Crystal Kung Minkoff made history as the first Asian American cast member on 'RHOBH.'
After three seasons, Crystal Kung Minkoff has announced her departure from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The 41-year-old reality star and entrepreneur shared the news in a video posted to Instagram on Monday.
"I just wanted to share the news that I will not be coming back to film season 14 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. It's very bittersweet," Minkoff shared. "Never did I think I would’ve been asked to do this show in a million years -- let alone film it for three seasons."
Minkoff made history on the show as the first Asian American cast member on RHOBH, which she acknowledged carried significant weight. "Every single year I was asked back, it was a blessing. It was an honor. Being the first Asian American on Beverly Hills was a lot of weight on my shoulders that I have since just really understood the magnitude of what that means for people," she continued.
Minkoff joined RHOBH in season 11, which aired in 2021. She quickly became known for her memorable interactions and conflicts with her castmates, including a noted feud with Sutton Stracke over Minkoff’s "ugly leather pants."
Minkoff’s departure follows the exit of Annemarie Wiley, who also announced she would not be returning for the show's upcoming 14th season. Wiley expressed her disappointment on social media, noting that she had not auditioned for the show and was brought on unexpectedly.
"I'm disappointed is an understatement," Wiley said of not returning to the reality show after season 13. "I never auditioned for this show. The show found me and asked me to be on it out of the blue 6 weeks after the cast had already started filming. I was thrown into filming two weeks later, mid-season."
Despite her excitement about the opportunity, Wiley regretted not being able to showcase her true self and life story on the show.
During her brief stint on RHOBH, Wiley's major storyline revolved around questioning Stracke regarding her esophagus, which became a notable moment among fans. However, Wiley emphasized that there was much more to her life and identity that viewers didn't get to see.
As season 14 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills prepares for production, Bravo has yet to confirm the returning cast members. However, familiar faces such as Kyle Richards, Erika Jayne, Garcelle Beauvais, Dorit Kemsley and Stracke are expected to return.
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