Executive Producer Alex Baskin Says ‘RHOBH’ Season 14 Is ‘Off to a Great Start: It Is ‘Bananas’
Executive producer Alex Baskin "could not be more excited" about the direction season 14 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is headed.
"Beverly Hills is bananas. It is off to a great start," Baskin told The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, May 28. "Obviously, there is a lot going on publicly in their personal lives, but there is a new fresh energy."
Baskin teased how the first few weeks of filming were going, adding, "They were all just on a trip together this weekend and it was all the things. It was bonding and healing and dramatic, and it shifted relationships in ways that aren’t expected."
Bravo confirmed earlier this month that Kyle Richards, Erika Jayne, Garcelle Beauvais, Dorit Kemsley and Sutton Stracke were all returning for season 14. Kathy Hilton and Jennifer Tilly are also set to make appearances as “friends" alongside new cast member Bozoma Saint John.
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"Boz [Saint John] is fearless, so she’s come in and she fits in. She’s very bold," Baskin noted. "And then Kathy [Hilton], obviously, is in her full glory, and is great and fun and wacky, as is Jennifer Tilly."
He concluded: "So there’s a ton of fun. I think it’s really funny, and it’s also raw and real. Just really off to a gangbusters start."
The new additions come after saying goodbye to Crystal Kung Minkoff, who appeared on three seasons, and Annemarie Wiley, who joined during season 13. Baskin remained positive about how RHOBH would be perceived despite the casting changes.
Baskin also weighed in on how Kyle, 55, and Dorit's personal lives would play a major role in season 14. (Us Weekly confirmed in July 2023 that Kyle and estranged husband Mauricio Umansky had separated after two decades of marriage. Dorit, 47, meanwhile, announced her separation from PK Kemsley as cameras picked back up for the current season.)
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"There is a lot of water under the bridge, so I would say they’re figuring out what’s going on with them personally, but they both have very strong feelings," he said in reference to their personal lives and friendship fallout. "They have let each other know what they think out of the gate."
During Tuesday’s interview, Baskin was also asked about how outside conversation about creating fair and safe spaces in the unscripted space prompted changes on Bravo shows.
“Much was made about the new protocols [on NBCUniversal shows]. But the truth is that we’ve taken a really ongoing and progressive view of how we make the shows. So we’ve just continued to just make sure we’re being conscientious and responsible,” he explained. “There’s additional scrutiny, but we’ve continued to evolve as we’ve made the shows over the years anyway, so we’re constantly monitoring the safety, well-being and health of everyone involved.”
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Baskin concluded: “I think that people would be surprised by the level of responsibility that is shown throughout the productions. A lot of the crews and the staffs have been on the shows for many seasons, so there’s an open dialogue with the group who is making the show and the cast in the show to make sure that everyone feels comfortable.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will likely return to Bravo in late 2024 or early 2025.
