Once a peach, always a peach! The Real Housewives of Atlanta has said goodbye to a few cast members since its Bravo debut in 2008 — but there’s always a chance they could return.
For instance, original RHOA star NeNe Leakes left the show in season 7 before rejoining the cast in 2018. “It’s been a long process but we’ve finally reached an agreement! All hail the Queen for season 10 of #RHOA @bravotv #thethreatisback,” she announced via Twitter one year earlier.
After two seasons, the New Normal alum went on to leave the show again in 2019, telling fans in a YouTube video that “it was not an easy decision [but] I do know that the decision I have made was the right decision for me at this time in my life.“
In the clip, NeNe explained that she had “been on an extremely, extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation. There has been a lot of emotion flying on both sides,” she said. “I’m just so happy that I can say that I was a part of a genre that opened doors for Black ensemble reality shows.”
Despite all of the drama over the years, NeNe has hinted that she’s open to coming back to the hit reality series in the future. Perhaps, the third time’s the charm? “I’m OK with returning to the show as long as we can work through a few things,” she told The Real in November 2021.
Meanwhile, there are other cast members who have decided that one season was enough for them — including Kim Fields.
After joining the Bravo series in 2015 for season 8, the former child star decided it was best to not overstay her welcome. “At the beginning of the season, what did my mama say? ‘Get in and get out,’” she said during a 2016 episode of The Rickey Smiley Morning Show. “Listen to your mama.”
Still, Kim doesn’t regret her decision to appear on the show. “It was for the experience,” she told radio host Rickey Smiley. “It was to be able to do a genre that I’d been asked to do before and finding a way to do it that made sense for my team and for the family.”
Phaedra Parks’ exit from RHOA in 2017 after three seasons was a bit more controversial than Kim’s — but she looks back fondly on those times as well.
“I’m always happy for those years I spent [on the show],” she told Us in 2020. “But everybody has to grow.”
Keep scrolling to find out where the former stars of the Real Housewives of Atlanta are now:
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Former ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ Stars: Where Are They Now?
Once a peach, always a peach! The Real Housewives of Atlanta has said goodbye to a few cast members since its Bravo debut in 2008 — but there’s always a chance they could return.
For instance, original RHOA star NeNe Leakes left the show in season 7 before rejoining the cast in 2018. “It’s been a long process but we’ve finally reached an agreement! All hail the Queen for season 10 of #RHOA @bravotv #thethreatisback,” she announced via Twitter one year earlier.
After two seasons, the New Normal alum went on to leave the show again in 2019, telling fans in a YouTube video that “it was not an easy decision [but] I do know that the decision I have made was the right decision for me at this time in my life.“
In the clip, NeNe explained that she had “been on an extremely, extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation. There has been a lot of emotion flying on both sides,” she said. “I’m just so happy that I can say that I was a part of a genre that opened doors for Black ensemble reality shows.”
Despite all of the drama over the years, NeNe has hinted that she’s open to coming back to the hit reality series in the future. Perhaps, the third time’s the charm? “I’m OK with returning to the show as long as we can work through a few things,” she told The Real in November 2021.
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Meanwhile, there are other cast members who have decided that one season was enough for them — including Kim Fields.
After joining the Bravo series in 2015 for season 8, the former child star decided it was best to not overstay her welcome. “At the beginning of the season, what did my mama say? ‘Get in and get out,’” she said during a 2016 episode of The Rickey Smiley Morning Show. “Listen to your mama.”
Still, Kim doesn’t regret her decision to appear on the show. “It was for the experience,” she told radio host Rickey Smiley. “It was to be able to do a genre that I’d been asked to do before and finding a way to do it that made sense for my team and for the family.”
Phaedra Parks’ exit from RHOA in 2017 after three seasons was a bit more controversial than Kim’s — but she looks back fondly on those times as well.
“I’m always happy for those years I spent [on the show],” she told Us in 2020. “But everybody has to grow.”
Keep scrolling to find out where the former stars of the Real Housewives of Atlanta are now:
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Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Getty Images; Prince Williams/FilmMagic
Lisa Wu
Lisa was a full-time cast member on RHOA for the first two seasons from 2008 to 2009. She appeared on the series as a guest in season 3, and made additional cameos in seasons 9 and 10. The former backup dancer has focused on her acting career since leaving the RHOA, landing roles in films such as The Internship, London Mitchell’s Christmas and Pinch. Lisa also starred in TV One’s reality series Hollywood Divas for three seasons. Lisa’s personal life has also changed since she exited the series. She filed for divorce from her husband of five years, Ed Hartwell, with whom she shares one son, in August 2011. Fans will also remember Wu also shares two sons, Jordan and Justin, with her first husband, singer Keith Sweat.
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Phaedra Parks
Phaedra exited RHOA after six seasons in 2017 after she admitted at the season 9 reunion that she lied about Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker’s alleged plan to date rape Porsha Williams. Since her dramatic departure, the attorney signed on with Wilhelmina Models and frequently shares photos of her two sons, Ayden and Dylan, with ex-husband Apollo Nida.
In October 2021, she exclusively told Us that she will “never” let her kids watch RHOA. “That’s not child-appropriate,” she said. “I don’t think it was created for children and so I don’t know if any responsible parent allows their child to watch those types of shows.”
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Kim Fields
The Facts of Life alum joined the Bravo series for season 8 in 2015 and did not return for a second season. Shortly after her exit, she competed on season 22 of Dancing With the Stars with professional dancer Sasha Farber. She was sent home during a double elimination and finished in eighth place. Kim also starred in the TV movie Wrapped Up in Christmas and the Netflix series The Upshaws. She released a book titled Bless Life: My Surprising Journey of Joy, Tears and Tales from Harlem to Hollywood in 2017. She continues to direct TV shows including Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan and Raven’s Home.
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DeShawn Snow
A one-season wonder! DeShawn was one of the OG Real Housewives of Atlanta, starring on season 1 in 2008. She left the series after one season and has never returned. However, the drama did not stop after she left reality TV. She got divorced from her husband, Eric Snow, with whom she shares three sons, after 12 years of marriage in 2010. She launched a career as a children’s chapter book author in 2012.
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Claudia Jordan
The actress and model was added to RHOA as a full-time cast member for season 7 in 2014. While she did not return as a series regular for season 8, she did made a guest appearance that season. Since her exit, Claudia starred on TV One’s reality series The Next: 15, which followed former reality TV personalities. She also competed on an episode of Chopped and appeared in multiple TV movies, including Sharknado 5: Global Swarming, along with the 2020 documentary, Trump vs. Hollywood. Since 2019, she has hosted her own talk show, Out Loud With Claudia Jordan, for the Fox Soul streaming network.
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NeNe Leakes
The OG cast member first exited the series in season 7 before returning for season 10 in 2018. Two years later, NeNe once again announced her departure from the show. “I have made the hard and very difficult decision to not be a part of Real Housewives of Atlanta season 13,” she said on her YouTube channel in September 2020. “It wasn’t an easy decision for me.”
That same month, the former Dancing With the Stars contestant claimed that Bravo “forced” her “out of the franchise.” However, the Glee alum teased in November 2021 that she had some “unfinished business” with the reality series and was “OK with returning to the show as long as we can work through a few things,” she told The Real at the time. “I’d be happy to return.”
NeNe’s husband of nearly 20 years, Gregg Leakes, died in September 2021 at age 66 following his battle with colon cancer. A month later, she reunited with her former RHOA costars, including Lisa, Phaedra, Marlo Hampton, Porsha Williams and Eva Marcille, at Gregg’s celebration of life ceremony. Following the loss of her husband, she let fans know that she wasn’t interested in jumping back into the dating scene just yet. “I’m just over here doing me right now,” she wrote via Instagram in October 2021.
In October 2022, NeNe’s youngest son, Brentt, was sent to the hospital after he suffered from a heart attack and stroke.
“Two weeks ago today, Brentt had congestive heart failure and a stroke,” she said in an Instagram Story video at the time. “He’s only 23. He’s really young for something like that to happen to him. … They have run a number of tests on him. We are still trying to figure out [the cause]. It was very scary. I don’t even want to go into details of what happened. Obviously, a stroke is a very serious thing.”
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Cynthia Bailey
The former model announced her exit from RHOA in September 2021 after 11 years on the series. “After much thought and consideration, I have made the very difficult and heartfelt decision not to return for the next season of Real Housewives of Atlanta. Thank you NBC Universal, Bravo, and Truly Original for over a decade of partnership. I can’t wait to see what we do next,” the reality star wrote via Instagram at the time. “Thank you to my Real Housewives of Atlanta castmates for eleven of the most unbelievable years of my life; and the most incredible & UNFORGETTABLE memories!”
In October 2022, the Bailey’s Wine Cellar founder announced she and Mike Hill were separating after two years of marriage.
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Porsha Williams
The Georgia native, who shares daughter Pilar with Dennis McKinley, announced her departure from the Bravo franchise in September 2021. “After ten life-changing, gratifying, incredible years, it is finally time to begin my next chapter. Next season, I will not be returning to the Real Housewives of Atlanta franchise,” the TV personality shared via Instagram at the time. “This was a difficult decision to not only make, but also come to terms with. It’s one I have put a lot of thought into and because of that, I know it’s the right one.”
In November 2022, the Pursuit of Porsha author tied the knot with Simon Guobadia — who was previously married to RHOA’s Falynn Guobadia — after being engaged for more than a year.
