Sonja Morgan is calling out her “Golden Life” castmates for off-camera behavior she finds exhausting.
The 62-year-old reality star aired her grievances exclusively to the outlet at the 2026 “Virtual Reali-Tea” Awards on Tuesday night, explaining why she keeps her distance from certain co-stars when cameras aren’t rolling. Morgan claimed her fellow cast members spend their downtime gathering ammunition to use against her once filming resumes.
“They’re usually sleuthing around to get something on me,” she said. “They’re constantly trying to get info that they can throw up on the show, instead of just being themselves and acting like themselves, and not be higher than mighty.”
Morgan’s frustration centers on what she described as a pattern of “bullying” that makes off-camera gatherings unpleasant. She said that maintaining boundaries has become necessary for her own peace of mind.
“When I’m not filming, I’m pretty much up to here with the girls who do that,” she shared. “Sometimes, I feel like the girls just call me because they want to go where I’m going, or know what I’m knowing, and it doesn’t go that way.”
The tension isn’t entirely new. Luann de Lesseps previously claimed on “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th” that Morgan only attends events when there’s substantial money involved, saying she doesn’t show up unless “you’re waving $5,000 in front of [her] face.”
Morgan pushed back against that characterization, suggesting her selective attendance stems from self-protection rather than greed. She accused her castmates of trying to make her “look less than” on camera using information they’ve collected during private moments away from production.
“It gets annoying,” she said bluntly of the alleged dynamic.
Despite the behind-the-scenes friction, Morgan and her fellow “Real Housewives of New York City” veterans received a warm reception at Tuesday’s ceremony. She, de Lesseps, Kelly Bensimon, Ramona Singer and Dorinda Medley were honored with the Golden Kettle Award for their contributions to unscripted television.
During her acceptance speech, Morgan slipped in a pointed remark praising the outlet for fact-checking “unlike some of [her] co-stars,” hinting that the off-screen drama runs deeper than she’s fully detailed.
The five women, considered the “OGs” of the Bravo franchise, originally spearheaded “RHONY” for 13 seasons from 2008 until Bravo recast the series with an entirely new group ahead of Season 14. While they reunited for “Ultimate Girls Trip,” persistent rumors of a full spinoff never materialized at Bravo.
E! Ultimately picked up the concept, announcing “The Golden Life” earlier this year. The series will follow the women’s lives in Palm Beach, Florida, and has already secured additional episodes beyond its initial order. Summer filming in the Hamptons brought in “Real Housewives of New Jersey” alum Margaret Josephs and “Sex and the City” author Candace Bushnell as additions to the cast.
The show represents the first time the complete original “RHONY” core group will appear together on screen since the fourth season of “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy” in 2023.
Morgan did not specify exactly which cast members she was referring to with her accusations, leaving some ambiguity about whether her criticism extends to all four returning co-stars or targets a smaller subset within the group.
“The Golden Life” premieres October 20 on E!.