RHOBHNewcomer Jennifer Tilly Shares How Sutton Stracke Has Shown Her the Ropes: ’Way Harder Than Acting’ (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jennifer Tilly and Sutton Stracke.Photo:Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

Jennifer Tillybelieves being onThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsis “way harder than acting” — but she’s grateful to have series veteranSutton Strackeshowing her “the ropes.”

“I’m so happy I get to spend more time with Sutton because in the last few years, since she’s been onHousewives, now I understand it’s so intensive and I didn’t get to see as much of her as I like,” says Tilly, referring to Stracke’s main cast role since season 11, after starting out as a “friend.”

“She’s great because she’s kind of showing me the ropes because it’s a little intimidating,” Tilly says. “She’s a stellar Housewife. … [She’s] very forthright, like, ‘You need to do this or you need to do that.’ ”

Jennifer Tilly, Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke on Aug. 8, 2024.Leon Bennett/Getty

Leon Bennett/Getty

Stracke, standing beside Tilly, replies: “No, it’s funny because I did Jennifer’s seriesChucky. I never had done anything like that in my life, so that was new for me. Seeing [her] come on with us, I’m like, ‘No, no, no, we don’t cut. We don’t say action because it’s not scripted — you actually just talk.’ ”

Having earned her Academy Awards nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in 1994’sBullets Over Broadway, Tilly now admits reality television is more difficult for her than making movies.

“It’s way harder than acting. You’re actually just kind of making it up as you go along,” she says. Stracke, 52, quips, “You’re real. We’re being real.”

Andy Cohen takes a shot with Sutton Stracke and Jennifer Tilly.Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

WithRHOBH’s 14th season currently still filming, Tilly is wondering how she’ll be portrayed once her scenes are edited and aired.

“It depends on what they want to show, what’s going to make the story,” she said. “When some Housewives were looking really bad on the show, and the fans are throwing mud at them, I had empathy for them because I thought, ‘What they’re doing is spinning a storyline out of thin air.’ ”

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In the interview, Tilly also comparedRHOBHto filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

“I’m pretty sure I was joking when I said it’s like my Scorsese,” Tilly clarifies to PEOPLE. “I was basically saying being onHousewivesis a pinnacle of a dream, as it would be a dream to work with Scorsese. But being a Housewives fan and to be on [RHOBH], which is my favorite franchise, I was basically saying, ‘You don’t understand. It’s my Scorsese.’ ”

Aside from Tilly and Stracke on season 14, the cast includes returning HousewivesKyle Richards,Erika Girardi,Dorit KemsleyandGarcelle Beauvaisas well as new HousewifeBozoma “Boz” Saint John.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hillscan be streamed on Peacock.

source: people.com