Caroline Manzo has filed a lawsuit against Bravo and the producers of “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip” over an alleged incident of sexual harassment by 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, a “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” lead, sexually assaulted and harassed Manzo while filming the upcoming season of “Ultimate Girls Trip” in Morocco. In January 2023, according to a legal filing 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 tendencies and sexually harassing behavior.”
Besides Bravo, defendants named in the lawsuit include Warner Bros. Entertainment and NBCUniversal Media. USA TODAY has reached out to company representatives 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 she was simply doing what the producers told her to do.”
“Reality TV takes a severe emotional and physical toll on its talent. This has to stop. We are outraged by the behavior of Bravo, Peacock and NBC and look forward to a jury deciding these cases. Sexual harassment should never be in entertainment!”
What else is alleged in Caroline Manzo's lawsuit against Bravo?
The lawsuit alleges that Glanville kissed Manzo several times without her consent, which made the former New Jersey Housewife “uncomfortable” during filming.
USA Today has reached out for comment from Glanville's manager.
Manzod with the Children's mother said that after the initial kissing incident, Granville pinned Manzod to the couch and grabbed her body before forcefully kissing and hitting her. The lawsuit states that Manzo was sexually assaulted when he was 7 years old, and that Glanville's alleged sexual assault “made all of these dormant and horrific memories instantly resurface.”
“Manzo again felt like she was 7 years old and began reliving her previous sexual assaults in the context of this sexual assault. She was in a state of shock,” the lawsuit states. “The defendants continued to film the plaintiff throughout even though she was in distress due to the sexual assaults.”
Manzo's lawsuit says she spoke with producers about the assaults shortly after the alleged incidents, and also received “help” to relieve her “emotional distress” from “Girls Trip” co-star Alex McCord, the psychologist who played the title role. Previously in New York before that. Quit reality TV. Manzo said the network put filming at the expense of her safety.
“Despite the fact that Manzo was extremely emotionally disturbed and despite the fact that Manzo requested not to be around Granville, the defendants still wanted Manzo to meet with Granville. The defendants were more focused on the continuation of the show rather than their health and well-being,” the lawsuit says. Judge Manzo after she was sexually assaulted.
Who was in the cast of 'The Real Housewives: The Ultimate Girls Trip?'
Manzo was an original cast member and breakout star of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” which she starred in for five seasons before landing a Bravo series about her family, “Manzo'd with Children,” which aired for three Seasons. Glanville starred in four seasons of “Beverly Hills” before being fired by Bravo. Later, she guest-starred during several seasons of the series 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” housewives Eva Marcil and Phaedra Parks as well as Glanville's friend Camille Grammer-Mayer will also be part of the cast.
Each season of “Girls Trip” features a group of former and current Housewives, hand-picked by Bravo executives, who travel to far-flung destinations to engage in battles, drama and intimate conversations about their personal lives. The Moroccan season has not been broadcast yet.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE& online.rainn.org).
more: Drama 'started a lot sooner than expected': 'Real Housewives' stars dish on 'Girls Trip' star cast
Contributing: Kimmy Robinson, USA TODAY
