Melissa Gorga has teased what it was like to film The Real Housewives of New Jersey's 15th season with mostly brand new cast members.
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Melissa will be starring on the new season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey alongside her sister-in-law Teresa Giudice, Dolores Catania, and many fresh faces who have yet to be officially announced by Bravo.
While fans can always anticipate drama on The Real Housewives franchise, Melissa, 47, told Us Weekly on Tuesday, August 4 that "the new girls fit right in."
"It was strange at first because I didn't know how this was going to go," Melissa shared at a Real Housewives event.
"I was actually curious myself, [but] they fit right in. It's, like, they're part of the family instantly. It was insane."
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Melissa noted that fans will watch the "amazing cast" of women "laugh" and cry."
"[This is an] amazing group of girls. [I am] super excited for everybody to meet them," Melissa gushed.
Melissa has starred on The Real Housewives of New Jersey since Season 3 in 2011. When she joined the Bravo reality series, Teresa was already an OG cast member.
Melissa, who is married to Teresa's brother Joe Gorga, expressed shock that she's been with the show for so long.
"I always go off of how old my youngest son [Joey Jr.] is; that's how I know how long I've been doing this because he was 2 months old and now he's 16," Melissa shared.
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"That's how I always figure out how long I've been around with the house lights, but 20 years is insane. The fact that we're not saying goodbye... we're just getting started."
Melissa proudly explained that The Real Housewives of New Jersey highlights strong family bonds.
"I feel like that's where our show shines the most is just being able to come around and come full-circle," she said.
"Also, just being able to show my life at home with my kids and the type of mother I am and the children that I have is always like my peak and what makes me the happiest."
After The Real Housewives of New Jersey ended its fourteenth season with major conflict and tension amongst the cast members in August 2024, the show was put on a hiatus.
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But Melissa and Joe reconciled with Teresa at BravoCon 2025 in Las Vegas in November, ending years of estrangement and hard feelings. They later celebrated Christmas as a family.
Bravo then confirmed on March 24 that Melissa, Teresa and Dolores would all be returning for Season 15 of the reality series.
Melissa, who said she "never wanted" any family drama, gushed about how her relationship with family is "better than ever."
"I feel confident, and I feel trust, which is something that was always hard to feel before," Melissa told Us of her current relationship with Teresa.
She added, "[We are] never going back there, like it's never happened."
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Until the new season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey premieres, Bravo will air The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th, which is set to premiere Sunday, August 9 at 9PM ET/PT on Bravo.
"We had such a great time this season. It was insane," Melissa said of celebrating 20 years of the Bravo franchise.
"This was so fun. I showed up to the Miami taping and also the finale at [Dorinda Medley]'s house. That was insane, fire. I don't want to give too much away, but [it was] insane."
In March, Joe and Melissa reacted to speculation their reconciliation with Teresa was just so they could continue filming The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
When asked if they buried the hatchet with Teresa only to secure their roles on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Melissa said, "We're not good actors," during the March 31 episode of the "Casual Chaos" podcast.
"How can you fake this sh-t?" Joe chimed in.
Melissa elaborated, "We're not good at putting on a show, because we all just, like, spit it out."
Joe admitted he was just as shocked as The Real Housewives fans were that he and Melissa were finally able to make peace with Teresa.
"I was like, 'Is this real? This is my sister.' I was very confused," Joe recalled. "Took me a minute. I'm like, 'Is this a joke?'"
But Joe said he always wanted Teresa in his life and he was going to try to protect her no matter what.
"She's a woman who left her four children [to serve time in prison from 2015 to 2016], and that was tough on her. So [hearing from her via text] was the best moment. It really was. It was a great moment to receive that text," Joe said.
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Joe said that when he and Teresa reunited, he told her that he loved her.
"[I said], 'I don't want to hear nothing... I don't even care. It's over. Let's move on.' And that's what we have to do -- move on, and that's it, not bring up the past," Joe shared.
He added how "the past is over" and "it's done" and "gone."
"It's behind us," Joe continued, "but we are older now, we are smarter now. We're all more mature."
Melissa confessed she was "nervous" to meet up with Teresa initially, but Joe apparently felt confident they were making the right decision to squash their feud.
"I have no anger inside me. I just wanted to make up. I don't care, it's over," Joe reiterated. "I wasn't nervous. I was just happy. Let's all get together."