The Real World: Austin is the sixteenth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. It is the second season to be filmed in the West South Central States region of the United States, specifically in Texas.
The season featured seven people who lived in a converted warehouse, which production started from January to May 2005. Consisting of 24 episodes, the season premiered on June 21 later that year and was watched by nearly 4 million viewers. The Real World: Austin won "Favorite Season" at the 2008 The Real World Awards Bash.Full Winners List for the 2008 The Real World Awards Bash at mtv.com
In 2019, the season was made available for streaming on Facebook Watch (alongside the seventeenth and twenty-eighth seasons) ahead of The Real World: Atlantas premiere.
Assignment Almost every season of The Real World, beginning with its fifth season, has included the assignment of a season-long group job or task to the housemates, continued participation in which has been mandatory to remain part of the cast since the Back to New York season. The Austin cast had to shoot, edit and direct their own documentary on the South by Southwest music festival. Their "boss" was Paul Stekler, an award-winning documentary filmmaker who taught at the University of Texas.
The residence
This season the cast was housed in the west half of a warehouse at 301 San Jacinto Boulevard at East 3rd Street in Austin, Texas, of which were used for filming. The interior used for the series was designed by Austin designer Joel Mozersky. Construction took three and a half weeks. 44 cameras were mounted on walls for filming. After filming ended, the warehouse was completely gutted. The west half of it was turned into a Mexican restaurant called The Rio Grande. The east half was leased to a printing services company. The house was converted into the Vince Young Steakhouse, which opened in November 2010.
Cast Cast member Age Hometown Danny Jamieson 21Biography page for Danny Jamieson at mtv.com Billerica, Massachusetts MTV.com describes Danny as a humble, sensitive, attractive, and assertive man. Before filming he wanted to become a lawyer, but has chosen to help his father with the family business first. Johanna Botta 21Biography page for Johanna Botta at mtv.com Riverside, California Johanna is Peruvian, born in Lima, Peru, who moved to the U.S. when she was eleven, and had been living in Southern California when she was cast. She aspires to be a clinical therapist, specializing in marriage and counseling for families. MTV.com describes her as highly opinionated and argumentative. Lacey Buehler 23 Tallahassee, Florida Lacey was raised by ex-hippie-turned devoutly religious parents who raised her in a strict manner, monitoring the TV and movies that she viewed. This made socialization at school difficult for her, but according to MTV, has given her a unique style. Melinda Stolp 21Biography page for Melinda Stolp at mtv.com Germantown, Wisconsin Melinda is an aspiring dentist working as a waitress when she was cast. MTV.com describes her "sexy, creative, and quick witted", and as a "once shy girl [who] has completely come out of her shell and truly lives by the saying 'I will try anything once.'" She had a boyfriend, but she fell in love with castmate Danny. Nehemiah Clark 19Biography page for Nehemiah Clark at mtv.com Rancho Cucamonga, California Nehemiah was born to a mother who was currently in rehab, and mtv.com describes his life as "a combination of heartbreaking and hopeful", and Nehemiah himself as a "bright, charismatic young man who has the wisdom and experience of someone far beyond his years." Rachel Moyal 21 Valencia, California Rachel is a Jewish former U.S. Army combat nurse and Iraq War veteran who enlisted in the military to pay for college. According to mtv.com, her military experience made her resilient, confident, and outspoken. According to MTV, she possesses a high sex drive, and sees Jenna Jameson as her hero, which may call into question whether she will be able to remain faithful to her boyfriend, whom she met in Iraq. Wes Bergmann 19Biography page for Wes Bergmann at mtv.com Leawood, Kansas MTV.com describes Wes, a junior and a frat boy at Arizona State University, as an "obnoxious, super-competitive jock", "the guy you love to hate", but also "bright and entrepreneurial." He cannot wait to graduate so he can start his own business. : Age at the time of filming.
Episodes
After filming Six months after the cast left the Real World house, all seven of them appeared to discuss their experiences both during and since their time on the show, Tex, Hugs, & Rock 'n' Roll: The Real World Austin Reunion, which premiered on November 29, 2005, and was hosted by Susie Castillo.
The four female cast mates posed in lingerie for a cover feature in Stuff magazine.Real World Austin. Maxim magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
At the 2008 The Real World Awards Bash, the Austin season won "Favorite Season", Danny and Melinda won "Favorite Love Story" and Johanna won "Best Dance-Off". The cast also received a nomination for "Steamiest Scene", Melinda was nominated for "Hottest Female", Danny for "Hottest Male", Johanna for "Best Brush with the Law", Rachel for "Best Meltdown"."The Real World Awards Bash: Nominees" . MTV.com. 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2013."The Real World Awards Bash: Winners" . MTV.com. 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
When filming ended Melinda moved to Boston to be with Danny. A film crew followed them in New York City as they took a carriage ride through Central Park and he proposed before the reunion show. On August 2, 2008, they married at Castle Hill outside Boston, with most of their former cast members among those in attendance.Martin, Michael. "Danny & Melinda have a Real World Wedding at Castle Hill near Boston". mm-agency.com. August 4, 2008 Danny owns a construction company while Melinda is planning a career in dentistry.Ryan Pienciaki, Elaine Aradillas and Paul Chi. "The Real World: Where Are They Now?". People. Vol. 70. No. 7. August 18, 2008 During the premiere of The Challenge: Cutthroat, Melinda revealed in a confessional that she and Danny were going through a divorce.Salvatore, Rosanne. "'The Real World' cast members: Where are they now?". Daily News. April 1, 2011. Page 33 of 44 In 2016, Melinda married Matt Collins. Their first child, Camden, was born in 2019. After suffering a miscarriage, their second child, Hayden Thomas, was born in 2022.
Wes and Johanna announced during the reunion show that they began dating several months after the conclusion of filming the show. They appeared together on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat, and Wes promised to use his prize money to pay for the engagement ring as he won the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel. At the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet III reunion show Johanna announced that she and Wes were no longer together. During the reunion special for Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island, it was revealed that KellyAnne Judd from The Real World: Sydney was dating Wes at the time. Wes and Johanna both appeared on the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins (as did KellyAnne Judd), during the season they experienced interpersonal conflicts stemming from the game and relationship issues. In a clip from Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins reunion, which aired on December 16, 2009, Wes and KellyAnne revealed that they were no longer a couple."It's Complicated". MTV.com. December 16, 2009
Johanna married Willem Marx. Together they have a child, Diego.
Wes proposed to Amanda Hornick in September 2016 at a Royals baseball game and got married in June 2018. Former roommates Lacey, Melinda, Rachel, Nehemiah and The Challenge costar Devin Walker-Molaghan were in attendance. The couple's first daughter was born on September 28, 2023. Outside of The Challenge, Wes competed on the second season of House of Villains, the twenty-eighth season of Worst Cooks in America, and the third season of The Traitors.
The Challenge This is the third season of The Real World whose entire cast has competed on The Real World/Road Rules Challenge. The first two are The Real World: Boston and The Real World: New Orleans.
Danny Jamieson Fresh Meat, The Inferno 3, The Gauntlet III, The Ruins,Fresh Meat II, Battle of the Seasons (2012) Johanna Botta Fresh Meat, The Gauntlet III, The Island, The Ruins Lacey Buehler Battle of the Seasons (2012) Melinda Stolp Fresh Meat, The Gauntlet III, Cutthroat (2010),Battle of the Seasons (2012) The Challenge: All Stars (season 2),The Challenge: All Stars (season 3) Nehemiah Clark The Duel, The Gauntlet III, The Duel II, Rivals, Battle of the Eras The Challenge: All Stars (season 1),The Challenge: All Stars (season 2),The Challenge: All Stars (season 3) Rachel Moyal The Inferno 3, The Gauntlet III Wes Bergmann Fresh Meat, The Duel, The Ruins, Fresh Meat II,Rivals, Battle of the Exes, Battle of the Seasons (2012),Rivals II, Battle of the Exes II, Rivals III,War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2,Total Madness, Double Agents Spring Break Challenge,The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros,The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars (season 1),The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars (season 2),The Challenge: All Stars (season 3),The Challenge: World Championship,The Challenge: USA (season 2)
References
External links The Real World: Austin official site. MTV. Cast Bios. The Real World: Austin. MTV. Episodes. The Real World: Austin. MTV. The Real World and Road Rules Blog