Dolores Catania Reveals What It Takes to be a ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ Cast Member
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania reveals what it takes to be a part of the core group of women who star on the Bravo series. The longtime reality star admits that to fit in with the group, newbies must find some common ground with the OG cast.
Dolores Catania joined ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ in 2016
Dolores joined the Real Housewives of New Jersey in 2016. At the time, the Bravo series was in its seventh season.
Of all the Housewives, Dolores has proved to be one of the most relatable cast members. Historically, RHONJ viewers watched Dolores navigate her relationship with her ex-husband, Frank Catania, father of her adult children Gabby and Frankie.
However, this season, the couple will hit a bump in their relationship. While Frank got on well with Dolores’ ex-boyfriend David Principe, things between them took a turn once Dolores began dating Paul Connell.
Frank told Us Weekly in October 2022 that he and Paul were initially not on the best terms. “Paul is not used to the dynamic between Dolores and me. “If you spend more time with Dolores and me, you get to see there’s nothing to worry about, right?”
“I love her. I will always love her and take care of her. [Paul] He’s gotten better, and we’ve spent a much more time together, and I think he’s gotten much more comfortable.” He added: “Any tension that was there before, I feel it’s gone. … When I see him, we hug now.”
However, the tension between Paul and Frank teases what happens when outsiders try to join the core group. The show leads include Dolores, Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Jackie Goldschneider, Margaret Josephs, and Jennifer Aydin. Newbies sometimes have difficulty finding their place amid all these strong personalities.
Dolores Catania reveals what it takes to be a ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ cast member
In an interview with E! News, Dolores revealed that there are several things that new cast members must learn when trying to merge into the tight-knit group. First and foremost, “Jersey’s tough.”
“Jersey’s tough, you know. We all break down one time or another,” Dolores said to E! News. “You get to meet the new faces. There’s a lot of fun. I think. Hopefully, you’re going to see a lot of fun and a lot of different emotions this season.”
She addressed the addition of new cast members Jennifer Fessler, Danielle Cabral, and Rachel Fuda to the reality series.
“They fit really well,” Dolores continued. “Believe it or not, I was skeptical as well. We are not an easy cast here. We welcome everybody, but you have to be like us to fit in, and I think they both are.”
What can fans expect during season 13 of ‘RHONJ’?
Fans can continue to expect conflict between Teresa and Melissa. Although they briefly reconciled a few times over the years, the in-laws have remained at each other’s throats since Melissa and Joe Gorga skipped Teresa and Luis Ruelas’ wedding last August.
Danielle is a self-proclaimed “bougie mama” and a friend of Teresa and Jennifer. She hails from Staten Island, New York. Her strong personality will allow her to fit in well with her RHONJ co-stars due to her fearlessness. She’s not afraid to speak her mind. This will undoubtedly cause trouble among the group at some point.
Jennifer and Bill’s relationship problems will undoubtedly continue, as will her issues with her fellow housewives. Expect to see Margaret battle Jennifer and push Joe and Melissa’s buttons. Newbie Rachel Fuda will have confrontations with both Teresa and Jennifer.
RHONJ returns for season 13 on Tuesday, February 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT with a 75-minute supersize episode.
