Southern Charm: New Orleans takes the tried-and-true premise of the original Southern Charm, but plops that premise right in the middle of another one of the South's most beautiful staples and most notorious party towns. And if these fancy suits and gorgeous dresses are any indicator, this cast is about as affluent as you can get. So, exactly how rich is the cast of Southern Charm: New Orleans?
While viewers can't know for sure exactly how much cash this group has up their sleeves, there are some ways to estimate. Tamica Lee, one of the cast members, is an entertainment reporter for WGNO in New Orleans, according to NOLA.com, and was also a former dancer for the New Orleans Saints. Her Instagram page that she also coaches dancers for the Saints nowadays, and there are also some seriously glamorous shots of her at the beach and at fancy parties. Though TV reporters' salaries aren't typically ones that lend to a luxurious lifestyle, if Tamica is well-known around that large of a metropolitan area, which she apparently is, she'd likely be several rungs above any old reporter. Her official Bravo bio also states that she also works hosting and organizing events, and making public appearances, so she's obviously a local celeb and could be raking in some big bucks.
Barry Smith is another Southern Charm: New Orleans cast member, and he's also Tamica's wife. Barry's bio states that he owns FUEL Center of Fitness, which offers tons of workout programs and classes in the New Orleans area. The gym is also affiliated with big names in fitness like GNC and offers personal trainers, so it looks like business is going pretty well. He and Tamica's family is all over his Instagram appearing at black tie events, hinting that they're prominent figures in the community.
Jeff Charleston, who also appears on the show, played for four years as a defensive end for the Saints, according to the same NOLA.com article, and everyone knows that NFL players make some serious bank. In 2013, Sports Illustrated reported that defensive ends are typically the second-highest paid position on an NFL team, only falling behind quarterbacks. That year, the average annual salary for a defensive end was $2,599,874, the article states. If Jeff earned that number four years in a row, and possibly took part in any sponsorships or other sweet deals professional athletes are often offered, he'd have plenty of money to work with as he moves from playing football — and New Orleans won a Super Bowl during his stint, so he has that going for him too.
Reagan Charleston, Jeff's wife, comes from old, old, Southern money, according to her Bravo bio, which states that her family owned the Coghlan Art Gallery in the French Quarter. And as if that wasn't enough, the bio states that her family also created the Sazerac, the official drink of Louisiana. So yeah, she's got roots in New Orleans that have probably left her with a hefty sum of cash. She's also a law student, the bio says, so she's about to make even more when she graduates and starts practicing.
Justin Reese also is involved in law, working as a personal injury lawyer at a firm in New Orleans, according to his bio. Glassdoor reports that the average attorney's salary in New Orleans is nearly $100,000 annually, so he's definitely in a lucrative business. He also works as a sports agent, according to the bio, and depending on what athletes he represents, his commission could be out of this world. Last, but not least, is Jon Moody — he's an artist, which might not sound like a great money-making scheme, but Jon is seriously sought-after. According to his Bravo bio, his work has been featured in the White House and is frequently purchased by celebrities. Some of his stuff is surprisingly affordable, according to his website, but once you get into commissions and bigger sizes, they could be hundreds of dollars a piece.
All of these people must have money to burn, or they wouldn't have been asked to participate in a franchise that's famous for showcasing the lifestyles of the rich. It's also worth noting that the median list price for a home in New Orleans is $320,000, according to Zillow, so even to own a home in this city, you have to have a healthy bank account.
These are all just estimates and guesswork based on what the cast does for a living and the lifestyles they seem to be accustomed to, but when Southern Charm: New Orleans debuts on April 15, viewers are likely to get an even more in-depth peek at exactly what money can buy in that city.
