Real Housewives of New York star Luann de Lesseps isn’t surprised Kelly Bensimon frequently emails Andy Cohen her ideas — her costar does it all the time.
“She does that all the time,” de Lesseps, 59, exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, March 11, at the opening of Planet Hollywood in New York City. “Kelly Bensimon is always emailing Andy. Did you know that?”
Bensimon has a fondness for sending Cohen suggestions for who should be on the show. The Bravo executive acknowledged the emails during a February 24 episode of SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live, saying, “Well, she did send me a list.”
When asked who was on the list, Cohen said, “Well, I mean, a couple of them were …” before trailing off. After cohost John Hill asked if Bensimon was on her list, Cohen answered, “Oh, yeah. She’s on the list. It was, I think, being kind of anchored by her.”
Cohen admitted, “Funnily enough, she does email me more than you might expect. I can’t find this email, babe, but she pitched [me a list].”
De Lesseps also told Us that she had hoped a major star — actress Tilda Swinton — would join her friend Dorinda Medley on The Traitors. “I loved D on Traitors. We spoke while she was there,” she said. “You know why [I called her]? Because I was with Tilda Swinton on a train going to Scotland.”
Medley, 60, chimed in, telling Us, “She wanted me to come visit. I’m like, ‘It’s not that sort of situation.’”
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out in de Lesseps’ favor. “Well, you didn’t even answer because your phone was confiscated,” de Lesseps answered. “So Tilda Swinton goes, ‘How’s Dorinda, darling? I heard she’s doing Traitors.’ We tried to call you from the train.”
De Lesseps and Swinton struck up a friendship after one of her Marry, F, Kill cabaret shows in Europe. Swinton, who was in attendance, invited de Lesseps to spend the night at her home.
“She came to my show at the Coco Club. It’s a pretty swanky club in London,” de Lesseps previously told Us in October 2024. “She came to me and she said, ‘Oh, my darling, you spread so much joy, I love to watch you perform, but you must be exhausted after six shows in a row. And you know, I would love for you to come and have a visit. I’d like to take care of you and cook for you and welcome you to my humble abode.’”
