Ubah Hassan may be a newcomer to the Real Housewives world, but she’s already received advice from a Bravo pro: her cousin and Real Housewives of Dubai star Chanel Ayan!
Hassan, a Somalian model, philanthropist and entrepreneur, is one of six new cast members for the reinvented Real Housewives of New York City, premiering on Sunday night.
Speaking with PEOPLE at the season 14 premiere on Wednesday, Hassan opened up about the wise advice from her cousin.
“She just said, ‘No below the belt, you’re a woman, but don’t be a doormat. You know who you are,'” Hassan told PEOPLE. “I was like, ‘Okay, yeah.’ She just was like, you know, ‘Be yourself and hope for the best.'”
Ayan, who created buzz for her appearances on the debut season of The Real Housewives of Dubai last year, is also a model and socialite known for her chic sense of style.
Beyond Hassan’s success as a model, working with brands like Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta and Gucci, she’s also the creator of her personal hot sauce company, UBAHHOT.
While at the premiere, the new Housewife opened up to PEOPLE about why she thinks the new season of RHONY is unlike any other.
“It’s a new era. We’re giving you something new and fresh,” she explained. “But each and everyone represents New York somehow. A New York woman is a New York woman. We all go through hectic New York and the opportunities that it gives you.”
Andy Cohen, Housewives producer and host, similarly commented on “reinventing RHONY” at a party celebrating the new cast and premiere on Wednesday.
“What a task — rebooting a show with a legacy as brilliant as RHONY and with a group of all-stars who really made that show what it was,” Cohen said. “The answer seemed simple; just find a new group of women. Guess what? We found the right group of women.”
The new RHONY will now star Housewives Sai De Silva, Brynn Whitfield, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank alongside Hassan.
Casting for season 14 was first revealed at BravoCon 2022, where Lyons, Taank, Hassan, De Silva and Lichy appeared on a surprise Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen special.
The fresh set of Housewives replaced Ramona Singer, Luann de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney and Eboni K. Williams, who were all scrapped from the series after season 13 finished airing in September 2021.
Season 14 of The Real Housewives of New York City premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
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