RHONJ’s Teresa Giudice Shares How Melissa Showed True Colors, Talks Jennifer and Dolores’ Drama, & Margaret Update

Credit: Bravo

Teresa Giudice opened up about her current estrangement from Melissa Gorga in a new interview, admitting that when it comes to not speaking to her sister-in-law and brother, Joe Gorga, it is better that way.

Ahead of the season 13 premiere of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa teased the “highs” and “lows” of the new episodes before addressing her drama with the Gorgas, Jennifer Aydin‘s season 12 feud with Dolores Catania, and her current relationship with Margaret Josephs.

“This season was an emotional season for me. There was a lot of highs, and of course, a lot of lows,” Teresa began during a February 4 interview with Us Weekly.

In the premiere episode, Melissa and Joe are seen looking back at Teresa’s bridesmaid snub, which Teresa announced on an episode of Watch What Happens Live in March 2022, as Joe points out that Teresa’s decision against including Melissa in her bridal party was a big statement.

“It wasn’t coming from a malicious place. I was just going from my heart, how I feel,” Teresa said of the live declaration. “You put people in your wedding that absolutely adore you, that love you, that stand up for you, that you feel that closest bond with … We’re not close like that.”

According to Teresa, her decision was further solidified when Melissa allowed her close friend to talk trash about Luis Ruelas ahead of their August wedding.

“One of her besties was trashing Luis and she wasn’t doing anything about it … Usually someone that’s close to you, like I know all my best friends, anybody, my hairdresser, my makeup artist, if they heard someone say something negative about Luis, I know they would voice their opinion and say, like, ‘Stop it,’” Teresa shared. “And my own sister-in-law didn’t. It just showed me where she stood with me.”

Teresa also noted that when it came to the Gorgas’ issues with Melissa being snubbed, they didn’t seem to have a problem with it until the cameras began rolling.

“It ended up being a problem then as soon as we started filming. [Because] it wasn’t a problem and then Luis ended up asking my brother to be in the wedding and he was fine with it,” Teresa recalled.

And while Teresa previously blamed Melissa for the drama between them, she confirmed the tables turned amid filming on RHONJ season 13.

“This season I was just blown away by my brother,” she explained. “I would say now it’s like 90 percent my brother. It’s crazy. It really was [hurtful and] devastating. It’s like a feeling that I never want any brother or sister to go through.”

“I didn’t see them for the holidays. We don’t speak and it’s better that way,” she continued.

Despite her ongoing drama with Melissa and Joe, Teresa said she did her best to showcase a more authentic, calmer version of herself in the new season.

“I’ve watched episodes that I’ve been in, like the table flip and what happened with Margaret and I really didn’t like my behavior,” she admitted. “I have four daughters. I don’t want them to behave that way so I wanted to change that about me. Because listen, we live in 2023 now. We can’t get physical anymore. We have to speak with our words and get our point across that way.”

“I’m working on myself to sugarcoat things better,” she added.

As for Jennifer and Dolores’ season 12 feud, Teresa revealed she was involved in their reconciliation.

“I love them both so I definitely helped mend that, talking to Dolores, talking to Jen,” she shared.

And regarding her decision to make amends with Margaret at the start of season 13, Teresa said she did so because she wanted peace — before blaming Margaret for their past drama and confirming they’re no longer on good terms.

“I don’t want any drama and the only reason why we had drama in the first place was because of Margaret. It wasn’t my doing. So it’s like, I just wanted peace. I wanted to invite her to my wedding. Margaret and I started off on a good place and then she came for me,” Teresa confirmed. “Of course, I look like the bad person because of how I reacted after what she did.”

Also during the interview, after noting she’s “always excited for new blood,” Teresa doubled down on her claims of potentially leaving RHONJ in four years for warmer weather.

“Yes! In four years Audriana is going to college. So maybe I’ll join either [RHOC] or [RHOBH] … I like Beverly Hills or Miami. Because I definitely want to go somewhere where it’s warm … I would like to do six months here and six months either California or Miami.”

RHONJ Live Viewing – This is also the live viewing thread for tonight’s premiere episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13. Please share your thoughts below as the episode airs at 9/8c on Bravo.