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Caroline Manzo is suing Bravo and the producers of “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip” over an alleged incident of sexual harassment by her co-star Brandi Glanville.
The former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court on Friday alleging that Glanville, the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” breakout, sexually assaulted and harassed Manzo while she was filming an upcoming season of “Ultimate Girls Trip” in Morocco in January 2023, according to a legal document obtained by USA TODAY.
Manzo accuses the show’s producers of hiring Glanville as a cast member despite “overwhelming prior notice of Ms. Glanville’s prior deviant sexual inclinations and sexually harassing conduct.”
In addition to Bravo, defendants named in the lawsuit include Warner Bros. Entertainment and NBCUniversal Media. USA TODAY has contacted representatives of the companies for comment.
In a statement provided to USA TODAY on Friday, Manzo’s attorney, Derek Smith, said: “We believe this case is about networks selfishly sacrificing the well-being of their talent for ratings and profits. Brandi Glanville stated that he was simply doing what the producers told him.” do.
“Reality TV is causing serious emotional and physical harm to its talent. This must stop. We are outraged by the conduct of Bravo, Peacock and NBC and look forward to a jury deciding the issues. Sexual harassment should never be entertainment!”
What else is alleged in Caroline Manzo’s lawsuit against Bravo?
The lawsuit alleges that Glanville kissed Manzo multiple times without her consent, making the former New Jersey Housewife feel “uncomfortable” while they filmed.
USA Today has contacted Glanville’s manager for comment.
The “Manzo’d with Children” matriarch said that after the initial kissing incident, Granville mounted Manzo on the couch and pinned down her body before forcibly kissing and fucking her. The lawsuit claims that Manzo was sexually assaulted when he was 7 years old, and that Glanville’s alleged sexual assault “caused all of these dormant and horrible memories to immediately resurface.”
“Manzo felt like he was seven again and began reliving his previous sexual assaults in the context of this sexual assault. He was in shock,” the lawsuit states. “The defendants continued to film the plaintiff even though she was distraught over the sexual assaults.”
Manzo’s lawsuit says she spoke to producers about the assaults shortly after the alleged incidents and also received “help” to alleviate her “emotional distress” from her “Girls Trip” co-star Alex McCord, the psychologist she previously starred in. NY”. leaving reality shows. Manzo said the network put the filming ahead of her safety.
“Even though Manzo was so emotionally distraught and even though Manzo asked not to be around Granville, Defendants still wanted Manzo to meet with Granville. Defendants were more focused on the continuation of the show than on Manzo’s health and well-being. . of Manzo after she was sexually assaulted,” the lawsuit says.
Who was on the cast of ‘Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip?’
Manzo was an original cast member and breakout star on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” which she starred in for five seasons before landing a Bravo spinoff about her family, “Manzo’d with Children,” which aired for three seasons. Glanville starred on four seasons of “Beverly Hills” before being fired by Bravo. She later guest-starred for several seasons of the franchise, but never fully returned to the show.
In addition to Glanville, Manzo and McCord, Peacock announced in January 2023 that former “Orange County” Housewives Vicki Gunvalson and Gretchen Rossi, former “Atlanta” Peach Holders Eva Marcille and Phaedra Parks, plus the Glanville’s enemy, Camille Grammer Meyer, would also be part of the cast.
Each season of “Girls Trip” features a cast of former and current Housewives, hand-picked by Bravo executives, who travel to far-flung destinations to engage in fights, drama and intimate conversations about their respective personal lives. The Morocco season has not yet aired.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE & online.rainn.org).
Further:Drama ‘Started Much Earlier Than Expected’: ‘Real Housewives’ Stars Talk Starring ‘Girls Trip’
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
