Julia Lemigova will join the season 4 cast of “Real Housewives of Miami” as the first openly lesbian cast member. She is the wife of former tennis player Martina Navratilova, which is often laded as the greatest tennis player of all time.
Her involvement in production was announced on October 29th, with fellow newcomers, Guerdy Abraira, and Dr. Nicole Martin, by Peacock, where the new season is being hosted.
The former Miss USSR, 1990 pageant winner is not the first LGBTQ wife of the series, but she is the first to be out before the premiere of the series. The LGBTQ+ housewives can mainly be found in the Orange County branch of the housewives series.
Former "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Braunwyn Windham-Burke came out in an exclusive interview with GLAAD, as well as "Orange County star, Elizabeth Lyn Vargas who came out as bisexual earlier in 2021. Fellow new cast member for the Orange County season, Noella Bergener, was the first bisexual black woman on the "Orange County" series.
The season trailer was released on December 1st, showing the two evading tear-filled drama, and sharing a kiss.
While the "housewives" series has had its allegations of homophobia, this addition to the newest installment after an eight year hiatus seems to be a turning point for the series.
"Real Housewives of Miami" is set to premiere on Peacock on December 16th.