Eboni K. Williams and the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City may be facing backlash over the many conversations they’ve been having about race throughout season 13. But, according to Bravo, they don’t mind watching Williams educate her cast mates, and the viewers at home.
"Bravo invited Eboni K. Williams as the first Black woman to join the cast of The Real Housewives of New York to be her authentic self, which has brought a new perspective to the show," the network told E! News in a statement on July 22.
Bravo Is ‘Proud’ Of The Direction ‘RHONY’ Has Taken
"We support Eboni in expressing her views, and we are proud that the show is addressing these important and relevant issues," the network’s statement continued.
Because of the serious nature of recent conversations taking place on The Real Housewives of New York City, a number of viewers have chosen to stop watching the series completely. And, because of it, ratings on the series have dropped substantially.
As Page Six revealed earlier this month, one episode of season 13 was an all-time low for the show, garnering just 764,000 viewers.
Eboni K. Williams Reacts To ‘RHONY’ Backlash
During her own interview with E! News, Williams offered a response to the ongoing backlash regarding the storylines of The Real Housewives of New York City.
"I guess my response to that is I can only be my authentic self, right? I decided long ago when I was invited to join this cast and presented with this incredible opportunity to be a part of this legendary franchise, that I would only do it on the term of honoring my own authenticity, and my authenticity is I am a Black woman with significant consciousness of my space in this world and society," she explained.
Eboni K. Williams Looks Back On ‘RHONY’ Casting
"And in addition to me being very aware of that, this network was well aware of that. We had a very dynamic and robust casting process that let them see me from a professional lens, from a personal lens, from a vulnerable lens, and all of those lenses were consistent with who I am, the nature of my life’s work which is the broader humanity of Americans through race and social justice. None of those were secrets," she continued.
Williams went on to say that while everyone is entitled to their own opinions in regard to what they want to see on television, the conversations she’s had with the cast are part of her reality.
Eboni K. Williams Is Refusing To Be Inauthentic
"What they are seeing by way of me introducing conversations that highlight Black excellence, that call out—when required—hostility towards Black American experiences, microaggressions and fragility of whiteness, all of that is just a part of my entirety. There is something that I do, which is bring all of myself to everything that I am, so it would be a disservice and a show of inauthenticity, to limit all that consciousness when it comes to Real Housewives of New York," she added.
To see more of Williams and the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City, don’t miss new episodes of season 13 on Tuesdays nights at 9/8c on Bravo.
