The Real Housewives of Horror: The Surprising Connection Between Bravo and Horror
Drew Tinnin
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From B-movie schlock to bona fide horror classics, you may be surprised to learn of horror’s connection to the iconic Bravo franchise The Real Housewives. Sadly, the reboot of The Real Housewives of New York that’s set to premiere a little later this summer doesn’t feature any horror alumni. That’s all fine and well, because the OG cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) has a bevy of former actresses that got their start in the business after appearing in all kinds of genre fare.
The publicity push behind Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends reminded fans that RHOBH cast member Kyle Richards had also popped up in the original Halloween as Lindsey Wallace. But Richards isn’t the only one that’s made their mark on the world of horror over the years. Let’s take a look at the contributions from the rest of the cast, starting with a Bravo fan favorite that won’t be returning next season.
Lisa Rinna
Lisa Rinna has become a reality TV staple over the last eight seasons of Bravo’s RHOBH. She was always quick to defend her friends (unless your name is Denise Richards), slam a glass of Pinot Grigio, and get a little out of control on a weekend girl’s trip. Before her reinvention on Real Housewives, Rinna went full-on cyberpunk in Full Moon’s Robot Wars. Directed by Albert Band (Ghoulies II, Robot Wars) and written by Charles Band, the post-apocalyptic sci-fi actioner also starred Barbara Crampton as archaeologist Dr. Leda Fanning who teams up with a journalist named Annie (played by Rinna) to stop “mech hijackers” from starting a world war.
In the late ’80s, Rinna appeared opposite Oliver Reed (The Devils, Burnt Offerings) and Robert Vaughn (Buried Alive) in Blood Ransom a.k.a. Captive Rage. Along with her husband Harry Hamlin, Rinna played herself in Adam Rifkin’s Director’s Cut starring Penn Jillette and Lin Shaye in 2016. The Dread Presents title connected Rinna to the horror family here at Dread Central, as well. Rinna is exiting Real Housewives and won’t appear in the upcoming season. As she told ES magazine, “What more could I have done, besides generate more memes?”
Garcelle Beauvais
Garcelle has always been the voice of reason on RHOBH, and has always somehow managed to stay in the stands when every other cast member is brawling in the ring. In 2007, she played Agent Bascome in I Know Who Killed Me starring Lindsay Lohan. The story centers around Lohan’s character, Aubrey, who claims to be someone else after escaping the clutches of a sadistic serial killer.
Also featuring The Nun‘s Bonnie Aarons, I Know Who Killed Me sounds like the kind of Lifetime melodrama that should feature someone from Real Housewives. There’s definitely some fan overlap there. The same year, Garcelle also starred in a TV movie called The Cure about a group of medical activists who go to great lengths to get health care to those that need it the most. (I’m sensing some Flatliners vibes here.)
As a young actor, Garcelle also has a quick cameo in Michael Mann’s Manhunter. The first film to feature Hannibal Lecter (Brian Cox) and the Red Dragon (Tom Noonan), Garcelle became a part of horror history in one of her first appearances. She was also seen in the short-lived television series Grimm and lastly, the recent cyber bully thriller Caught in His Web. See if you can spot her the next time you watch Manhunter.
Eileen Davidson
Eileen Davidson was only an RHOBH cast member from season 5 to season 7, but she has some serious horror cred. Davidson starred as Vicki in The House on Sorority Row, one of the original prank-gone-wrong slashers of the early ’80s. Davidson even posted about the role on Instagram during Women in Horror Month in an effort to one-up Kyle Richards.
Most recently, Davidson also starred in Hell and Mr. Fudge and the killer landlord thriller The Guest House. Remarkably, she also appeared in the female biker gang drive-in movie Easy Wheels written by none other than Sam and Ted Raimi.
Denise Richards
Without a doubt, Denise Richards is only second to Kyle Richards when it comes to her horror resumé. She may even come out on top, in fact, thanks to the R-rated “Gore Cut” of Tammy and the T-Rex. Richards is really the only RHOBH cast member, current or former, to still be acting on a regular basis. The newly released Wickensburg looks like it’s full of family-friendly scares and the upcoming The Housekeeper looks like a hokey version of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. Richards can also be seen in 2017’s American Satan, a film that boasts the tagline: “Rock and Roll is Where God and the Devil Shake Hands.” Count me in! I also remember reviewing The Toybox, a fairly disappointing riff on The Hills Have Eyes starring Richards and Mischa Barton.
And who can forget her role in Scary Movie 3 with then-husband Charlie Sheen? Still, it’s probably her roles in Valentine and Drop Dead Gorgeous that have truly made her a staple in the horror genre. 2021’s Killer Cheer Mom would be a great double feature with either of those if you’re looking for a marathon.
Kyle Richards
If anyone can best Denise Richards, it’s Kyle Richards. The RHOBH star spent her childhood screaming her way through Tobe Hooper’s Eaten Alive and John Carpenter’s Halloween. Then, she appeared opposite Bette Davis in one of Disney’s first forays into horror with the decidedly ominous Watcher in the Woods. Those three classics would have been enough to solidify herself as one of the most memorable child actors in the genre space.
For some horror fans, 1977’s The Car, featuring Kyle and her sister Kim Richards and starring James Brolin, has become just as famous as Stephen King’s Christine. The devil takes over a jet-black Lincoln Continental Mark III to wreak havoc and run over anything in its path. Over time, The Car has gained more and more acclaim. I remember going to a repertory screening where people drove from hundreds of miles away just to see The Car on the big screen in 35 mm. Kyle and Kim also appeared together in Escape to Witch Mountain just a couple of years prior. Aside from 1989’s Curfew, the middling thriller Escape, and the TV movie Deadly Sibling Rivalry, Kyle Richards stayed out of the spotlight. Until, of course, she reprised her role as one of the few survivors of the original Haddonfield massacre in Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends.
The Sharknado Connection
Syfy’s Sharknado franchise has taken full advantage of the popularity of reality stars on Real Housewives over the years. Eileen Davidson was featured in The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore cameoed in Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens, and Kyle’s sister Kim Richards was in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!
Who do you think takes the top spot in horror history out of the Real Housewives cast? Did we miss any other entries on this list? Let us know over on Twitter at @DreadCentral.
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