Kim Fields Is the Most Awkward Casting Choice in ‘RHOA’ History
Fans of classic sitcoms were thoroughly confused when Kim Fields was announced as a housewife in the 8th season of ‘RHOA’.
Kim Fields is a sitcom television legend. Most well known for her roles as Tootie in Facts of Life, and the ever stylish diva Regine Hunter on Living Single, Kim Fields has been a household name for decades. So, when her casting as a new housewife in the Atlantareality series was announced, many fans were left scratching their heads. As an accomplished actor and director, she seemed to be the kind of person who rose above the drama required to sell a season of RHOA. And as it turned out, she was.
‘RHOA’ Kim Fields is Sitcom Royalty
Kim became a household name thanks to her portrayal of the bubbly young character, Tootie. As the only Black main character in the series, Tootie became an important face for Black TV fans everywhere. In the early 90s, she joined the cast of Living Single as Regine Hunter, another iconic role on her resume. Not only that, but she has even more impressive behind-the-camera credits, with her having directed many episodes of beloved sitcoms such as Kenan & Kel, House of Payne, and many more. She is a seasoned professional in the television industry, so people were naturally shocked when her casting was announced. Perhaps what makes her casting so perplexing is the high level of respect she has from fans. The Venn diagram that shows Living Single fans versus RHOA fans is more than likely a circle, so it makes sense that there was confusion. This is not to say that a resume determines the level of respectability, in fact, it’s more so the fact that it seemed out of character. Many asked, why would Kim Fields ever do RHOA? In what world did that make sense?
One Season of ‘RHOA’ Was Enough For Kim Fields
Many fans were underwhelmed by Kim’s presence because she had no desire to involve herself in unnecessary drama. It became pretty evident early on that she was having none of it. When the Porsha vs. Cynthiafight happened on Lake Lanier, Kim wanted nothing to do with any of their drama. As Porsha began screaming and getting in Cynthia’s face, Kim looked both appalled and deeply concerned. But mostly, she looked appalled. It was definitely a situation that went from zero to 100 entirely too fast. In an interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, Kim shares that she felt that much of their gossipy drama was silly, and she didn’t want anything to do with it, which led her to do that as much as possible. Her desire to stay away from the drama also drew ire from Kenya Moore, who felt she was not divulging enough or engaging enough for her liking. Needless to say, they butted heads occasionally.
When the season ended, so did Kim’s contract. She had fulfilled her contract to the series and had no desire to return to it. Many wondered if the drama was too much for her, as it was clear throughout the whole season that she did not want any part of what the other housewives were doing. She later shared a simple reason for leaving: she had only planned to do one season from the get go. On The Breakfast Club, she shared,
“It was only supposed to be a one-and-done…For me, I did what I set out to do. The mandate at that time in my career was ‘I’m celebrating 40 years in the industry.’ And so my team, I said, ‘Hey, let’s go into uncharted waters. We’re only going to do stuff we’ve never done before.’ And so they kept asking me to do reality for years and I was like, ‘No, the time is not right. It’s just too much.’ So we said let’s just give that a try and see, but knowing I still had other shows to do, other work to do as a director, a producer, all kinds of things…and then from there being almost catapulted into Dancing With the Stars which was not just a game-changer but a real life changer for me because there was such a deep dive and surrender of pushing my limitations all the way to the point of no return and that was the beginning for me of life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
So, while it seemed obvious from the footage that Kim would likely not return to the show, it was also a planned decision to only do one season. And it is highly likely that she will never return to the franchise.