Friends of the 'Real Housewives' Contribute to the Series and Get Paid Accordingly

Opulence is a word often associated with the women who join The Real Housewives universe. Bravo fans love watching these rich women live their outrageous lives. They have cemented themselves in the pop culture zeitgeist and have reached similar statuses to that of most A-list celebrities. The series has become a titan in viewership regardless of the specific franchise. Both the housewives and everyone associated with them become stars, including their official friends.

What does it mean to be an official friend of a housewife? The official friends are technically members of the cast. It's a secondary role. Some could say it's an audition role, as many friends often are promoted to become full-time housewives. Being a friend of the housewives is different from being a guest on the series, as they play more of a role in the active storylines on the show. With that in mind, how much do the friends on The Real Housewives get paid?

The starting rate for most of the Bravo series' main cast members is reportedly $5,000 per episode. These rates grow as the series' popularity grows and the series' stars continue to rise. This $5,000 starting rate applies to the main cast members. Official friends of the housewives also get paid per episode with most sources reporting that the starting rate per episode is $1,000. It makes sense that they get paid since they contribute to the drama.

There are roughly 30 housewives who have been a friend at one point or another. The ones who appear as friends first are often promoted to full-time when a space opens up. This has been seen in recent years on several franchises, like RHOSLC with Angie Katsanevas, and even more recently with Keiarna Stewart, who joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Potomac as a friend of Wendy Osefo. However, according to TV Deets, Keiarna was bumped up after Candace Dillard-Bassett and Robyn Dixon left.

There are a multitude of reasons why a housewife would go from their full-time position to a friend role. Most of the time, it happens simply because the housewife needs a break from the filming schedule or they're simply too busy to stay in on a full-time capacity. Downgrading to a friend role allows them to still be a cast member of the show without the contractual obligations that a full-time housewife has. There are other reasons a housewife can become just a friend.

There has been a lot of gossip recently due to the consistent shifts and changes happening around the various franchise casts. Several housewives have either left or been fired from the different franchises. The most recent rumors surrounding Dorit Kemsley of RHOBH suggest that if she doesn't disclose what's really going on in her marriage to PK, she'll be downgraded from a housewife to a friend. It's a smart move, if true, as viewers of housewives hate when the truth is hidden.