to not pay that much attention to...me. ⁣ ⁣ How do I really feel? Am I really happy? And if I’m not, what am I prepared to give up in order to claim my happiness?? ⁣ ⁣ Anything you don’t change, you choose. Being sick and then fully recovering, forced clarity around some of my life choices. Painful & necessary clarity. And I’m grateful for it. #GrowingPains⁣ ⁣ Then, I got a call from Diddy’s team inviting me to host and executive produce a new show for and by Black people. Look at God ya’ll. As the world was at a standstill, I was offered the opportunity to help create the show of my dreams. #RevoltBlackNews⁣ ⁣ Mr. Combs & RevoltTV, you have no idea how you in a way, you saved me this year. I’m forever grateful. ⁣ ⁣ So, 37. I’m literally in pursuit of happiness this year. And I’m excited about. I’ve earned it. This year I’m paying extra close attention to how I FEEL. ⁣ ⁣ In every relationship and in every transaction, I must feel two things in order to proceed: Joy & Safety. Do I feel safe with you? Do I feel protected in this business agreement? Do I enjoy the work? Do I enjoy YOU?? ⁣ ⁣ Cheers to another year to do what I love alongside the people I love ❤️🥂God Bless⁣ @revolttv @diddy

A post shared by Eboni K. Williams (@ebonikwilliams) on Sep 9, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

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Williams receiving an apple comes after actress Garcelle Beauvais was cast on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for season 10, becoming the first Black Housewife in a predominantly white cast. (The Real Housewives of Potomac and The Real Housewives of Atlanta historically feature all-Black casts, with the exception of original RHOA star Kim Zolciak-Biermann, who left for her own spinoff, Don't Be Tardy, in 2012.)

Williams' casting news comes after the franchise lost Tinsley Mortimer and Dorinda Medley. Mortimer, 45, left RHONY mid-season to move to Chicago to be with her now-fiancé Scott Kluth. And after five seasons on the show, Medley, 55, announced her plans to leave RHONY in August.

RELATED: Garcelle Beauvais Says She 'Felt Pressure' as First Black RHOBH Star

"What a journey this has been. I have laughed and cried and tried to Make it Nice..." Medley wrote at the time. "But all things must come to an end. This was a great outlet for me to heal when my late husband Richard passed away. I have met so many interesting people and learned so much about myself, about life and about women along the way."