Season 16 of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” is currently in production, and it’s shaping up to be a real return to form for fans. Notably, following news that “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” alum Tracy Tutor had signed on, actress Leah Remini confirmed her casting. However, a new report says the “King of Queens” star’s deal to join the hit Bravo series almost fell through.
Leah Remini’s RHOBH Casting Wasn’t a Done Deal Until the End
GettyAccording to TMZ, despite having been in talks to join “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Remini reportedly didn’t sign on the dotted line until the final hour. Insiders told the outlet that the “King of Queens” alum had reached the final stages of negotiations to join as a full-time housewife.
However, the deal hit what the outlet referred to as “turbulence” weeks before the announcement that she would be joining RHOBH. While it’s unclear what went wrong, producers reportedly were concerned that their efforts to cast Remini may have been in vain.
However, luckily for all involved, the actress signed her contract at the last minute, making her a cast member for season 16 of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” Notably, this comes as the cast, minus Tutor, began filming earlier in August, with Dorit Kemsley being seen with cameras and then the returning cast traveling to South Africa for Bozima Saint John’s wedding.
The ‘King of Queens’ Alum Previously Denied Joining the Show
GettyRemini is no stranger to the world of reality television. First, she starred in her own TLC series, “Leah Remini: It’s All Relative” from 2014 to 2015. From there, she hosted “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.” Though not reality TV, she later hosted The Game Show Network’s “People Puzzle.”
However, regarding the possibility of joining “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” the actress once stated that she didn’t feel the show was up her proverbial alley. Per 2 Paragraphs, she responded to a fan on social media in 2021 who asked about the reports at the time that she was joining the show.
She stated, “Zero conversations have been had about this. They don’t want none of me, I’m sure! Lol.” After that, a fan commented, stating that Remini would “definitely upstage them.”
Leah Is Joining ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Two Years After Divorce
GettyMuch like Rachel Zoe, Remini is joining “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” following a divorce. This comes as she and her husband of 21 years, Angelo Pagán, separated in August 2024. The divorce was finalized in October of that year.
In 2025, she spoke to Us Weekly about how things had changed in their marriage. She stated, “You become friends, but there’s more to marriage than that. I saw that Angelo wanted something different. When you’re giving what you give in a relationship, but it’s not what the person wants, it’s like, ‘So you don’t appreciate what I’m doing? Well, I don’t appreciate what you’re doing because that’s not what I want.'”
She continued, “When I met him, I was in Scientology as a different person. Living in the same household, you’re acting out your roles, and if we’re not changing those roles as our needs change, you’re just growing apart. We just decided we should file for divorce and do a clean slate so nobody feels obligated to do this or that.”
When asked if she believed Scientology had anything to do with the downfall of her marriage, Remini stated, “I don’t know. I just think I was fighting for a life that I never fully had autonomy over.”
