Us Weekly’s Reality Stars of the Year (Excl) (2024)

Kyle Richards has been resonating with fans since the beginning of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — and as one of the last remaining OG Housewives of Bravo, she shows no signs of slowing down.

When asked how it feels to be Us Weekly’s reality star of the year, Richards says, “You sort of have mixed feelings because, obviously, I appreciate it, and on the other, it’s like, ‘Things must be really wild and crazy for me to be on the cover.’ I don’t think you get named Reality Star of the Year without going through a lot of S—.”

Some of that “s–” includes her separation from husband Mauricio Umansky, speculation about her sexuality and friendship with country singer Morgan Wade and her sometimes tumultuous relationships with sisters Kathy Hilton and Kim Richards.

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“I’ve been called so many names. People weigh in on arguments on the show even though they don’t know the backstory,” she says. “People have speculated about my marriage and my sexuality. I let most of it go, but sometimes you’re like, ‘Come on. Give me a break.’”

Richards isn’t the only celeb in the reality TV realm to make headlines this year. Scroll through to see Us’ Top 11 Reality Stars of the Year and pick up the Reality Stars of the Year issue on newsstands now.

Credit: Bravo; Getty Images; Peacock

Us Weekly’s Top 11 Reality Stars of the Year: Kyle Richards, Chelsea Lazkani and Leah Kateb

Kyle Richards has been resonating with fans since the beginning of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — and as one of the last remaining OG Housewives of Bravo, she shows no signs of slowing down.When asked how it feels to be Us Weekly’s reality star of the year, Richards says, “You sort of have mixed feelings because, obviously, I appreciate it, and on the other, it’s like, ‘Things must be really wild and crazy for me to be on the cover.’ I don’t think you get named Reality Star of the Year without going through a lot of S—.”Some of that “s–” includes her separation from husband Mauricio Umansky, speculation about her sexuality and friendship with country singer Morgan Wade and her sometimes tumultuous relationships with sisters Kathy Hilton and Kim Richards.“I’ve been called so many names. People weigh in on arguments on the show even though they don’t know the backstory,” she says. “People have speculated about my marriage and my sexuality. I let most of it go, but sometimes you’re like, ‘Come on. Give me a break.’”Richards isn’t the only celeb in the reality TV realm to make headlines this year. Scroll through to see Us’ Top 11 Reality Stars of the Year and pick up the Reality Stars of the Year issue on newsstands now.

Credit: Bravo; Getty Images; Peacock

Us Weekly’s Top 11 Reality Stars of the Year: Kyle Richards, Chelsea Lazkani and Leah Kateb

Kyle Richards has been resonating with fans since the beginning of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — and as one of the last remaining OG Housewives of Bravo, she shows no signs of slowing down.When asked how it feels to be Us Weekly’s reality star of the year, Richards says, “You sort of have mixed feelings because, obviously, I appreciate it, and on the other, it’s like, ‘Things must be really wild and crazy for me to be on the cover.’ I don’t think you get named Reality Star of the Year without going through a lot of S—.”Some of that “s–” includes her separation from husband Mauricio Umansky, speculation about her sexuality and friendship with country singer Morgan Wade and her sometimes tumultuous relationships with sisters Kathy Hilton and Kim Richards.“I’ve been called so many names. People weigh in on arguments on the show even though they don’t know the backstory,” she says. “People have speculated about my marriage and my sexuality. I let most of it go, but sometimes you’re like, ‘Come on. Give me a break.’”Richards isn’t the only celeb in the reality TV realm to make headlines this year. Scroll through to see Us’ Top 11 Reality Stars of the Year and pick up the Reality Stars of the Year issue on newsstands now.

Credit: Disney/Andrew Eccles

Jenn Tran: The Woman in Charge

Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelorette (ABC)

After being named the Bachelor franchise’s first Asian American lead, Tran engineered another first and did the proposing to her final choice, Devin Strader. As we all know, he later changed his mind and ended things over the phone… which, come the finale, made it extra brutal for her to rewatch that blissful scene (and for Us to see her naked emotion). But this Bachelorette scorned inspired America with both her strength and her history-making run. “So many women and men come up to me and say, ‘I went through a broken engagement too,’” the 26-year-old tells Us. “People of color [say], ‘I’ve never seen anyone like you on screen.’... [It] brings it full circle for me.” So what does she tell fans, especially those who’ve dated someone like Strader? “Remember, your gut is telling you something for a reason,” Tran says. “Don’t let anybody manipulate you [or] try to tell you otherwise.” In the aftermath, Strader opted to release their text messages in an attempt to sway public opinion, but Tran dusted herself off and immediately signed on for Dancing With the Stars. “I’m relearning how to smile,” she says. “For me, the best ‘revenge’ is living my best life.”

Who is Jenn’s top reality star? Vanderpump RulesAriana Madix

Credit: Ben Symons/Peacock

Leah Kateb: The Real Deal

Love Island USA (Peacock)

Shot in Fiji, Love Island USA is edited as events are unfolding, meaning Kateb had no idea she was the No. 1 personality on summer’s No. 1 streaming show. “It’s so different from what I thought was going on on the outside,” Kateb, 25, tells Us of the fervent fan response. While she assumed fellow Islander Rob Rausch would win support as that messy relationship unraveled, fans related to Kateb’s attraction to the bad boy, admired her candor and praised her for taking accountability — as when she apologized wholeheartedly for admitting his “crying like a b**ch” gave her “the ick.” Says the ultra-candid Kateb now: “I’m really grateful everyone gave me a lot of grace. It’s cool that it’s more acceptable to show all of those parts instead of, ‘Oh, my gosh, she said one horrible thing, so now she’s a villain.’” By summer’s end, Kateb had two new best friends in Serena Page and JaNa Craig, a boyfriend — she tells Us that Miguel Harichi, whom she connected with on the show post-Rob, is the “only guy” for her — and more than three million Instagram followers. “I am so shocked but also pleasantly surprised,” Kateb says, summing up her Love Island USA visit as “a perfect disaster.” Emphasis on perfect.

Who is Leah’s top reality star? Love Island USA’s Serena Page

Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Lindsay Hubbard: The Bounce-Back Girl

Summer House (Bravo)

She’s been our summer-share companion since 2017, but fun + sun + rosé was not in the cards for Hubbard during Summer House’s raw eighth season, which saw the end of her engagement to Carl Radke.“It was humiliating and very public — one of the toughest moments of my life,” Hubbard, 38, tells Us. But “so many [viewers] looked at that and in their minds, were like, ‘If Lindsay can get through this, pick herself back up and accomplish everything she’s accomplished in this past year, then so can I.’” In July, she announced she is expecting her first child, a girl, with her mystery boyfriend, she's back for season 9 of the Bravo hit and she's got a book on the way. “I can just be me and fully me, which automatically makes me a lot lighter.” In hindsight, she’s thankful things turned out the way they did, saying, “I can use those experiences to help myself be a mother to this beautiful young daughter that I’m about to raise.” She adds: “[It’s] about overcoming the tragedy of it all and not letting myself be a victim, but more so embracing that this is how the universe wanted my life to go.”

Who are Lindsay’s top reality stars? The cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

Credit: Felix Kunze/Bravo

Kristen Doute: The Encore Performer

The Valley (Bravo)

When fans learned Vanderpump Rules alum Doute would be returning to reality TV, let’s face it — they expected more “Crazy Kristen” antics. “There was a possibility that people didn’t want to hear from me or see me become a better version of myself, which was a tough pill to swallow,” she acknowledges. But even doubters saw a surprisingly zen woman in her 40s (barely — she’s 41 now) no longer engaging in drama for the hell of it. “I am such a truth-bomber. What I’m trying to learn to do is lead with a little more curiosity rather than finger-pointing and blaming,” Doute tells Us. In The Valley’s freshman season, “I showed a lot of restraint that viewers probably weren’t expecting.” Of course, the self-proclaimed empath still stirred the pot (albeit in a more composed manner), butting heads with friends and repeating rumors that caused rifts in their San Fernando Valley clique. And when a castmate weaponized one of her worst moments (she was fired from VPR after being accused of racially insensitive behavior), the honest-at-all-costs Doute faced it head-on. After years spent feeling misunderstood, she’s grateful for new fiancé Luke Broderick and for viewers “who have my back.”

Who are Kristen’s top reality stars? The Traitor’s Dan Gheesling and The Goat’s Paola Mayfield

Credit: Clifton Prescod/Bravo

Monica Garcia: The Lightning Rod

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Bravo)

After the notorious Jen Shah went to prison for her role in a telemarketing scheme, RHOSLC introduced mom of four Garcia … who revealed a surprising connection to the felon her castmates were endeavoring to distance themselves from. “I’m really proud of the fact that I owned up to being a witness in Jen’s trial,” Garcia, 40, tells Us. “Especially in that group, because none of them were able to [stand] up to [her] and blatantly say what she did is absolutely wrong.” In a group of women obsessed with appearances and prone to smearing one another’s reputations, Garcia presented all sides of herself. She spoke openly about past infidelity and shared an “awful” dysfunctional relationship with her mom: “I felt like I was the only person who had a parent like that. And the outpouring from fans — I have never felt so seen.” Her storyline ended with a twist that electrified the franchise, when the cast accused Garcia of being behind a social media account bent on blaspheming the group. They unified against her, and Garcia was iced out of the show. “That was beyond frustrating,” she says. On October 9, she begins a special role on E!’s House of Villains, but could she ever rejoin Salt Lake? “Maybe if there was a cast shake-up.” Not an impossibility in the world of Housewives.

Who is Monica’s top reality star? House of Villain’s Tiffany “New York” Pollard

Credit: Disney/Pamela Littky

Taylor Frankie Paul: The Supernova

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (Hulu)

A star was born when, in 2022, #MomTok founder Paul took to TikTok to brazenly announce her marriage was over after she and her then-husband had participated in a harmless turned messy swinging arrangement. Producers, smartly sensing reality-TV gold, picked up cameras months later to follow Paul and her fellow Mormon mamas. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — Hulu’s biggest unscripted premiere of the year, bigger than The Kardashians — showed a tumultuous time in Paul’s life, including a pregnancy loss and a domestic violence arrest, but she was game to share her experience, warts and all. “I’m known from my headlines [for being] Swinger Mom [and] the arrest, and those things are negative,” she tells Us. “I really wanted [viewers] to see me and my personality — this was my chance to tell my story and get a deeper look into who I am.” Ultimately, Paul and her castmates proved you don’t always need alcohol or insane wealth to have a good time (or make good television). Spoiler alert: #MomTok did survive — and if fans have their way, the reported second season will drop quicker than you can gulp down a dirty soda.

Who are Taylor’s top reality stars? Love Island USA’s Leah Kateb and The Bachelor’s Maria Georgas.

Credit: Netflix

David Isaacman and Abbey Romeo: The Sweethearts

Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)

Isaacman and Romeo are proof you can find The One on reality TV, even in the most unique circumstances. During season 2 of the groundbreaking Love on the Spectrum — an unfiltered look into the lives of adults dating while on the autism spectrum — fans watched with butterflies in their stomach as the pair’s romance blossomed on an unforgettable trip to Africa to see their fave animal, the lion. (Remembering their sweet rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” on a hill overlooking the plain always makes Us smile!) “He’s very kind and patient with me,” she confides, while he praises her for being “loving and learning to love Power Rangers because I do.” Despite the recognition and the selfie-seekers, Romeo doesn’t label herself a reality star, explaining, “I consider myself as a person on the autism spectrum.” Good news: Season 3 is in the works, and Romeo, 26, and Isaacman, 29, tell Us their story is just getting started. An engagement will happen “someday,” he says before she chimes in, “We’re having a blast!”

Who are Abbey and David’s top reality stars? Abbey: “We like to watch ourselves on tv!”

Credit: Netflix

Victoria Kalina: The Change-Up Artist

America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Netflix)

It may have taken viewers a few episodes to decide how they felt about Victoria Kalina, who initially came off as a stereotypical gung-ho cheerleader, right down to the bedroom plastered with Dallas Cowboys merch and memorabilia. But after she opened up about the mental health issues — an eating disorder and depression — that led her to take a year away from DCC, that candor won Us over. “It’s honestly so exhausting having to cover it up,” the 24-year-old tells Us. “Being open on such a huge platform as Netflix has been that therapeutic release I’ve needed.” Kalina’s struggle to solidify friendships with the other women on the squad also felt really real, and hearts went out to her. “I definitely had a hard time connecting,” she notes. “I felt like I was being punished [for the year I took off].” In a surprising — and moving — finale twist, she hung up her microshorts and fringe and opted not to return for her final season of eligibility. “I decided to put my time and energy elsewhere,” says the dancer pursuing her Broadway dreams in NYC.

What is Victoria’s top reality show? Vanderpump Rules

Credit: Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

Chelsea Lazkani: The Comeback Story

Selling Sunset (Netflix)

It’s staggeringly clear that season 8 of Selling Sunset didn’t go the way Lazkani anticipated. As the real estate agent stepped out for showings in her signature high-fashion attire (one seemingly pantless look dropped jaws!), she was blindsided by allegations her husband had been unfaithful. “I did not think I was going to be able to overcome it,” recalls the mom of two, who filed for divorce from Jeff Lazkani in March. “My mental health was at its all-time low.” Still, during that tumultuous period, the 31-year-old never missed a day of filming or a listing appointment. (“The universe said they’re not ready to take me out yet!” she crows.) And she confronted Bre Tiesi for allowing the issue to be brought to light while cameras were rolling. When the episodes dropped in September, fans were divided as to who was actually in the wrong, but they supported the London-born Lazkani for putting on a brave front during her split: “There was a scene with Chrishell [Stause] where I said I was flying. I thought I was flying, but I was actually falling — and I didn’t know until I hit the ground.” Now that she’s on the other side, the boss babe is focused on two things, “building my empire and expanding my brand.” Will she return to Sunset? She’s not sure, but our fingers are crossed.

Who is Chelsea’s top reality star? “All the Real Housewives”

Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Julie Chen Moonves: The Pioneer

Big Brother (CBS)

You don’t know what you have till it’s gone! In September, hostChen Moonves missed an episode for the first time in her 24 years with Big Brother — and that includes 2009, when she was six days from giving birth. Jerry O’Connell filled in at the live eviction, using her catchphrases “Expect the unexpected” and “But first…,” but it wasn’t the same. “[When I came back] Covid-free, people clapped,” Chen Moonves tells Us. “It was like when Sally Field won the Oscar a million years ago: ‘You like me! You really like me!’ I thought, ‘Oh, they knew I was gone. That’s so nice.’” They knew, all right. Lovingly dubbed “The Chenbot” because of her precise delivery, Chen Moonves, 54, sets Big Brother apart from other reality TV competitions, adroitly handling the unpredictable nature of live TV — and following her instincts. “There are times I don’t really listen to [producers], because I’m like, ‘No, I’m going in for that extra question.’” With her journalistic gravitas, it’s easy to forget you’re watching a zany game of social strategy. According to the CBS personality, the “two best compliments” she’s received from viewers are that she interviews houseguests like esteemed newsman Edward R. Murrow — and that she’s funny. Us agrees!

Who is Julie’s top reality star? Big Brother’s Tucker Des Lauriers

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Jenn TranKristen DouteLindsay HubbardBig BrotherDancing With The StarsLove IslandSelling SunsetSummer HouseThe Bachelorettethe valley
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