New ‘RHONY’ Cast Member Jessel Taank on Being the Show’s Villain: ‘Things I Find Funny and Dry, People Don’t’
variety.comJazz Tangcay Artisans Editor SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers for Episode 7 of “The Real Housewives of New York City” Season 14 now streaming on Peacock TV and airing on Bravo TV. Jessel Taank of “The Real Housewives of New York City” is calmly waiting in the reception area of PMC’s New York headquarters Accompanying her is her mother, Nilam, who is visiting from London, and Taank’s patience stands in contrast to how the internet has painted her.
Through seven episodes of the new season, among the show’s ardent fandom, she’s the “Real Housewives” cast member audiences love to hate, and has been called both “entitled” and a “princess.” Dressed in an oversized, immaculately crisp white button-down that doubles as a dress by Jill Sander, daringly, Taank sips a hot coffee. “You can’t see the makeup on the collar,” she says.
For much of this rebooted season, in which Bravo introduced a brand-new cast to “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Taank has been the show’s villain.
She has been called “spoiled” for her reaction to Jenna Lyons’ giving her (and the other members of the cast) a lingerie set that in her view made Taank look, as she complained on camera, “like a Christmas tree.” Erin Lichy called her a “lunatic” on camera after their coffee date — an attempt to reconcile — ended with them more at odds than ever.
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