The Real World: Austin Cast - Where Are They Now? (2024)

The Real World: Austin cast members are all doing quite well in life, almost two decades since their reality TV debut. When The Real World: Austin premiered in June 2005, it became the sixteenth season of MTV's reality series The Challenge, which focused on a group of diverse people living together for several months in different cities each season. Season 16 of The Challenge, filmed in Austin, Texas, featured seven young cast members between 19 and 23 living together in a converted warehouse, and cameras followed their lives and interpersonal relationships.

After The Real World: Austin premiered, the show was watched by nearly 4 million people. The Real World: Austin was also named "Favorite Season" at the 2008 "The Real World Awards Bash." Almost two decades since the season premiered, the cast members who made the season memorable have all transformed from the youngsters fans watched lighting up the screens. Here is what The Real World: Austin cast is up to nowadays.

Danny Jamieson

Danny was 21 when he made his debut on The Real World: Austin. He quickly became one of the fan favorites due to his humble, sensitive, and assertive personality. Before joining the show, Danny's dream was to become a lawyer, but he had to suspend that to help his family with their business first. During his time on the show, Danny experienced a lot of highs and lows; a bar brawl landed him in the hospital, and he tragically lost his mother while recovering. Nonetheless, Danny met and fell in love with castmate Melinda Stolp, and their relationship continued off-screen.

After leaving The Real World: Austin, Danny appeared on several seasons of The Challenge, mostly alongside Melinda, whom he married in 2008. Sadly, Danny never successfully won any of the challenges despite several attempts. Danny's marriage to Melinda lasted only two years before the couple called it quits. However, in 2015, Danny got married again to Danielle McPhail Jamieson. The couple live in Boston, where Danny owns a construction company. Unlike some of his co-stars, Danny keeps a very low profile and isn't active on social media, only focusing on his career and family.

Johanna Botta

Johanna, from Riverside, California, made her The Real World: Austin debut with the aspiration of becoming a clinical therapist specializing in marriage and family counseling. Johanna, described as highly opinionated and argumentative, immediately started causing trouble when she got drunk and had an argument with co-star Nehemiah at a bar, which led to Danny getting injured. Nonetheless, the 21-year-old went through the rest of the season getting into relationship drama with co-stars. After The Real World: Austin, Johanna started dating co-star Wes Bergmann, and the two even appeared as a couple on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat.

However, they broke up soon after. Johanna married Willem Marx, and the duo relocated to London, where they welcomed their son. The couple have since become parents to another child. Since leaving The Real World: Austin, Johanna has remained in the media world, hosting shows for VH1, Fuse, and NBC. She also made her acting debut on shows like Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the British drama series McMafia. Between 2010 and 2011, Johanna hosted the late-night travel series 1st Look. In January 2022, Johanna was announced as the host of the show "The Download" on ReachTV.

Lacey Buehler

As a child, Lacey was raised in a strict environment by her ex-hippie-turned-devoutly religious parents, who monitored her television activities and what programs she had access to. Due to her distinctive background, Lacey found it hard to socialize at school, but her background also gave her a unique style. On the show, Lacey won hearts with her down-to-earth personality, and she gained more respect from her co-stars when she introduced them to her boyfriend, Ryan, who developed paraplegia after a car accident. After leaving The Real World: Austin, Lacey focused on her career by opening a salon in 2007.

In 2012, Lacey returned to the screen, appearing in The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons, but she was eliminated in the first stage. Lacey married Cameron Hanmer in 2016, and the couple welcomed their daughter two years later. Besides running her salon, "Tryst Salon," Lacey joined the creative arm at Living Proof, traveling around the country teaching hairstyling and cutting techniques. Lacey and her husband welcomed another daughter, Fiona, in May 2023.

Melinda Stolp

Melinda joined The Real World: Austin cast as a 21-year-old aspiring dentist from Germantown, Wisconsin. Melinda, who worked as a waitress before making her debut, was described as "sexy, creative, and quick-witted," and those traits made her a quick fan favorite. After making her debut on the show, Melinda broke up with her boyfriend back home after she fell in love with co-star Danny. Despite their ups and downs, the duo ended the show as a couple and eventually married in 2008. After the show ended, the duo participated in several seasons of The Challenge from 2006 to 2012.

Sadly, Melinda and Danny's marriage eventually ended in a divorce. Still, in 2016, Melinda remarried Matt Collins, and the couple welcomed their son Camden in 2019. Although Melinda suffered a miscarriage in 2021, she welcomed her second child, Hayden, in 2022. Although Melinda worked as a dental hygienist for a while, she also stayed in the media industry, hosting the "Blond Moments Podcast" and returning to The Challenge: All Stars season 2. Melissa is also into philanthropy, partnering with "Give Kids the World Charity," which provides week-long vacations to critically ill children and their families at no charge.

Nehemiah Clark

Nehemiah was just 19 years old when he made his debut in The Real World: Austin. However, having been born to a mother who was in rehab, Nehemiah's life was full of challenges, and his story was described as "heartbreaking and hopeful" during his debut. Despite being one of the youngest, Nehemiah appeared more intelligent and more mature for someone his age. Also, his bright and charismatic personality shone on the show but only in patches, as he spent most of the time napping and partying while his co-stars did most of the work.

Still, after leaving The Real World: Austin, Nehemiah would appear in several seasons of The Challenge from 2006 to 2011. In 2009, Nehemiah, a versatile musician, released his sophom*ore album, "The Shining," In 2021, Nehemiah appeared and won The Challenge: All Stars spin-off. Nehemiah also starred in The Challenge: Untold History, a special six-part documentary series released in 2022. Nehemiah is also a brand ambassador for "SnapIT Solutions" in Kansas City. In September 2023, Nehemiah became the Godfather of Lucy Jean, the daughter of his best friend Wes Bergmann.

Rachel Moyal

Rachel made her reality TV debut on The Real World: Austin, having spent four years as a U.S. Army combat nurse and Iraq War veteran. Due to her military background, Rachel appeared confident and outspoken on the show, which often caused a rift between her and her co-stars, who found her bossy. Rachel also gained a reputation as a troublemaker on the show when her revelation about Wes and Wren's hookup caused one of the season's biggest fights. Still, after the show, Rachel participated in a few seasons of The Challenge and won The Gauntlet III in 2008.

Simultaneously, Rachel also obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology from The State University of New York. Rachel would then earn a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Albany Medical College before crowning it with a Doctorate in Public Health in Health Policy and Leadership from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. From 2018 until 2020, Rachel was an Assistant Health Policy and Public Health Professor at Albany Medical College. Rachel currently lives in Albany, New York, where she works as a Senior Clinical Implementation Specialist at Ariadne Labs.

Wes Bergmann

Wes was 19 years old when he made his debut on The Real World: Austin. However, his obnoxious and competitive personality made him the guy you love to hate but also someone bright and entrepreneurial (via Cinemaholic). As a junior and frat boy at Arizona State University, Wes starred on the show, eager to graduate and start his own business. After his time on The Real World: Austin, Wes appeared on multiple seasons of The Challenge, participating in 14 challenges, winning some and finishing as runner-up in some. Wes exchanged marital vows with Amanda Hornick, his longtime girlfriend, in 2018.

Many of Wes' friends from his multiple seasons on The Challenge were at his wedding. After many seasons on The Challenge, Wes took time off to focus on other business ventures. However, Wes could not stay away for long, returning to the show in specials like We <3 Diem in 2014 and the six-part documentary series The Challenge: Untold History in 2022. In September 2023, Wes welcomed a daughter named Lucy Jean with Amanda. After over a decade since The Real World: Austin cast came together to make it the best season, it's heartening to see them all doing well.

Source: Cinemaholic