Joanna Krupa is setting the record straight on why she turned down the chance to return to The Real Housewives of Miamiwhen the hit Bravo series was revived in 2021 — and why she’s happier focusing on her new passion project, Street Rescue.
“I was approached. I did have conversations about it,” Krupa recently told Page Six Radio on SiriusXM while promoting her new animal rescue show. “They asked me to think about it. But being a mother, I feel like it’s not the time in my life.”
Krupa, 45, said that while she’s not against reality television entirely, the intense drama that comes with the Housewivesfranchise no longer appeals to her. “If you have no drama, you’re boring and you’re going to get canceled,” said Krupa, who starred in Seasons 2 and 3 of RHOM from 2012 to 2013. “These women will go out of their way — even if it was their best friend — to backstab them eventually. They will go below the belt.”
Because of that, Krupa admitted the show “was definitely not something I wanted to revisit.”
Now splitting her time between Los Angeles and her native Poland, where she’s hosted Poland’s Next Top Model for 14 years, Krupa said she’s content with her career path and grateful for the opportunities it’s brought.
“I’m satisfied with my life,” she shared. “My show in Poland opened other doors for me — I have my own perfume line, I have other projects. I don’t need a show like Miami to pay my bills … I’m not going to sell my soul to make a living like that.”
Reflecting on her time on RHOM, Krupa said it was often emotionally draining. “Would I be against reality TV? Not at all,” she clarified. “Would I be against this type of reality? Yes. I wouldn’t want my daughter to see mama in that kind of a situation because those shows are dramatic.”
Krupa laughed about occasionally being reminded of her time on the show through memes or reruns. “I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, embarrassing!’” she said. “It was tough because I felt like there were vultures on every corner. I was constantly being watched — people waiting for something dramatic to happen.”
Instead of on-screen chaos, Krupa is now dedicating her energy to helping animals in need. Her new series, Street Rescue, follows her work saving homeless pets across Los Angeles, providing veterinary care, food, and shelter for animals — and their owners — facing hardship.
“I probably would’ve had a lot of Birkins or Hermès bags if I really wanted to,” she joked. “But over the years, aside from my own animals and vet bills, I actually funded this first season of Street Rescue myself.”
Krupa said the challenges are worth it, as her mission is about compassion and community. “I feel with this show we can inspire others to help,” she explained. “There are people who care — they just need to know how to get involved before animals end up in shelters.”
Despite walking away from RHOM, Krupa still keeps in touch with a few of her former co-stars. “I stay in touch with Ana Quincoces, Lea Black, and Karent Sierra,” she shared. “They were all great girls who I loved getting to know.”
Looking ahead, Krupa hopes Street Rescue will unite animal advocates everywhere. “I’m hoping, fingers crossed, to build a big community where different rescue groups can help each other too,” she said.
