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2 UMD Staffers Are New Faces of WETA House-Hunting Show ‘If You Lived Here’
Jennifer Osborn and Ricardo Frederick Evans are colleagues twice over: at The Clarice on campus and, now, as the new co-hosts of WETA's real estate and local history show, "If You Lived Here." As co-hosts, the longtime friends explore the houses and histories of local communities; below, the two film in front of College Park's historic Cory House.
Photos courtesy of WETA
When Jennifer Osborn and Ricardo Frederick Evans met in line for an open casting call for the Netflix political drama “House of Cards” in 2012, developing a long-term professional relationship seemed less likely than landing a spot on the hit series. Osborn was new to the area and eager to make friends, but Evans, a native Washingtonian, was reserved then and the next few times the two actors crossed paths in the D.C. theater scene.
But as they kept orbiting each other’s social circles, that iciness thawed and a deep friendship took its place. Twelve years later, the two have vacationed together, shared a house, and are working together in two ways: as colleagues at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and, starting last week, as co-hosts of WETA’s real estate and local history show, “If You Lived Here.”
“After our last shoot, we were stuck in traffic coming back from Dupont Circle, and I said to him, ‘There are very few people in this world that I could spend 16 hours with and then be stuck in traffic with, and we’re laughing and having a good time,’” said Osborn, who’s The Clarice’s rental partnerships and administrative coordinator.
(Plus: they both got on “House of Cards,” Evans in a non-speaking role as a journalist and Osborn as an assistant to Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright. “My two lines were, like, ‘Here are some insurance forms’ and ‘Here’s your mail,’ said Osborn. “I was like, surely they’re going to cut this. But they thought it’s interesting to see her get her mail, I guess.”)
Each episode of “If You Lived Here” takes viewers to a neighborhood in Washington, D.C., Maryland or Virginia, where Osborn and Evans visit three houses for sale at different price points; segments with local historians and community members delve into each place’s story, exploring how the area was developed and getting to know some of the defining institutions of each locale.
“I totally feel blessed to be able to learn about my hometown from people who are experiencing it and living it,” said Evans, who’s an artist services associate at The Clarice.
For the first three seasons of “If You Lived Here,” the series was hosted by WETA employees (and real-life friends) Christine Louise and John Begeny. In August 2023, Begeny died just two months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
When they began searching for a new set of hosts, producers were looking for the same easy rapport that Begeny and Louise shared, said Evans. Last fall, after working with Evans on a reading of a play, Felicia Curry, host of “WETA Arts,”encouraged him to audition for “If You Lived Here.” When producers asked if he had any friends who might be a good foil for him, he thought of Osborn, with whom he’d by then spent many hours kayaking, going to restaurants and taking group trips to the beach. They even lived together in D.C. for a few months during the pandemic.
“We sent in our audition tape, and we did a lot of interviews with producers that were like psychology questions,” said Osborn. “‘Who’s the more adventurous?’ ‘Who’s more nurturing?’ ‘What’s their favorite movie?’”
After securing the gig, Evans and Osborn started shooting the series, which this season will check out places like Cleveland Park, D.C., Burke, Va., Ellicott City, Md., and College Park (airing on Nov. 25). To prepare, Osborn, who had recently bought her first home, and Evans, who worked briefly as a real estate agent, brushed up on their architectural knowledge. “We do spend a lot of time researching what kinds of roofs are out there,” said Osborn.
In College Park, Osborn and Evans visited the Cory House, a circa-1880 Queen Anne-style house that was for sale at the time. “It was a gorgeous house, completely surrounded by landscaping and trees. I could not say ‘nestled’ enough,” said Evans.
They also shot a segment on McKeldin Mall, where they chatted with Terps about their favorite spots in College Park. “There are a fair amount of familiar faces in that episode,” teased Osborn.
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Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center College of Arts and Humanities