Jenny McCarthy has revealed a surprising connection to The Real Housewives of Rhode Island her son’s former nanny is now a reality TV star.
The Masked Singer judge shared on the July 16 episode of Bachelor Happy Hour that Ashley Iaconetti, now known to fans as Ashley I. from The Bachelor franchise and RHORI, once worked as the nanny for her son Evan Asher
McCarthy said the job ended abruptly when Iaconetti got cast on season 19 of The Bachelor in 2015.
“She was my son’s nanny,” McCarthy explained. “And of course, my son was like, ‘I have the hottest nanny in the world.’ And then one day, she’s like, ‘I can’t work for you anymore’ and I was like, ‘Why? Who’s stealing you?’ And she was like, ‘I got chosen to go on The Bachelor.’”
McCarthy, who shares 24-year-old Evan with ex-husband John Asher, said she was supportive and even gave Iaconetti some advice before she left for the show.
“You’re gonna do everything I tell you to do and you’re gonna make it,” McCarthy recalled telling her. “You’re gonna just pull through. I don’t know if you’re gonna find love, but everyone’s gonna know who Ashley I. is after this.”
While Iaconetti didn’t find love with season 19 lead Chris Soules, the franchise did change her life. She met her future husband, Jared Haibon, on Bachelor in Paradise later that same year. The two married in 2019.
McCarthy’s husband, Donnie Wahlberg, even showed up to celebrate Iaconetti before the wedding. He posted on Instagram Story during her bachelorette trip: “Happy Bachelorette Party ASHLEY!!!! #NKOTBachelorette congrats Ashley & Jared!” with fellow New Kids On The Block members in attendance.
Since marrying Haibon, Iaconetti has built a family and a new chapter in reality TV. The couple now has two sons: Dawson, 4, and Hayden, 23 months. They moved to Haibon’s home state of Rhode Island, which set the stage for her latest TV role.
Iaconetti joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island as part of the show’s reboot. She told People on April 4 that the transition was an adjustment.
“That was a learning curve for me because I think that I expected one thing and then had to settle into another,” she said. “But I’ve always felt pretty comfortable in front of the camera.”
For McCarthy, watching her former nanny evolve from caring for her son to starring on two major Bravo and ABC franchises has been a full-circle moment.
McCarthy and Iaconetti aren’t the only pair with a surprising backstory. Hollywood is full of friendships that started in unexpected places.
Jacob Elordi and Teyana Taylor bonded after both received 2026 Oscar nominations. Taylor has called Elordi her “awards-season bestie” and joked about their matching mullets. “We’re young, we’re blessed, we’re being celebrated — this is the time to be happy and to have fun with it,” Taylor told Time in February.
Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon have been friends for years. They starred together in A Wrinkle in Time, and Kaling had a recurring role on The Morning Show. Witherspoon is also co-writing Legally Blonde 3.
Ayesha Curry and Lindsay Lohan met during a trip to Dubai and grew close over the years. Curry and her husband Stephen are even godparents to Lohan and husband Bader Shammas’ son, Laui.
Adam Sandler and Timothée Chalamet first worked together in the 2014 film Men, Women & Children. They reunited in 2023 for a casual basketball game in New York City.
Russell Crowe and RZA have collaborated on multiple films including American Gangster, The Next Three Days, and The Man with the Iron Fists. Crowe said their friendship goes beyond work: “As friends, we talk. It is no effort for me to give a friend advice.”
Michelle Dockery and Pippa Middleton first met when Middleton visited the Downton Abbey set with her brother James. They reconnected years later at Wimbledon.
David Beckham and Snoop Dogg became friends after Beckham moved to Los Angeles to play soccer. Beckham appeared on Snoop’s reality show, and the two have played soccer together. Snoop has said he plays new music for Beckham first.
Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart worked together on Twilight and The Runaways as child actors. Fanning says their friendship isn’t about work: “When we’re together, we’re not talking about movie stuff.”
Paris Hilton and Britney Spears were inseparable in the early 2000s and have remained friends through the years.Nicki Minaj and Anna Wintour bonded in the front row of an Oscar de la Renta show. Wintour even got a name-drop in one of Minaj’s songs.
50 Cent and Bette Midler met through the New York Restoration Project charity. Midler has called 50 Cent “one of the newest members of our tribe.”
Taylor Swift and Lena Dunham have mutual respect despite very different public personas. Dunham called attending a Swift concert “the most life-affirming thing I’ve experienced.”
Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini have been close for years, bonding over fashion and family. They often post about each other with the hashtag “#luckybesties.”
Gwyneth Paltrow and Jay-Z are friends through BeHill has said Pitt is a prankster on set.Eminem and Elton John performed together at the 2001 Grammys. Years later, Eminem said he reached out to John for advice while getting sober
For McCarthy, the reveal about Iaconetti is a reminder of how small the entertainment world can be. A nanny job led to The Bachelor, which led to marriage, motherhood, and now a spot on RHORI.
And for Iaconetti, the full-circle moment includes having the support of the family she once worked for cheering her on from the sidelines.
From changing diapers to filming confessionals, it’s been quite a journey — and McCarthy is clearly proud to have played a small part in it
