Real World Homecoming: Which Star Didn't Actually Film with Former Housemates?

This is the true story of six strangers picked to live in a house ... and one phoning it in on Zoom.

When "The Real World Homecoming: New York" premieres later this week on Paramount+, it will do so with one of the show's cast members participating virtually and not with the rest of his costars in the original loft.

According to the New York Times, star Eric Neiss traveled to New York to film with everyone else, but was forced to shoot his stuff from a hotel room and interact with his former housemates over a video monitor.

"I'm not sure how much I can get into that right now," he said when asked about why he had to remain separated from the group. He added that it was "definitely not by my choice," but said he "accepted the outcome" and promised "more will be revealed in the future."

Appearing in the same SoHo loft in which they originally filmed nearly 30 years ago, however, are Neiss' costars Becky Blasband, Andre Comeau, Heather B. Gardner, Julie Gentry, Norman Korpi and Kevin Powell. The revival will find them readdressing some of the original show's most memorable moments, catching up and having new conversations about race, sexuality and more.

"Hopefully we've reached this level where the slings and arrows and heatedness can mature into a rational conversation and a real discourse," said Blasband of returning to the show that started it all.

Comeau said he was excited to show how he's evolved and matured since the original series, especially in regards to race.

"At the time, I thought I was oppressed,” he told the Times. "Being a young, longhaired white male living in a city, I would get pulled over on a regular basis. But that is nowhere near the level of institutional racism that happens every day."

Added Powell of how he was perceived on the show, "I got stigmatized as a politically angry Black man, and that stuck with me for a long time. It was very painful having to deal with that." He continued, "At the time, was I very heated in a different kind of way about racism? Absolutely. Am I different person now? You will see that when you watch the episodes."

Find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real ... again ... when "The Real World Homecoming:  New York" premieres Thursday, March 4 on Paramount+.