Heavy/Peacock Teresa Giudice hugs Joey Gorga.
Teresa Giudice ran into her estranged family members while filming a scene for “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” and fans had a mixed reaction to how she handled the situation.
The Bravo OG has been in an ongoing feud with her brother Joe Gorga and his wife Melissa. But the families were forced to film together during a charity softball game featured on the 14th season of RHONJ.
But when the Gorgas’ son, Joey, joined them for the game, Giudice came face to face with her nephew for the first time in a while.
Here’s what you need to know:
Teresa Giudice Awkwardly Hugged Her Nephew Joey Gorga
PeacockGia and Teresa Giudice hug Joey Gorga.
Giudice’s encounter with her estranged family members took place in the RHONJ season 14 episode titled “A League of Their Own Worst Enemy.”
In the scene, Giudice and her husband Louie Ruelas, and daughter Gia were in the locker room at the Battle for Brooklyn charity softball game when the Gorgas walked in with their then 13-year-old son, Joey.
Melissa Gorga spotted Giudice, and while she didn’t greet her herself, she instructed Joey, “Go give your aunt a kiss hello.”
As Joey hugged his Aunt Teresa, she gave him an air kiss and said, “Hi, Joey, how are ya?” Giudice did not look at her nephew as she spoke to him.
Gia Giudice then leaned in to give her cousin a hug before he walked off without further conversation.
Fans felt the scene was extremely awkward.
“The locker room scene with Little Joey and Tre/Gia was so sad,” one commenter wrote on Reddit.
“Production is so messy having Melissa, Joe and baby Joey walk in at the same time Teresa, Louie & Gia do 😫😫 #RHONJ,” another wrote on X.
“I have rewatched the locker room scene with Teressa, Gia, Louie, Joe and Melissa on #rhonj … about 20 times. So tense and honestly uncomfortable fr,” another wrote.
Others felt Giudice seemed “cold” toward her nephew, while others noted that the Gorgas did not acknowledge their niece, Gia.
“Melissa tells her son to acknowledge his aunt, while Teresa has raised her kids to disrespect their aunt. And did you see Teresa acted as though hugging her own nephew gave her the creeps?!” another asked.
“Notice how Teresa acknowledged her nephew but THAT Aunt & Uncle didn’t acknowledge Gia?” another noted.
Teresa & Melissa Both Said Their Kids Stay in Touch With Their Cousins
The adult Gorga/Giudice family members are completely estranged and did not talk at all during filming for RHONJ season 14. But both Giudice and Melissa Gorga have stated that their kids do communicate with their cousins.
According to BravoTV.com, during a February 2023 appearance on “Watch What Happens Live,” Giudice was asked specifically about her daughter Milania’s relationship with her cousin Antonia Gorga. Giudice claimed that the cousins still “text” each other and “communicate on social media.”
“That’s all I know,” the mom of four added. “I guess you would have to ask both of them more.”
Giudice added, “Listen, they can see each other anytime they want. I would love that.”
In 2023, Milania Giudice posed with her cousin Antonia Gorga at their high school prom. Antonia shared the surprising selfie to her Instagram story in June 2023.
During a separate episode of “Watch What Happens Live,” Melissa Gorga also confirmed that her kids text their Giudice cousins. “They don’t hang out, but they text,” she said in May 2024.
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RHONJ Fans React to Teresa Giudice’s Awkward Run-In With Gorga Nephew