{"id":230818,"date":"2026-03-26T13:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T13:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/26\/dolores-catania-was-mama-bear-to-rhori-cast-members\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T13:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T13:00:19","slug":"dolores-catania-was-mama-bear-to-rhori-cast-members","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/26\/dolores-catania-was-mama-bear-to-rhori-cast-members\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolores Catania Was ‘Mama Bear’ to RHORI Cast Members"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Dolores Catania<\/strong><\/a> made a major impact on The Real Housewives of Rhode Island<\/em><\/a> cast.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Dolores [is] like a mama bear,\u201d Bravo newbie Jo-Ellen Tiberi<\/strong> told Us Weekly<\/em> exclusively during the RHORI<\/em> cast\u2019s first interviews. \u201cTruthfully, anything that we needed \u2014 even even to this day \u2014 she will help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jo-Ellen continued, \u201cShe was just so kind and smart and caring. So it really was nice. It was a little cheat sheet to help us along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Dolores Catania<\/span> Bronson Farr\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Several of the women \u2014 including Kelsey Swanson<\/strong> and Alicia Carmody<\/strong> \u2014 thought of Dolores as a \u201cmentor\u201d through this new phase of their lives. Despite being a New Jersey native, Alicia told Us<\/em> that Dolores also has \u201cthat Rhode Island thing to her,\u201d which made her fit right in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Dolores and I first met, we completely hit it off. We saw eye to eye. I felt her genuine vibe,\u201d Rulla Pontarelli<\/strong> told Us<\/em>. \u201cI love Dolores. I really do. I feel as though she\u2019s brought a lot to the table. She\u2019s been very candid. She\u2019s been very genuine, speaking from experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Ashley<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Ashley I. Hints at Whether \u2018RHORI\u2018 Will Impact Jared Haibon Marriage<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tAshley Iaconetti isn\u2019t too worried about The Real Housewives of Rhode Island impacting her relationship with husband Jared Haibon. \u201cI know that since we\u2019ve been through the spotlight together, that neither of us are going to feel affected by it,\u201d Ashley, 38, told Us Weekly exclusively during the RHORI cast\u2019s first interviews. \u201cWe have been [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rulla called Dolores \u201can asset\u201d to the entire RHORI<\/em> cast for their debut season.<\/p>\n

News broke on Tuesday, March 24, that Dolores will return<\/a> to The Real Housewives of New Jersey<\/em><\/a> for season 15, but Bravo fans will get their fix even sooner by seeing Dolores in a \u201cfriend of\u201d role when RHORI<\/em> premieres.<\/p>\n

Dolores was brought onto the show through main cast member and best friend Liz McGraw<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiz has been asking me for a few years to come to Rhode Island,\u201d Dolores explained to Us<\/em>.<\/p>\n

With RHONJ<\/em> on pause last summer, Dolores was able to film in Rhode Island \u2014 but don\u2019t expect her to make the move permanent.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy heart is [in New Jersey], but you can find me every summer in Rhode Island for the rest of my life,\u201d she gushed.<\/p>\n

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\"Dolores<\/div>

\n Jo-Ellen Tiberi, Ashley Iaconetti, Alicia Carmody, Kelsey Swanson, Rulla Nehme, Elizabeth McGraw, Rosie DiMare.<\/span> Bronson Farr\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dolores also told Us<\/em> that she enjoyed the \u201cdifferent role\u201d she played on RHORI<\/em>. She even went to former Real Housewives of Atlanta<\/em><\/a> star Cynthia Bailey<\/strong> for advice before securing her \u201cfriend of\u201d slot.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe goes, \u2018You know what, Dolores? It\u2019s a really great role,\u2019\u201d Dolores recalled.<\/p>\n

After filming the season, she agreed with Cynthia\u2019s take. \u201cIt was great. It was great to see the girls do such a good job,\u201d she teased. \u201cThey weren\u2019t trying to be like other Housewives at all. They were just themselves, and I am so proud of them. They gave it 100 percent. They worked really hard. They filmed a ton. They put their lives out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dolores said that she immediately felt \u201cat home\u201d with the RHORI<\/em> women.<\/p>\n

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