As a former cast member on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Jacqueline Laurita has a unique perspective on Teresa Giudice’s ongoing feud with her brother, Joe Gorga, and her sister-in-law, Melissa Gorga.
Jacqueline herself went through a period of estrangement in her friendship with Teresa, but the twosome reunited for a five-hour lunch in Las Vegas (where Jacqueline was living at the time) back in 2023.
During an appearance on Teresa’s podcast, Turning the Tables, in June 2024, Jacqueline weighed in on Teresa’s fractured relationship with Joe and Melissa. She also shared how her friendship with the latter two affected her relationship with the mom of four.
Jacqueline noted that when Melissa and Joe joined the RHONJ cast back in Season 3, she wanted to help them get to a better place with Teresa. “In my head, I’m like, ‘If I get them to make-up and they’re fine, then it’ll be fine to film,’ because it was like, ‘I gotta film with these people now? I don’t want to be fighting with them either,” she recalled on the podcast. “But if I could get everybody good, then we can all film together and it’ll be safe and they won’t be after her.'”
Though her goal was to bring Teresa, Melissa, and Joe back together, Jacqueline said it only drove a wedge between herself and Teresa. Teresa explained why that happened, noting, “I distanced myself…”
“I don’t like to fight, so I really don’t,” she continued. “And then that’s why I distanced myself. ’cause I was like, Jacqueline should really know… she should really know harder. I thought you would know why I was distancing myself.”
Jacqueline Laurita walks the red carpet during Hard Rock Cafe’s 20th Anniversary bash on Tuesday, November 15, 2016, in Atlantic City, NJ; Joe Gorga and Melissa Gorga attend the Food Bank For New York City’s Second Annual Gotham Ball At Major Food Group’s THE POOL + THE GRILL on May 08, 2024 in New York City; Teresa Guidice appears on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Season 21 Episode 95. Photo: Bill McCay/Getty Images for Hard Rock Inter; Jared Siskin/Getty Images for Food Bank for New York City; Charles Sykes/Bravo
Where Teresa Giudice stands with Joe and Melissa Gorga
On Season 13 of RHONJ, which aired in 2023, Teresa stopped speaking with her brother and sister-in-law. Their estrangement has continued on Season 14, though Joe reflected on the milestones the respective families will miss out on in an interview that will air on Episode 9.
After getting ordained to officiate Melissa’s cousin’s wedding, Joe realized that he and Teresa will miss out on major family events in the future.
“It makes me think of my sister and I say, ‘She won’t be at my kids’ weddings,’” he explained. “My nieces will be getting married, and I’m not gonna be there.”