Sanela Diana Jenkins, who goes by Diana, is the newest cast member of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. We are only one episode in, and have not yet been introduced to Diana, but her arrival has been long-awaited since the Season 12 trailer dropped in April.
In the dramatic trailer, Sutton Stracke calls her a “soulless person,” to which Diana iconically shoots back, “You need a new villain? Here I am!”
So who is the self-proclaimed new villain of Beverly Hills? Let’s get to know entrepreneur, philanthropist and new reality television star Diana Jenkins.
Diana’s younger years were spent in a war-torn country
Diana was born in 1973 in Sarajevo, Bosnia, to a common middle-class family, but her life changed when the outbreak of war happened in 1992. Diana’s brother was murdered by opposition soldiers as her country was under attack, forcing her family to flee to Croatia as refugees. She later migrated to London and began her studies in computer science and economics. Diana was granted permanent citizenship to the United Kingdom.
In London, she owned a jewelry store, and she also started a popular swimwear line called Melissa Odabash, which was hugely successful among celebrities, and Diana still owns this brand currently. It was in London that she met her husband, British banker Roger Jenkins. Although they divorced in 2012, they continue to co-parent their teenage children, daughter Eneya and son Innis. In her divorce settlement, she allegedly was awarded $300 million, and moved to Malibu. She currently lives in the Hidden Hills section of Los Angeles.
Diana has been in a long-term relationship with musician Asher Monroe, and they have one daughter, Eliyanah, who was born in 2020.
Diana is a major boss babe and activist
Diana is the CEO of the lifestyle drink company, Neuro Brands. The low-sugar beverages she sells can be used for everything from building immunity to improving customers’ sleep. As a health and fitness enthusiast, Diana felt the need to make a product that was smart, sexy, and most importantly, healthy. The multi-million dollar a year brand is found in over 70,000 retailers around the country.
She is also the president and CEO of D Empire Entertainment, which is an independent music label & management firm, and was co-founded by her partner, Asher.
Aside from running and owning multiple businesses, Diana dedicates a lot of her spare time to being a philanthropist and helping others in need. In 2002 she opened the Iris Catic Foundation in memory of her brother who was killed during the war. In 2010, she also founded another organization with actor Sean Penn called the Jenkins-Penn Haitian Relief Organization, which was created to provide emergency medical care for victims of the earthquake.
Diana has also held fundraisers for the Elton John Aids Foundation and was honored by the foundation in 2012 with the Enduring Vision award for her humanitarian work. She has also created the UCLA Sanela Diana Jenkins Human Rights Project.
Diana is close friends with Neil Patrick Harris and his husband, David Burtka, for more than a decade. Her inner circle also includes the Kardashian family, Elton John, and his husband, David Furnish. Now she can add the illustrious The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills to the list!
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays on Bravo.