Inside Bravo’s Rhode Island Casting: Cannabis Queen & Pageant Star Revealed

At Christmastime rumors began circulating online that the Real Housewives franchise would be coming to Rhode Island.

Five months later, Bravo and Andy Cohen confirmed those rumors saying a summer taping of the series would be filmed in the Ocean State with a brand new cast of Rhode Islanders.

Now film crews have been spotted in several Rhode Island cities and the first confirmed cast members have been revealed.

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It was mid-May when internet sleuths began leaking the names and faces of women believed to be part of this new Real Housewives series. Other names, like several sisters-in-law from the Tasca family, have been tossed around as well but the original eight women shared by fan sites seem to be the most spot on.

Now with film crews seen in Providence, Warwick and East Greenwich at least two of those eight women have basically been confirmed in the cast.

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Though Bravo has yet to make any official announcements, scenes filmed at a few East Greenwich restaurants over the last few weeks have us pretty certain both Elizabeth McGraw and Kelsey Swanson will be in the show.

Who Is Kelsey Swanson?

Swanson is a former Miss Rhode Island from Cranston. Much like Olivia Culpo before her, Swanson turned her pageant win into a brief modeling career. Now she seems to feel more comfortable behind the lens, becoming a freelance photographer specializing in travel photography.

It also doesn't appear that Swanson is married, but throughout the seasons not all Real Housewives were actually wives.

Who Is Elizabeth McGraw?

McGraw, however, is actually married. The wife of Gerald McGraw, Elizabeth was called "The Cannabis Queen of Rhode Island" on a Real Housewives fan site.

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A post shared by Elizabeth Joseph Mcgraw (@elizabethjosephmcgraw)

That's because Gerald McGraw is President and CEO of the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center, one of the largest medicinal and recreational cannabis centers in Rhode Island. The company sells millions of dollars worth of marijuana each year and Elizabeth has a role in running the business.

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News outlet GoLocalProv.com also claims she and her husband have ties to illicit drug operations, even connecting them to La Cosa Nostra.

Whatever her Sicilian mafia ties may be, she will clearly become a cast member people are talking about when the Real Housewives of Rhode Island premieres on Bravo. We'd even be happy just talking about her Cranston home's pool.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Elizabeth Joseph Mcgraw (@elizabethjosephmcgraw)

Filming Hotspots in Rhode Island

For now plenty of filming is happening in the Ocean State. Crews have already been spotted at several popular East Greenwich restaurants, on the beach at Goddard Park in Warwick and on Wickenden Street in Fox Point Providence.