“Real Housewives of Miami” has officially returned for a seventh season, bringing the return of explosive drama set among luxury properties, messy divorces from wealthy husbands, exotic pets, and the one and only Guerdy Abraira; however, she’s debuting a “new version” of herself.
While the last season ended with the 47-year-old reality TV star, wife, and mother undergoing cancer treatment for stage one breast cancer, season seven picks up with Abraira supercharged, renewed, and ready to deliver a strong clap back.
“It’s a new version of myself, and it’s very unapologetic and very selfish,” she told theGrio ahead of the season seven premiere.
In May 2023, the event planner revealed she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer. She received a call from her doctor while on vacation after a routine mammogram and has since undergone six surgeries, four rounds of chemo, and 20 rounds of radiation. In November 2023, she officially crossed over the cancer-free threshold.
The event planner sat down with theGrio ahead of the season seven premiere on Wednesday, June 11, to discuss her mindset going into filming, how the dynamics of the women have shifted with a slight cast shake-up, and how her journey with cancer has impacted her approach to starring in the show.
By the time season six ended, viewers saw your incredibly emotional health journey as you began battling breast cancer. From shaving your head to undergoing treatments all while filming. Where are you when viewers meet you again in season seven?
In the post-cancer recovery phase, and just trying to reset my life. Trying to get my groove back, literally, like I’m ready, honey. After getting a hysterectomy and reconstructive surgery, just not feeling like yourself, but you’re just trying to get back to some version of yourself. And that’s where I’m at. I’m looking for my girls to hype me up and to, you know, to be part of this process and you know, what I walk into may not be what I thought I was expecting to walk into.
What was your mindset stepping into filming season seven, especially in this post-cancer era?
My mindset was, ‘I’m so excited!’ If you see last season at the reunion, when I look to Alexia to tell [the] truth about some issues that we’re having as a group, she does step up, and I’m looking at her like this is a good step for me to be able to say, ‘Okay, we can move forward. We have a friendship in the whole thing.’
So when we pick up the cameras again … it’s just a very interesting, newer dynamic that I wasn’t ready for. So it was just a lot of pieces, and I’m like, ‘Wait, what just happened? I thought we were good.’ New things are happening.
Speaking of new things, I understand there is a new cast member. How, without divulging too much, has it been with the new housewife in the mix?
Her name is Stephanie, and as you saw from the trailer, a teaser to the big personality that she is, and she’s not holding back. She’s a self-thinker, and I love her for it, because it plays a significant role in helping the group address some of its issues.
Can you break down what’s inspiring your tagline this season?
It’s multi-fold, you know. It’s very evident, obviously, that I’ve won a big battle. So what else could happen? What’s the worst that can happen? So it’s really more of that view, where it’s like, you know, I’m just being me, and I just want people to see me for me, and not to try to reinterpret, you know, what they see in front of them. And I think that maybe I’m too much for some people, and maybe I’m not. And, you know, and that’s okay, I’m gonna still be here, and I’m gonna still be me. So there you go.
Within the broader “Real Housewives” world, you remain one of the only Black Real Housewives and one of two currently on “RHOM.” How have you navigated the pressures of representation in reality TV?
I’ve had pressure my whole life to represent, so it’s innate at this point. And my mother, you know, my family name has always been my first protection, protecting my ancestors, right? Because my mother’s like, “You’re a diamond, honey, you don’t let no one—no one—break you. And you are as special as you are. And whatever you are, you’re going to shine on the world.”
So my character, people trying to knock me out and saying, “you’re too much,” it’s kind of like that just tells you that I am very special. So you know, it’s just protecting my peace, protecting myself, and being true to myself. Those are the only things I can do. Whether I inspire people or not, that’s fine. I’m not for everyone. But I’m gonna be here, and we’re gonna have to deal with it. So, you know, that’s the thing about it, I’m realizing I don’t have to minimize who I am for anybody. You’ll see. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, because this season, the clap back is real.
What do you hope viewers take away from your story this season?
Sometimes being a loyal and true friend who’s looking to support, it may not be reciprocated, and you have to cut your losses. It’s okay to admit that things are not the same and that you’re not the same, and that you need to make a change to protect your peace. And that’s what it is, you know. It’s okay if you’re alone, sitting in a corner, and you don’t have everyone you know on your side, but as long as the truth is on your side, girl, I’m chilling like a villain.
Without divulging too much, is there any moment this season that you can’t wait for viewers to see whether good or bad?
I’m proud of what I had to do that’s questionable. I was able to sleep at night after that was done because there comes a time when you have to what do they say, ‘relax, relate, release,’ right? You have to go through the motions of deliberation and seeing, ‘Is this good for me? Why am I not being so upfront? Who am I protecting?’ Once you realize that you have to protect yourself, then you release. And the release is what it is, okay.
It detoxes your brain from the toxicity, and it comes out in whatever actions you may take to make sure that you are good. With cancer, the thing is that people are always like coaches, “stay in the corner. You should be quiet. You should be calm. Oh, don’t do this.” No, the opposite. Nip it in the bud right up front, so that it’s released from your body!
New episodes of “Real Housewives of Miami” premiere on Bravo on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET and stream starting on Thursdays on Peacock.
