‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’: Before They Were Housewives (PHOTOS)
Denise Richards
Richards may not have to compete for the spotlight now, but before she became a Real Housewife, she was competing for a crown in the film Drop Dead Gorgeous, in addition to her roles in movies like Wild Things and as a Bond girl in The World Is Not Enough.
Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave
As one of the newest members of the group, Teddi is no stranger to hurdles. The fitness influencer and accountability coach — and the daughter of John Mellencamp — competed as an equestrian in her childhood.
Lisa Vanderpump
She may be head-over-heels in love with her husband Ken, but in 1993, Lisa Vanderpump’s character Coleen Osgood didn’t give an eff after her wealthy husband was murdered in an episode of sexy crime drama Silk Stalkings. Soon after, she was frolicking in the pool with a hot man…and no Giggy in sight!
Dorit Kemsley
Boy George’s BFF and housemate used to live in the Big Apple where she launched her own line of swimwear, titled (what else?) Dorit. You could say she started from the bottom (swimwear ones) and has worked her way up to the Bravo hit series.
Lisa Rinna
Before she was living large with actor/husband Harry Hamlin in Beverly Hills, Lisa Rinna had a number of small screen roles on shows like Melrose Place and various soaps. Above you can see when she guest starred in a 1991 episode of Baywatch. While she didn’t don the famous red one-piece swimsuit, Rinna’s character Kelly did get to go on a date with Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff)!
Erika Girardi/Erika Jayne
The term “low ball” is not one usually associated with Erika Girardi’s luxe lifestyle, but in 1996 she showcased her acting (and crying) skills as Kate, a struggling single mother in the movie Lowball. These days, she struts her stuff singing and dancing as alter ego Erika Jayne.
Kyle Richards
She went from calico dresses to couture in the span of thirty years! A very young Kyle Richards played Alicia Sanderson Edwards in Little House on the Prairie. Poor Kyle’s character suffered when her mom, dad, and puppy all died. These days, Kyle’s suffering comes from diva drama!
Eileen Davidson
Her career as a soap star is common knowledge, but did you know Eileen Davidson also starred in a slasher movie? She appeared as queen-bee, accidental-murderer Vicki in the 1983 film, The House on Sorority Row, who (fatally) regrets a prank-gone-wrong.
Eden Sassoon
Eden Sassoon played with fire when she got caught in the middle of the ongoing Kim Richards and Lisa Rinna feud. In 1996 though, she played Michelle in the movie Mind Games. Former nemesis Kim Richards might agree the title was fitting.
Kim Richards
The former RHOBH star, and sister of Kyle Richards, Kim Richards probably wished she could escape some of the craziness (or crazies) in past RHOBH episodes. In 1975, she did escape from an evil millionaire as psychic orphan Tia Malone (here with co-star Ike Eisenman) in Disney film hit Escape to Witch Mountain.
You’re used to seeing the claws come out every week on Bravo’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but it wasn’t always caviar and stilettos for these ultra-glam women.
Before the diamonds, mansions, and designer handbags, the world’s most famous housewives past and present — Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Kim Richards, Lisa Rinna, Dorit Kemsley, Eden Sassoon, Erika Girardi, Denise Richards, Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, and Eileen Davidson — some were bitten by the acting bug and appeared in various TV shows and movies.
One housewife was even a fashion designer! Can you guess who?
Click through the gallery above to see your favorite housewives as a murderous sorority girl, a non-grieving widow, a psychic orphan, and more!
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Tuesdays, 9/8c, Bravo
