Jennifer Tilly Compares Joining RHOBH to ‘Working With Martin Scorsese’

In a new interview with Vulture, the Academy Award-nominated actress opened up about the “sharp left turn” she’s making in her career as she’s promoted to “Friend of the Housewives” ahead of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills‘ 14th season.

Seen on the show as a friend of Sutton Stracke‘s, Tilly has made an occasional appearance on the show, but this promotion all but gives Tilly a diamond, granting her access to cast trips, dinners and a chance to really weigh in on all the RHOBH drama.

“To me, it’s like working with Martin Scorsese,” Tilly told the outlet, comparing the RHOBH to the big leagues.

“My boyfriend always says if he got $40 million, he wants to go into space and experience zero gravity,” she added. “To me, being on Housewives is experiencing zero gravity. I was more excited to meet Kyle Richards and Erika Jayne and the other ladies than I was when I met Elizabeth Taylor.”

She continued, “They’ve been asking me if I want to be on the show, and I’ve always said ‘No. No.’ This year, I sort of thought, I just want to do everything different. I’m trying to take on challenges.”

Best known for her roles in Bullets Over Broadway, Bound, Liar Liar and Bride of Chucky, most recently reprising her role as Tiffany Valentine in the Syfy series spin-off, Chucky, Tilly was announced as a “Friend” for Season 14 in May, along with the return of Kathy Hilton. Bozoma Saint John was also announced as the newest full-time Housewife.

Richards is set to return following her tumultuous season, which saw her separate from longtime husband, Mauricio Umansky, as is Dorit Kemsley, who also split from husband, P.K. Jayne will be returning, as well as Stracke and Garcelle Beauvais.

Tilly told Vulture she’s been working on the show for “about a month now,” calling it “the most challenging thing I’ve ever done,” before sharing why she empathizes with other reality stars.

“I read this book called Bachelor Nation, and the Bachelor editors said — I’m paraphrasing — ‘When we get all the footage, it’s like we have a big box of Legos. And we’re like, ‘What are we going to create with these Lego blocks?’ They can do anything,'” she explained. “They can make you the girl next door. They can make you the villain. They can make you the cranky one. They can make you the patient one. It depends on what they want to show, what’s going to make the story.”

“Even when some Housewives were looking really bad on the show, and the fans are throwing mud at them,” she said, “I had empathy for them because I thought, What they’re doing is spinning a storyline out of thin air.”

Tilly continued, “You come in without a script. It’s just sort of like they just wade in there, and they go at it. In real life, if you’re at a restaurant and people at the table are screaming at each other, you’re mortified like, ‘Oh my God. I can’t believe I’m with these uncouth people.’ But when I am sitting at a table with Housewives, I feel like I have a front-row seat at the Super Bowl.”

“I like all the Housewives. I appreciate what they do. I’m just going to say it’s really challenging,” she added. “It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done, but I’m really happy I’m doing it, and I think it’s such an interesting kind of sharp left turn for my career.”

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 14 is set to premiere in late 2024.