Gizelle Bryant affectionately gave Karen Huger the title of the "Grand Dame" of Potomac, but fans have known from the moment the series premiered in 2016, that Gizelle was the true focal point of the reality show. The green-eyed beauty was not only fascinating to watch with her All-American beauty queen looks, but her life appeared to be, for all practical purposes, a fairy tale. She grew up in an affluent family, attended Hampton University and pledged to the prestigious Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. After college, she married Pastor Jamal Bryant, leader of one of the biggest and most celebrated megachurches in the DMC area, earning the title of First Lady. Even after the marriage ended, due to Pastor Bryant's inability to honor his marital vows, Gizelle retained her social position as a philanthropist and socialite in the affluent circles of Potomac. Joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Potomac was the perfect fit for the divorced mother of three who owned a cosmetics line titled, EveryHue Beauty and authored a penned a novel closely resembling her life
Although Gizelle deferred to Karen and Charisse Jackson because of their age, it was clear to most viewers that Gizelle was indeed the "Beyoncé" of the group. Besides giving respect to her elders, she also preferred to keep the "reality" of her life to herself, giving her co-stars an obvious advantage in popularity. Gizelle was beautiful and mysterious but refused to allow her weaknesses to be shared with the cast or the audience. If Karen was the grand dame of Potomac, then Gizelle was First Lady of Potomac, untouchable and unpenetrable from every angle. And after years of backlash from fans for her mean-girl ways, she's proven to be the star of the Season 9 reunion, and for all the right reasons.
The Friendship With Robyn Dixon Held Gizelle Bryant Back From Greatness
During past reunions, Gizelle has shown up as a supporting character to the rest of the cast. Because she has refused to be 100% authentic, there is rarely any gossip about her other than her slight "mean girl" behavior with the other ladies. For the first eight seasons, Gizelle was joined by her bestie, Robyn Dixon, and the two maintained an invisible barrier from the drama of the other cast members. Robyn was the quintessential Millie to Gizelle's 'Whitley Gilbert' and the dynamic kept the First Lady off limits for the most part to the petty squabbles and shade throwing of others. When Robyn's husband's infidelity became fodder for public consumption, Gizelle reserved her judgment until it became ridiculously undeniable. After Robyn was penalized for refusing to be transparent, Gizelle prepared to return for season 9 without her trusty sidekick.
While some fans worried that Gizelle might be out of place without Robyn, their fears were quickly disseminated when the season kicked off. Not only did the First Lady not miss a beat without Robyn, but she seemed to step more into an authentic place. Gizelle held Karen accountable throughout the season, but remained on her good side. She snatched up former beauty queen Ashley Darby to fill the stilettos that Robyn left behind, and kept things moving. Not only did she shine during the season, but when the reunion rolled around, Gizelle stepped up like never before.
In seasons past, her wardrobe has paled in comparison to her beauty. For season nine, Gizelle stepped up and outshone the entire cast. Her winter white gown with carefully placed cut-outs made her look like a true ice princess, complete with feathered Farrah Fawcett-inspired blonde beach waves. More than her stunning appearance, Gizelle was more vocal than ever before. She held Mia Thornton accountable for her lies, contradictions and bad parenting skills. Unwilling to answer for her actions, Mia started her usual theatrics and crocodile tears designed to create an escape from accountability for her actions. Instead of allowing Mia an escape, Gizelle held her feet to the fire, exclaiming "Bitch please" when Mia gathered her bejeweled gown and dramatically left the stage.
Gizelle Is Doing a Better Job at the Reunion Than Host, Andy Cohen
Andy Cohen and the rest of the ladies appreciated Gizelle stepping up and voicing what everyone has known about Mia since she sat on the reunion stage two seasons ago, creating lies about her fraudulent business with estranged husband Gordon Thornton. In times past, Mia would summon her crocodile tears and tab at her eyes ceremoniously whenever confronted with her truth. Not wanting to be accused of attacking a woman of color, Andy would back off at the first sign of the tears and allow the women to discuss among themselves. This new and improved Gizelle spoke up and gave Mia a dose of truth that she simply refused to swallow. Gizelle spoke up about the silly drama with RHOP newbie Stacey Rusch and was even vocal in her support of Karen as a friend, but disappointed by the choices that led to her receiving her fourth DUI arrest.
Season 9, Gizelle stood up and claimed her unspoken title of the First Lady of Potomac. Since becoming an emptynester and the door to the romance with her ex-husband, Jamal, has been firmly closed (he married another woman in 2024, ending any hope of a reconciliation between the two), Gizelle is prepped to step into a new chapter of life. She is currently dating, but trailers have been shared of a Real Housewife's spin-off titled, 'Love Hotel' which will follow her journey to find love along with her new RHOP bestie, Ashley, along with Shannon Storms Beador and Luann de Lesseps.
As audiences eagerly await the final installment of season 9's RHOP reunion, it's clear Gizelle is in a great place and, with Karen gone, there is no debating who wears the queen's crown in Potomac. Quiet as kept, the position of 'First Lady of Potomac' has always belonged to Gizelle, but it took 8 seasons for her to unapologetically accept the position. The remaining installment of the reunion and the upcoming season belong to Gizelle Bryant, but what she will do with the power and prestige remains to be seen.
