Familiar faces in familiar places. After the success of The Real World Homecoming‘s New York and Los Angeles editions, the show is returning for a third season — and this time the original New Orleans cast is coming back.
“This is lightning striking twice,” Julie StofferOnly spoken Us Weekly ahead of the show’s Wednesday, April 20, premiere. “It’s just mind-boggling, to be honest.”
42-year-old Wisconsin native became the first Mormon to appear. The Real World when she starred in the show’s first New Orleans season, which aired in 2000. She famously got suspended from Brigham Young University because her participation in the series violated the school’s honor code, which stated that unmarried students could not have non-family roommates of the opposite sex.
Julie has been divorced from the Mormon church for more than 20 years. HomecomingWe will examine the reasons she left the faith.
“There’s gonna be attention paid to my faith transitions over the years, and kind of, like, what my religious life looks like now,” she told Us. “It’s a little complex, so I’ll just say that it’s not an uninteresting story.”
Michelle, Julie and Danny in ‘The Real World Homecoming: New Orleans.’ Photo:Akasha Rabut/Paramount+
The MTV personality explained that she decided to double down on her religion after leaving BYU because she wanted to be “that good Mormon girl.” Once she did more research, however, she realized that some of the faith’s cornerstones weren’t compatible with her personal beliefs.
“When I did my due diligence and I studied and really sat down and was honest with myself over time, I started to realize that the values of the religion did not align with my own,” she told Use. “I had philosophical differences with the core tenets of the faith.”
Julie noted that her exit from the church was “a process of discovery” that didn’t happen overnight, adding that fans will learn more on the series.
The Challenge alum isn’t the only cast member who experienced a lot of change over the past 20 years. Jamie Murray, for his part, was surprised to find out just how different everyone’s lives are now.
“All of us in our own ways have matured,” the Illinois native, 44, told Us. “A lot of us have kids, have husbands, wives, whatever. That can chill you out and kind of focus you a little bit.”
Despite this newfound maturity, the cast still managed mischief despite it. “It wasn’t as crazy as life was 22 years ago, but I would say that, you know, a couple people had fun,” Jamie joked.
After completing the original edition, The Real World: New OrleansBoth Jamie and Julie appeared in various seasons of The Challenge. Viewers may recall Julie’s involvement in one of the most memorable moments. ChallengeHistory: She tried to unhook Veronica Portillo‘s harness during season 8, which aired in 2004.
“She’s one of the people that I would really like to have the opportunity to reconnect with, or go on another Challenge with,” Julie said of Veronica, 44, adding that they haven’t spoken since they appeared on season 10 of The ChallengeThe original broadcast of this show aired on May 31, 2005. “I never knew that [the harness thing]It was such an iconic moment. The Challenge … but then years later, I would keep hearing about it, keep seeing it. They would call me the ‘murdering Mormon’ for a lot of years.”
Julie was asked by MTV to do HomecomingShe actually asked if she could do it. The Challenge instead. “I just would love the opportunity to go on another one after all these years,” she told Use. “I did a fair number of them in my younger years. That was a huge part of my life.”
New Orleans: The Real World HomecomingPremieres on Paramount+ Wednesday April 20.
Diana Cooper reports
