There’s a new housewife in town and she comes in the form of Julianne “Jules” Wainstein. The youngest and latest addition to the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City is married with two children, making her the only real housewife among the NYC ladies, who are either single, dating or engaged. But before she makes her debut on the Bravo series, here are eight things to know about Jules.
[WATCH] The Real Housewives of New York City Season 8 Premiere Date Announced with Dramatic New Footage>>>
She Loves the Spotlight
Not everyone would embrace the messy world of the Real Housewives but Jules jumped at the chance to become a reality TV star because she enjoys being in the limelight. “I love attention,” Jules admitted to the NY Post. “Imagine having your hair and makeup professionally done all the time, and then people, like, staring at you through a lens. It’s fun.”
She is Friends with Dorinda Medley
Jules met Dorinda five years ago and was the one who paved the way for her casting on RHONYC. “She called me up one day, and she was like, ‘Would you be interested in being a Housewife?’ For me, it was kind of perfect timing,” Jules revealed to the Post. “I kind of get high off of taking risks. So I couldn’t say no.”
She Attended Fashion School
Jules studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where costar Ramona Singer also attended. With a degree in fashion merchandising and women’s wear, she later worked as an assistant buyer and designer at a boutique fashion company in SoHo.
She’s Japanese and Jewish
If you’ve already seen the season 8 trailer, then you’re already aware of Jules’ heritage, which she repeatedly talks about.
“We’re kind of modern Orthodox,” said Jules, who describes herself “half-Japanese, half-Brooklynese” since her father is Jewish and her mother is Japanese.
“We are very traditional,” she said of weekly Shabbat celebrations. “Even if we don’t have challah wherever we are, we always have a hot dog bun or cracker. Or if we don’t have Manischewitz, we’ll use Gatorade. Whatever works, we make it happen. It’s all about just having the family together.”
She Loves Throwing Parties
By profession, Jules is also an event planner. Aside from managing events for the Women’s International Zionist Organization, a non-party international movement that raises money for schools and programs for women and the elderly in Israel, she also enjoys throwing parties for her family.
“We had Brazilian dancers, Cirque du Soleil performers, a Brazilian band, stilt walkers, magicians, a candy bar, photo booths and monkeys,” said Jules of her daughter’s second birthday Brazilian Carnival-themed extravaganza.
She Aims to Put Her Family First
Jules have a lot of things on her plate, including three homes (one Manhattan, one in Water Mill, New York, and one in Miami) but she claims to prioritize her family, which consists of venture capitalist husband Michael Wainstein, three-year-old daughter Rio and five-year-old son Jagger.
She Says Being on RHONYC is Like a Dream
Jules considers herself lucky because she never expected to star on a reality series. “My whole life, everyone said, ‘You need your own reality show.’ But I never thought it would actually happen,” she said. “It’s still like a dream.”
She Has Strong Opinions of Her Costars
Jules may be new but she’s not afraid to share what she thinks of her RHONYC costars. “She has a strong personality . . . so you expect it,” Jules said of Bethenny Frankel, adding that they had their moments. The 35-year-old, who never wore the same outfit twice while filming, also described LuAnn de Lesseps the show’s biggest diva while Ramona is the biggest flirt.
The Real Housewives of New York City season 8 premieres Wednesday April, 6 at 9pm on Bravo.
(Image courtesy of Bravo)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
