‘RHONJ’s’ Rachel Fuda Addresses Her Season 14 Fallout With Jennifer Fessler (EXCLUSIVE)
Rachel told us that the drama with Jennifer started “for a very good reason.”
Published May 1 2024, 5:42 p.m. ET
Another season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey returns on May 5, 2024. Rachel Fuda is among the eight returning cast members (cast shakeup, where?) for Season 14. During her time with the ladies, Rachel developed friendships with several cast members, including "Messy Fessy," aka "friend of" RHONJ, Jennifer Fessler.
Unfortunately, the season will show the possible ending of Rachel and Jennifer’s budding bond.
In an exclusive interview with Distractify, Rachel discussed handing over one feud for another with her close friend and gave insight into how she and Jennifer’s issues began.
Rachel Fuda said she and Jennifer Fessler fell out on ‘RHONJ’ Season 14 “for a very good reason.”
While Rachel and Jennifer have been asked about other feuds happening within New Jersey (you know, that one between those sisters-in-law?), their friendship was one fans initially didn’t need to worry about. They ended Season 13 closer than ever, and Rachel shared on her Instagram that she helped organize her “bestie’s” 55th birthday party in August 2023.
Although Season 14 is set to start out well for them, the good times seemingly won’t last.
In a clip from the RHONJ sneak peek, Rachel cries as she sits across from Jennifer. As a scene of them dancing and smiling together plays, Rachel tells Jennifer, “I feel like I’m mourning what our friendship used to be.”
Jennifer replied to Rachel by telling her friend, “I don’t understand what you’re so upset about, Rach.”
Although Rachel couldn’t tell us everything about what led to her and Jennifer’s emotional scene, she said her reaction to Jen’s actions was for a “very good reason,” though she admitted it wasn’t fun falling out with her friend.
“It's really, really hard. It's really hard,” Rachel told Distractify of her and Jennifer’s fallout. “Friendships change, and they go through different storms.”
The mother of three also said that the “rough patch” was something she felt she and Jennifer could come back from.
“We just had a rough patch, and you guys will see it,” Rachel added. “I don't think I'm being unreasonable. I think it's for a very good reason.”
Jennifer Fessler’s friendship with Teresa Giudice possibly affected her and Rachel’s friendship.
Fans will have to wait and see how (or if) Jennifer and Rachel get back on track. According to the Season 14 trailer, Jennifer’s budding friendship with RHONJ OG Teresa Giudice may have had something to do with that.
While Rachel didn’t mention Teresa's role in her and Jennifer's conflict in Season 14, she confirmed that their relationship has remained unchanged since the previous season.
Rachel and her husband, John Fuda, accused Teresa’s husband, Luis “Louie” Ruelas, of collecting information on John through his friend and private investigator, Bo Dietl.
The drama escalated off-season after John called Teresa a “has-been” at BravoCon 2023 and on the show.
Rachel told us she “100 percent” believed the drama with Teresa would’ve never happened had she not been Melissa’s friend, despite her telling Distractify in February 2023 that she wasn’t choosing sides.
“I believe that to be true, and I've said that since day one of filming,” she said.
Catch new episodes of The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST.