“Real Housewives of Rhode Island” star Rulla Nehme Pontarelli shared an update on her nine-year marriage to Brian Pontarelli. In April 2026, the Bravo newcomer appeared on “Watch What Happens Live,” where she revealed that her relationship is in a much better place nearly a year after her husband was confronted on camera about his past affair, a relationship that he had confessed to her before filming started.
Speaking with host Andy Cohen, Rulla shared, “We’re working on things. To be honest, we’re in a much better place than we were before, Andy. It’s like it was prior to the affair and better.”
“I know what we had before,” she added. “I don’t want to be perceived as wrong or weak…just because I’m choosing to work on my marriage.”
Rulla also revealed she didn’t realize how much her co-stars were talking about her marriage behind her back until she saw the RHORI episodes on TV. While she admitted she was “hurt” by the chatter amid co-star Jo-Ellen Tiberi’s allegations about Brian, she also shared that she was not mad at any of her RHORI castmates.
“So I think the misconception is that I was and had been mad at Jo-Ellen,” Rulla said. “I was actually very grateful when Jo-Ellen had shown me the photos. And I think that’s something that has been misunderstood.”
“I have no malice toward her,” she added. “I don’t think that Brian is a bad person. I think he’s good to the core but has made some grave mistakes and a bad series of choices.”
Rulla Does Not Think Her Husband Is a Serial Cheater
Rulla previously addressed the affair storyline on “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island After Show,” where she said she doesn’t believe her husband is a “serial cheater.”
“Given the instance, given the timing [of Brian’s affair], and everything of value that was almost lost, [it] definitely shook him up and brought him to a different, like, playing field now— a different vision, a different practice,” she said, per BravoTV.com. “So, personally, I have faith. … I know that, you know, he made some major mistakes. He was possessed by something, whatever you want to call it, but I see a path. Well, I’d rather try walking that path than just, like, light a match to it.”
Rulla also described the father of her two children as “very loving” and “a great provider.”
Brian Pontarelli Shared His Side of the Story
Brian Pontarelli was also put in the hot seat on “Watch What Happens Live.” As he sat in the audience, Cohen asked the foot and ankle surgeon for his reaction to the RHORI episodes.
“A lot of stuff was edited out, but what I saw about it that I hated is to see, you know, the past come back because that was a while ago, that was before,” Brian said of the affair. “And you know, I was a different person then I am now. I realize what an amazing woman my wife is, and the only thing that matters to me now is my wife and children, and I just want to move forward.”
He added that his former mistress may have resurfaced because she was “bitter” that he was on the Bravo reality show and trying to make his marriage work.
