It’s been a couple years since fans have seen the core “O.G.” cast of “Real Housewives of New York” together, including Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan and Dorinda Medley.
Following a poorly received and rated Season 13, Bravo decided to completely replace the entire cast. The aforementioned quartet were expected to anchor a new “Real Housewives” show dubbed “Legacy,” but plans for that fizzled.
Eventually, the “Legacy” was refashioned as a “Ultimate Girls Trip” installment for Peacock. Former “RHONY” housewives Kelly Bensimon and Kristen Taekman joined the women, and St. Barts — the same destination of the infamous Season 5 trip — was selected as the locale.
TheWrap recently caught up with Bensimon, de Lesseps, Medley, Morgan and Takeman (Singer did not do press) ahead of the show’s premiere to talk all things “Ultimate Girls Trip.”
TheWrap: How did it feel reuniting with these girls? It’s been years since you’ve filmed with Kelly and Kristen, in particular.
de Lesseps: It was great to be back together, to be able to talk about all the things that we never really got to talk about over the course of our 13 seasons together. We’re like family, a discombobulated Housewives family. We’ve been through our ups and downs together.
Bensimon: I wasn’t really worried about going. First of all, I love St. Barts so much. Obviously I know Luann, Ramona and Sonja; I’ve met Dorinda a thousand times. I was actually just really excited to be on vacation with the ladies.
Taekman: You know, Kelly I hadn’t filmed with, but I see her quite a bit in the city. We have mutual friends. We see each other in the Hamptons. I keep saying it’s like riding a bike. I mean, it really was like no time had passed.
Medley: It was nice to be a guest and not a host, and not having to worry about what we were going to do for our next dinner, our next activity, or whatever the hell was going to happen to Bluestone Manor. It was just so wonderful to reconnect with the girls. Listen, we’ve had a lot of stuff happen. I’ve been off. The girls have been off. We’ve had COVID. So to all come back. It literally was like we picked up where we left off. And I think the audience will feel that right away.
Morgan: Like the girls were saying, we hadn’t had filmed together for so long. And when we’re not filming, the girls never see me. So that was great. And then to go to St. Barts, which is French, it’s sexy. The food is “upper level” as we would say, not “lower level” over at, you know, Ramona’s.
We only see a brief snippet, but that plane ride to St. Barts looked terrifying.
de Lesseps: It was harrowing. We were sideways coming down because it was a gusty, windy day. And that is the last thing you want to flying into St. Barts, when it’s windy and gusty. It is scary as hell. I thought we’re going to die. I really did. And though I’m surprised to see that it came off looking like really not a big deal. It was it was a big deal.
Bensimon: It was scary. St. Barts airport is notorious. It’s one of my least favorite places to fly into. I mean, I love the island. But I hate that flight.
Medley: At one point, when we were tipped, I saw the grass right in front of me. I gotta be honest with you, it was like God cut us off of the string and we just went down.
Morgan: I don’t think I need to say anything because you know me. I don’t like flying and it was too much. Too much. Well, you saw my face.
Well, thankfully you landed safely and were greeted at the villa by some handsome staffers. What do you think of vacation dalliances, especially with the house staff? I mean, you’re with them the entire trip!
de Lesseps: It’s window shopping! I’m single, they don’t have to flirt back. I had a great time with the guys in the house. I love men. They were there to aim to please us and make us happy in the house. And so, I was just having fun flirting but we went out a lot. So there were other dalliances to be had.
Bensimon: Luann speaks French! It’s a romance language.
Medley: I’m not into the younger guy thing as Sonja knows. I not really into having an affair with people that are working in the house so I guess
that’s a solid no for me.
Morgan: It’s a solid no for me, too. Believe it or not I do have boundaries when it comes to people I work with. But I love to have a nice fling or have fun. I’m very open sexually. But this trip I was dating my Viking and we’re still together after eight months, so I wanted to stay in my lane. But I was refreshing that Dorinda had open eyes. Normally she has blinders on.
Medley: You’re right I was more open this time. I was looking at the merchandise but not touching it!
What are the must-brings and what did you forget to bring?
Bensimon [to de Lesseps]: Did you forget condoms?
de Lesseps: No, I don’t travel with condoms. I brought my vibrator. Always. Must-haves are sexy bathing suits, beautiful cover-ups and lots of pressed-powder.
Bensimon: Bikinis, baseball cap and my Ray-Bans.
Medley: I always bring all my rollers and machines and facial things, and I use them on Sonja every trip. She loves when I bring all my beauty tricks, right, Sonja?
Morgan: Yeah, you love to share all that and I love it.
Medley: I love a prop. The prop I brought for the last scene is really off the chart.
Morgan: You’ll see what she brought in the finale. It’s … a lot!
Did you forget anything at home?
Medley: I have never, since I lived in London, traveled without Alka Seltzer. It’s a staple. Alka Seltzer is good for headaches for hangovers for stomach aches for everything. So I forgot my Alka Seltzer this time.
Taekman: I think we established that I’m a really big planner and organizer. I don’t think I forgot anything. I think the girls would come to me if they forgot something. Like Dorinda, I’m big on I do the Advil and I have those hydration sticks.
Morgan: Well, I don’t have to have underwear but I didn’t forget them this time. I fly by the seat of my pants. I’m living out of a suitcase and you don’t know what’s going to gonna come out when I open it. Anything from food to dirty clothes to plant life.
Do you prefer this Ultimate Girls Trip format or a regular season of “RHONY”?
Bensimon: When we were first proposed “Legacy,” I was actually really excited to film with five or six different ladies a couple of days a week. But this turned out great; St. Barts is probably the most beautiful island in the world. To put us together for seven days, it was just intense and fun and sexy and wild.
de Lesseps: I was all in when they talked about doing an “Ultimate Girls Trip.” It’s like a one-week vacation. I filmed “Crappie Lake.” I’m busy with my cabaret shows and have new tour coming out in February — “Marry, F, Kill.” And so for me, it was ideal to go on a one week trip to St. Barts.
Medley: I loved when we did the full seasons. [“Ultimate Girls Trip”] is not long enough with the girls. It doesn’t allow the audience to really have the full love affair with you. But the trip was great as well. I love it all. Listen, I’ll take it all.
Morgan: Luann, Dorinda and myself especially, we’ve had to hustle now because we’re not getting the paycheck for 23 episodes. Dorinda just had a tour at her home at Bluestone Manor. I’m on tour with Sonja In Your City. Luann is doing her cabaret. Dorinda just invited me to do the “$100 Million Pyramid” together. We got each other’s backs doing appearances as well together.
Taekman: I think the week is just a lot easier for me right now. I’ve got a high schooler and a middle schooler and there’s so much going on with them. So it’s easy to separate myself for a week, concentrate on work, and have a good time. And then when I’m home. I’m just a full-time mom.
“The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy” premieres Dec. 14 on Peacock. Check out the trailer below: