Why Nene Leakes Left The Real Housewives of Atlanta

While tons of fans will argue about the most successful Real Housewives franchise, there's no denying that The Real Housewives of Atlanta ranks pretty high on the list. Based in one of the most bustling cities in Georgia, this show is a guilty pleasure for a plethora of different audiences. The biggest appeal of this show is, of course, its cast. The show welcomes a selection of feisty characters, all of whom are determined to come out on top.

Even if certain fans disregard reality TV as a whole, they have probably heard of Nene Leakes. Not only is she the queen of memes, but she's also one of The Real Housewives of Atlanta's most prized assets. So, with so much prestige and status, why did she, like other housewives before her, decide to leave the show altogether?

Leakes Took a Stand Against Bravo

Long before she graced The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Nene Leakes caught the eyes of Bravo producers in a minor episode of The Parkers. This unusual American sitcom focused on a mother and daughter duo who enrolled in the same college in California and ran for five seasons. Shortly after the episode aired, Leakes met with casting director Robi Reed, who couldn't wait to get the budding actress on board. As soon as she joined The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Leakes' career grew from strength to strength.

A year into the show, Nene worked alongside Denene Miller to produce the book Never Make The Same Mistake Twice, a memoir that offers insight into the star's unique look at love. The reality star has also dabbled in other parts of the TV world, gathering small roles in hit shows like Glee and The New Normal. Fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta will agree that Nene Leakes is a Jack of All Trades and offers an abundance of entertainment whenever she appears on screen. In 2020, Leakes dropped a massive bombshell, announcing that she would be leaving The Real Housewives of Atlanta after 12 seasons. In an emotional YouTube video, the star notes:

To say that fans were devastated would be a huge understatement. On the surface, Leakes departure seemed like a bittersweet farewell. She had been a huge part of the show since the very beginning and a lot of audiences assumed that she had just grown tired of the drama and wanted to pursue other ventures. However, a week after Leakes posted that video, she began insisting that she was forced out of the show and that Bravo wasn't exactly respectful of her working conditions.

In April 2022, she filed a federal lawsuit against NBC Universal, Bravo, True Entertainment, Truly Original, and Andy Cohen. The star accused these companies of discriminating against her, and she made multiple statements about Bravo creating a toxic work environment. Thus, at this point, fans were beginning to realize that Nene had left the show because the networks refused to honor her worth. When she appeared on Bethenny Frankel's rewatch podcast ReWives, Leakes spoke about how she was receiving less screen time compared to her peers:

Yet, just a few months after filing the lawsuit, Leakes dismissed the case. Audiences aren't really sure why she decided to let her legal battle go, but many supported her claims of racism within the franchise. She also repaired her broken relationship with Andy Cohen and frequently mentions that the pair are now on good terms, even if they no longer speak as much as they used to. Thus, all of this drama supports the idea that Leakes was pushed out of the show.

Nene Was the Face of the Real Housewives

For fans who haven't seen a single episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, you've probably seen Nene Leakes used as a reaction image on social media. Throughout her lengthy stretch on the reality show, Nene never hesitated to bring her signature sense of humor to every episode. During the earlier seasons, she always spoke her mind and never felt the need to hide her true feelings from anyone. A classic example of Leakes' meme-worthy persona is in Season 5 when she travels to visit Kenya Moore's temporary apartment. 

While Leakes is used to the immense mansions of Buckhead, she found Moore's new place a tad downmarket. As she walks down the street, Leakes remarks to herself "Wheww chile, the ghetto." To make matters worse, Leakes was more than vocal when she discovered that Moore now owned a basic white fridge. Moments like that swiftly made Nene a fan favorite. She wasn't trying to hurt anybody's feelings, but because of her brutal honesty, she often produced the best one-liners.

Aside from her humor, Nene is also remembered for her frequent fights with co-star Kandi Burruss. While some fans argue that their feud was incredibly toxic, it's very hard to deny that their arguments made very entertaining TV. In one instance, Nene made a passing comment about Kandi's mother, which really rubbed her up the wrong way. Even though Burruss continued to defend her mother, Nene stood her ground, exclaiming "I said what I said." This quickly became one of Leakes' catchphrases, allowing fans to use this reaction all over social media. In some cases, it sounds like an insult to call someone a meme. However, when discussing Nene Leakes, it's important that fans realize that she has managed to dominate the Real Housewives franchise as well as the rest of popular culture.

Fans Are Still Hoping That Nene Will Return

Since departing from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Nene has unfortunately suffered a plethora of ups and downs. Most notably, she lost her husband Gregg in 2021. The pair first met in the late 1990s but got divorced in 2010. However, the couple got back together a few years later and married again in 2013. Sadly, Nene announced in June 2018 that her husband had been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. While he was cancer-free for a couple of years, he passed away in September 2021. 

Obviously, the loss of her husband impacted Nene tremendously and fans were quick to offer their support. In terms of business, Leakes is continuing to experiment with a ton of different outlets. In May 2021, Leakes opened up a chic lounge called The Linnethia Lounge in Duluth. The establishment is considered to be quite the success and often welcomes hit stars like KeKe Wyatt and Tamar Braxton for exclusive performances.

Although audiences are pleased that Nene is continuing to do well, especially after leaving The Real Housewives of Atlanta, they would prefer it if she was back on the show. Even Wicked star Cynthia Erivo recently shared her love of the show and how she desperately wants Leakes to reunite with her former co-stars. But, it seems that Bravo must meet a few crucial criteria before Leakes will make her return. During an interview with TMZ, Leakes said:

So, it appears that Nene has squashed her beef with Bravo and is keen to put the entire ordeal behind her. However, she also respects that The Real Housewives of Atlanta opened up a ton of doors for her career and frequently shares that gratitude with her fans. While there have been no official reports of her return, it seems that she would rejoin the show if she felt comfortable. But, for now, fans can enjoy everything Leakes has to offer in her new podcast alongside Sierra Gates, Me & My Homegirl.