Meet Sutton Stracke, Lisa Rinna's Friend Who's Rumored To Be Joining Cast Of 'Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills'
She made the list of best party hostesses.
Instagram Most of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills have been asked back for the new season of the Bravo reality series. The main change to the lineup is the departure of Lisa Vanderpump, who announced she was done with the show back in June. Part-timer Camille Grammer may or may not make any appearances either, given that her main connection was LVP and she doesn't hang with the rest of the cast as much.
Now everyone is wondering who will step in and try to fill Lisa Vanderpump's designer shoes. Bravo is keeping casting choices under wraps but rumors are starting to fly that Sutton Stracke, a friend of Lisa Rinna's, is on the verge of joining the show.
Who is Sutton Stracke? Read on for all the details.
1. A new direction
When Lisa Vanderpump exited the show, it was on a bit of a low note. She stepped away after a season of spats with castmates and told Today that she just didn't want to do it anymore "The last year was a very negative year for me...I just had a horrible time with the show and the women. It was a very sad time in my life and it wasn’t made any better. I just decided to walk away," While the loss of an original cast member will certainly change the dynamic of the show, it won't slow the drama. Andy Cohen, who executive produces the franchise, was upbeat about the new season, telling Hollywood Life: "I think it’ll go in new directions.”
2. Who could she be?
The show is now only a matter of weeks from picking back up for the fall filming season and there still hasn't been an official announcement about who will be joining the cast. Rumor has it, however, that a pal of Lisa Rinna's is the frontrunner to become the newest Housewife. A source tells Hollywood Life that “Sutton Stracke, Lisa Rinna’s dear friend, is highly rumored to be the new addition. She came in at Rinna’s suggestion.”
3. Who is Sutton Stracke?
Stracke is a former Southern debutant and has been throwing legendary parties for years: she once even placed on The Salonniere’s coveted list for the United States' 100 best party hosts — she was No. 39 on the list in 2015. Her Instagram account is riddled with gorgeous locations, shout-outs to designer brands, and photos of her gorgeous kids.
A photo from a recent party she threw.
4. Casting is a process
Despite the rumors about one particular person joining the cast, there's no guarantee that any of it is true. Finding the right mix of people for the show is challenging. While there are probably plenty of people whose lives and personalities would make interesting viewing, not all of them want to be a part of the world of reality TV fame. A casting agent who has worked on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Real Housewives of New Jersey told Page Six that not just any rich person can the Bravo franchise. “There’s old money in every city and [most] people don’t want to exploit themselves,” the casting agent said. "Nobody with integrity is going to go on a reality show like that where you are flaunting your lifestyle and flashing cash.”
The agent explained that casting any Real Housewives franchise is like finding a needle in a haystack. Unlike a talent competition where the lines of hopeful auditioners runs for miles, very few people come out for the Housewives casting calls. “We are lucky if we interview six to 10 people a season," the casting agent says.
5. Cast members beware
While there are definitely parts of being on the show like look like a ton of fun, at least one publicist has told clients to steer clear when Bravo came knocking. The unnamed PR pro told Page Six that clients have some false expectations about joining the cast, saying "They think their lives will be transformed. They think there will be an element of happiness that will result in being famous. They don’t understand that most people watch the show because they are watching trainwrecks.” The publicist went on to explain that if the women aren't trainwrecks when they start on the series, Bravo makes sure they are once the cameras start rolling. “The people at Bravo...pit [women] against each other. They stir the pot. They come up with ways for these women to go down a horrible path,” said the publicist. “There is so much pressure they put on the cast to deliver. It’s like Stockholm syndrome.” Bravo categorically denies that allegation.
6. Keeping the element of surprise
Whether or not Stracke is mulling over the wisdom of joining the cast is a mystery to everyone. A source told Hollywood Life that “It’s being kept such a secret that the other ladies sincerely don’t know who she is when asked by friends close to them." But the plans for the season are moving ahead, even as the new casting choice is being kept quiet. “They will be going on a trip right away internationally, but they don’t know where yet. Everyone seems to be looking forward to getting back to work.”
Will Stracke be the new queen of RHOBH?
A mystery trip and a mystery castmate will be an exciting start to the new season for sure.
Rebekah Kuschmider has been writing about celebrities, pop culture, entertainment, and politics since 2010. Her work has been seen at Ravishly, Babble, Scary Mommy, The Mid, Redbook online, and The Broad Side. She is the creator of the blog Stay at Home Pundit and she is a cohost of the weekly podcast The More Perfect Union.