Getty Deena Cortese, JWoww and Snooki pose at HYDE Sunset: Kitchen + Cocktails in 2018.
When Deena Cortese became a “Jersey Shore” star during its third season, the audience was made to believe that she and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi had an established friendship. Some fans, however, may be curious whether the castmates were actually close prior to the production of “Jersey Shore” season 3.
Deena Cortese & Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi Discussed Their Friendship During a 2020 Instagram Live Stream
During an April 2020 Instagram live stream, Cortese and Polizzi revealed how they made each other’s acquaintance. Polizzi shared that the “Jersey Shore” co-stars “met on Myspace” prior to becoming MTV personalities. Cortese then revealed that Polizzi had been intrigued by her videos on the social media website.
“You saw my videos and you were like, ‘Oh you look so fun, I would like to have fun with you,’” said Cortese.
The mother-of-two then noted that they eventually met in person in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.
“This was way before ‘Jersey Shore’ and we hit it off and it was fun,” said Cortese.
Polizzi stated that she and her “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” co-star “were besties” upon their first meeting. Cortese also asserted that she and Polizzi “were exactly the same person.”
“And we knew that back then, it was just insane,” said the mother-of-two.
Cortese then shared that she “was casted the first season” of “Jersey Shore,” but was unable to film the show as she “had some personal stuff come up.”
“I couldn’t go into the house so I don’t know who came in for me but you can ask anybody but I was in the f***ing beginning trailer and so Nicole was like waiting for me. I never came, so she called me, she was like ‘Deena like where are you?’” recalled the 34-year-old.
Cortese also suggested that the show’s producers had been unaware that she and Polizzi had a friendship.
“A couple days later they go to Nicole and they go, ‘Who were you calling?’ and you said ‘Deena.’ And they go, ‘Deena that was supposed to be on the show?’ She goes, ‘Yeah.’ And they were like, ‘Why didn’t you guys tell us that you guys were friends?’ And then we were like, ‘Well, you know, whatever.’ So then they said, ‘Okay we can work this in,’” said the MTV personality.
Cortese went on to dispel the notion that she had replaced Angelina Pivarnick, who only appeared in “Jersey Shore” season 1 and 2. As fans are aware, Pivarnick is now a “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” cast member.
“I was supposed to come in regardless if Angelina left, if she didn’t leave. I was coming in. So that’s why when sometimes people are like, ‘You are Angelina’s replacement,’ I’m like, ‘No actually I wasn’t Angelina’s replacement I was supposed to be in the house and then I was coming in regardless because I knew before Angelina left that I was coming in,’” explained Cortese.
Deena Cortese Discussed Her Relationship With Her ‘Jersey Shore’ Co-Stars in 2018
During an April 2018 interview with Page Six, alongside her “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” co-star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Deena Cortese shared that she had established a stronger relationship with all of her castmates since “Jersey Shore” ended in 2012.
“Like we were all close back then but it was more like a working relationship and we didn’t really have time to become close outside the show ‘cause we continued filming like one right after the other,” explained Cortese. “Now we have that time to like really get to know each other outside of the show. And we got so close.”
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