REALITY TV NEWSChristy Carlson Romano Was Cast for a 'Real Housewives' Show in Texas Before the Potential Bravo Series Got 'Derailed'
Christy Carlson Romano nearly joined the reality television world when producers considered her for an Austin-based 'Housewives' show.
Oct. 8 2026, Published 11:37 a.m. ET
Christy Carlson Romano came surprisingly close to adding reality TV to her résumé.
"I was in the cast that was being pitched for The Real Housewives of Austin," Romano revealed during a recent radio interview.
The 42-year-old was discussing the project while promoting her new memoir, Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star.
The Potential Cast Included a 'Glee' Star
Christy Carlson Romano noted the potential Texas-based cast featured Allison Ellsworth and Becca Tobin.
The Even Stevens alum remembered several of the women who were being considered for the proposed cast.
"It was like, Loreal Sarkisian who's the coach's wife at UT [University of Texas] and the girl who is the founder of Poppi, Allison Ellsworth, and I think it was a bunch of really great girls ... Becca Tobin from Glee," she explained.
The Emmy-nominated voice actress recalled that she and Tobin could have had an interesting dynamic on the show.
Romano and Becca Tobin Had Already Met
Despite forecasting on-screen clashes, Christy Carlson Romano clarified that her real-life interactions with Becca Tobin were pleasant.
The hosts described Tobin as "ruthless," prompting Romano to speculate the two might have clashed on the show.
"So she and I were actually kind of like going to probably be at odds," she admitted.
However, the potential tension did not mean the two women had a problem with each other off camera.
The two had met at a Dancing With the Stars Austin charity event, where Tobin introduced herself. Romano recalled their interactions as "really great."
Speaking of their potential chemistry on the show, the Kim Possible voice actress said, "If we had done the thing, I feel like we could have amped it up a little bit and had a little fun with it."
She concluded, "I actually do like her quite a lot in retrospect."
- 10 Real Housewives Stars Who Quit But Eventually Came Back
- Caroline Manzo Reveals She Will 'Never' Return To 'The Real Housewives' Franchise Following 'Unwanted' Encounter With Brandi Glanville
- REAL Housewives: LeeAnne Locken & Braunwyn Windham-Burke Say They're Vulnerable For Reality TV While Teaming Up For A Great Cause
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
The Austin Series Never Made It to Bravo
The show initially gained traction before falling apart entirely, costing the former child star her chance at Bravo fame.
For a time, the project appeared to be moving ahead.
"We were really cooking for a minute and then it kind of just derailed," Romano recalled.
The proposed Real Housewives of Austin series ultimately did not become a Bravo show, ending the Cadet Kelly star's chance to join the franchise.
Romano Had a Hilarious Reaction to the Texas Follow-Up
Christy Carlson Romano dismissed Bravo's alternative Texas reality spinoff, joking she could never compete with its swinging storylines.
Bravo later developed another Texas-based reality series, Secrets, Lies, Texas Wives, which focuses on women in the Texas Hill Country.
The early-2000s Disney Channel icon had a blunt reaction when discussing the new show.
"They did some weird one now where I think it's like Texas Wives where they're all swingers," she joked. "I can't compete with that. Who has the time?"
