Teddi takes Eileen Davidson’s spot in the lineup for season eight, and ET learned everything you need to know about the new girl from the cast.
There’s a new ‘Wife in town and her name is Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave.
Teddi joins the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for season eight, starting Tuesday on Bravo. So, who is she? ET got the scoop on the new girl straight from her co-stars at the RHOBH season premiere party at the Doheny Room in Hollywood -- with a little help from superfan Sarah Paulson (check out the video above).
“The new girl, I think you may like her,” Erika Girardi teases. “Young, fresh, opinionated, but you know, you’ll like me better.”
“[She’s] John Mellencamp's daughter,” Lisa Rinna notes, “who is 36, who is a baby. OK, she's a baby, let's face it.”
Yes, Teddi is the youngest cast member and grew up the daughter of a music legend, but she didn’t spend her childhood anywhere near Hollywood. Teddi was born in Indiana, then raised in South Carolina. So, it actually came as a bit of a surprise to her famous dad that she wanted to enter the spotlight.
“He was like, ‘You know, hun? If it's gonna make you happy, do it,’” Teddi shares. “‘But all I can tell you is, be yourself.'”
Teddi is an accomplished equestrian and has been married to her husband, Edwin Arroyave, for six years. The couple shares two children, daughter Slate and son Cruz.
“We've got children the same age, so we connected on that level,” Dorit Kemsley spills. “She's got great banter, she's funny, she's sweet, she's down to earth. Her husband's really lovely.”
While not everyone looks to get along with the newbie -- Erika and Dorit are seen getting into it with her in the season trailer -- the whole cast seemed to have a similar read on their new pal: she doesn’t mess around.
“Teddi's down to earth, she cuts to the chase, there's no bulls**t and she does call some people out,” Lisa Vanderpump teases. “She's got a different flavor, and I think she's a great addition. Not everybody might agree with me, but for Kyle [Richards] and I, we adored her. So, she gets our approval.”
Teddi describes herself as an honest, casual tomboy who likes to have fun and laugh with her friends -- but she’ll never “sugarcoat” anything and hates when people beat around the bush.
“I really enjoyed getting to know her,” Camille Grammer adds. “You know, she's just real. She's salt of the earth … She's an accountability couch, so we have to, you know, the audience has to watch to see if she keeps any of the women accountable for their actions.” In case you’re wondering what exactly an “accountability coach” is, here’s Teddi’s description of the job.
“I help women accomplish their goals through fitness and wellness,” she explains. “I'm in constant communication with them. I help them achieve the goals when they're feeling a little stuck. I, myself, was in that same situation. I've been a weight fluctuator my whole life.”
“I'm not one of those women, like, ‘Oh, I had children and it just fell off! I don't know... I was running after them and now I'm so thin!’” Teddi continues. “No, I worked very hard and I know what it takes, so I'm helping women, empowering them to say, this is what you can do. You don't need to have an expensive trainer. You don't need to pay this food delivery system. You just need to get out and move, and I'll hold you accountable to do it and I'll remind you of that conversation that we had 10 days ago, when you said you wanted to change.”
Teddi replaces departed star Eileen Davidson, who walked away from the series after season seven to focus on her acting career. She’s currently starring on both NBC’s Days of Our Lives and CBS’ The Young & The Restless.
“She was juggling so many shows, honestly, that I totally understood that it was too much,” Kyle says. “It is a lot. You know, I'm shooting the Housewives and producing [scripted series] at the same time, and I found myself really being stretched thin. It's a lot. So, you know, that's where Eileen is. We love Eileen, though. We love Eileen.”
“I'm sad about Eileen not being here,” Lisa Rinna laments. “I come in by myself. I'm alone. I have no one. And you know what? I have to put my big girl pants on and flippin' deal with it.”
See how Lisa deals with it -- and get to know Teddi for yourself -- on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, airing every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. For more on the new season, check out the links and video below.
RELATED CONTENT:
