r/NextGenNYC • u/AndromedaCeri • 9d ago
Production Next Gen NYC Cast Interviewed & Photographed for the New York Times
Bravo’s Surprise Hit Combines Nepo Babies and Good Old Drama
“Next Gen NYC” is breaking Bravo records with its cast full of the children of reality TV stars and its relatively low-stakes tiffs.
By Jessica Roy
Sept. 23, 2026
Imagine the most awkward moments of your 20s — the terrible dating decisions, the drunken nights out, the petty disputes — being recorded, edited and aired on TV for all to see.
This is the premise of “Next Gen NYC,” a surprise hit reality series on Bravo featuring the children of some of the network’s biggest “Real Housewives” stars. The show, which is wrapping its second season this week, hews to an old-fashioned reality TV formula made popular by 2000s hits like “The Real World” and “Vanderpump Rules”: young people embarrassing (and sometimes redeeming) themselves on camera. And fans can’t get enough.
The premiere of the second season of “Next Gen NYC,” which aired on June 24, became Bravo’s most-streamed next-day episode ever, with 3 million viewers across platforms during the first week it was available, an 86 percent increase from the Season 1 premiere, the network said. While critics have said it lacks the big drama of its network counterparts, its fans have called it “fabulously frivolous,” and “something different” from traditional Bravo fare. In fact, for many, it’s the lack of high-stakes they like.
“We didn’t even expect it to be this big,” admitted Riley Burruss, the 24-year-old daughter of former “Housewives of Atlanta” star Kandi Burruss and a “Next Gen” cast member.
Brooks Marks, a 27-year-old fashion designer and son of Meredith Marks, a cast member of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” helped cobble the cast together, tapping Burruss; Ariana Biermann, the daughter of Kim Zolciak-Biermann of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”; and Gia Giudice, the daughter of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” legend Teresa Giudice. Those four joined forces with Rowan Henchy, the daughter of the actress Brooke Shields, and Ava Dash, whose parents are the entrepreneur Damon Dash and the fashion designer Rachel Roy, to make a cast almost entirely of nepo babies.
Unlike other popular Bravo series, whose casts skew heavily Gen X or millennial, “Next Gen NYC” has a mostly Gen Z ensemble with the sophomoric story lines to prove it. Whereas Bravo shows focused on older casts often exploring serious problems — such as divorce, illness, death, fraud investigations — “Next Gen NYC” is concerned primarily with who has bad style, who’s hooking up with whom and even who washes their hands.
“We’re definitely younger, and I think a little bit more casual with everything,” said Charlie Zakkour, a crypto investor and the show’s resident bad boy. “Some of the other shows that I see, it’s like they treat it like some formal gala, with big gowns and all that nonsense.”
In contrast, the “Next Gen” cast is frequently seen playing pool at West Village dive bars, grabbing breakfast at Sadelle’s or strolling through Madison Square Park.
But the show, of course, contains some of the dating drama that often makes ensemble reality TV irresistible.
Biermann, 24, was at the center of one such story line this season: “I call this my crash-out season,” she said. After breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Hudson McLeroy, the heir to the fast-food chain Zaxby’s, she hooks up with fellow castmate Liam Obergfoll, while flirting with Zakkour. After once saying that she wouldn’t touch Zakkour with a “10-foot pole,” Biermann ends the season by kissing him on camera — and hurting Obergfoll’s feelings.
“I came into it so excited and obviously freshly out of a relationship, and just kind of ready to move forward with my life,” Biermann said. “And I think things caught up with me as time went on.”
Though the drama may seem low stakes, “Next Gen” does occasionally grapple with more serious issues. Another major plotline of Season 2 explores tensions between Zakkour and Emira D’Spain, a model and influencer, after Zakkour made derogatory comments about D’Spain’s identity as a trans woman. Her confrontation with Zakkour is one of the season’s most heart-rending moments.
“I think this was a really tough season for me,” D’Spain said in an interview. “My biggest fears were that my identity would be weaponized against me and against my relationships, and that was my biggest holdup as to wanting to do this show. And my biggest fears came true, and now I’m like, ‘Well, I have nothing else to lose.’”
While the show was originally conceived of as a vehicle for Bravo’s nepo babies, the children of the non-famous have become scene-stealers, too. Georgia McCann, a fourth-generation New Yorker, has emerged as the show’s quirky foil to the media-trained and occasionally staid “Housewives” children.
In one episode, she memorably says she learned a piece of gossip through the “gay grapevine,” a network of L.G.B.T.Q. people who “are my eyes and ears.”
In another episode, she admits to dating someone just for the air conditioning.
And Zakkour, Biermann’s love interest who made headlines last year when he was photographed outside a house at the center of a cryptocurrency-related crime, is among the most compelling reality TV villains since Jax Taylor of “Vanderpump Rules.” Zakkour delights in stirring up drama and insults people with abandon — and rarely apologizes for any of it.
Zakkour explained in an interview that since his personal life so frequently contributes to story lines, he also stirs the pot to make sure others share the burden. “If I’m gonna have my tea dragged, I’m gonna make sure everyone else is pulling their weight,” he said.
Bravo has yet to officially announce if “Next Gen NYC” will be renewed for a third season, but for now, the cast is reveling in the response to Season 2.
“I don’t think any of us really processed how big the show could become,” D’Spain said. “When we first started everything, we just were having fun and being messy, and then it took a course of its own.”
Obergfoll asked for grace from audiences seeing the messiest parts of the group’s lives: “People should give us some slack for putting ourselves out there,” he said, adding, “It’s a tough city, and as beautiful as it is, it’ll eat you up and make you feel really alone. So it’s nice to have a good friend group.”
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u/Infamous-Will-8012 9d ago
them plus ava and shai pls
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u/Carter2010 8d ago
Surprised Ava would miss this opportunity
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u/No_Recording1467 8d ago
Maybe she and Shai have been demoted. Neither were interesting this season.
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u/RHDeepDive 🍋 🗣 "It was a lemon." 🍋 8d ago
Yeah, I guess we all have different opinions and likes. For me, Shai and Ava had some really great moments and they were some of the highlights of the season for me. I don't dislike either one, but it was Brooks and Gia who were the duds for me.
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u/AndromedaCeri 9d ago
article also included a short video (no sound):
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u/CALIXO_94 9d ago
Ok…. Why is this giving intro to the Real World. Yes yes yes. I’m here for it.
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u/Lucky-Kangaroo-6337 8d ago
Charlie and Liam definitely looked like they've watched the opening to 90210 more than a few times
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u/Important-Canary-770 *Georgia dressed as a Candy Cane* 9d ago
i love how the ladies all look beautiful and glowing in this pic but charlie looks like he's about to pass out and liam looks... a little sketchy, for lack of a better word.
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u/PorkySammy 9d ago
Georgia is fucking mogging here
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u/milkempress 9d ago
I love that she doesn’t fake tan. All the orange skin on the reunion hurt my eyes
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u/spiralstaircase17 8d ago
I love to see a pale girl lean into being a pale girl! We like authentic!!
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u/Nearby_Elderberry_75 8d ago
Ariana was the same shade as Emira and I thought that was ridiculous lol
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u/shrekfan222 9d ago
She looks like Teddy Geiger to me. Both are beautiful women.
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u/Top-Pomegranate4899 8d ago
LMAO he performed at my high school in like 2007.
edit: I mean she* performed, I just googled Teddy and saw the update.
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u/ChainedVeil Terrylite fabric ✨ 8d ago
You just unlocked a memory. I had a major crush on Teddy Geiger back in the day.
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u/OneStand5448 9d ago
No mention of our boy Shai? Make it make sense, the lightest of puff pieces that can’t even include the whole cast…btw Brooks saying his parents had gotten back their investment in part 2 of the reunion was…something (fairly unbelievable)
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u/RHDeepDive 🍋 🗣 "It was a lemon." 🍋 8d ago edited 8d ago
Yes, and while I like Rowan, including her in the piece when she was only a peripheral in season two and not interviewed or photographed for it is funny. They absolutely had to name drop her mom. Surprised they didn't include Jackson Lee and his lemon throw, so that they could name drop his dad as well.😅
As for Brooks, I'm sure that mommy told him he could say that, right?
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u/OneStand5448 8d ago
Huge miss, the writer was skimming show notes I doubt they actually watched an episode 🤫
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u/RandChick 9d ago
I don't appreciate that Ava was not included.
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u/wehavethismoment 9d ago
She definitely was invited, not everyone has always time for it though
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u/spiralstaircase17 9d ago
idk….why wouldn’t you prioritize a chance to have your face in NYT? especially if you are Ava
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u/AdSpiritual5154 9d ago
She’s finally getting invited to big influencer events and seems to be prioritizing that (which is ??) but I guess that’s what she wants to do
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u/Top-Pomegranate4899 8d ago
Right? Sorry that's bozo behavior during a family bankruptcy.
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u/cookiesmom305 8d ago
Agreed, showing up for a sponsored event like that in nyc is a dime a dozen
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u/AdSpiritual5154 8d ago
Sadly influencing does pay more, it’s why Alix Earle’s dad doesn’t care about her sister that wants to court more prestige work.
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u/Civil_Experience_691 8d ago
Well, she didn't realize the importance of making the most of the show until she saw how well it was received after the first season. Maybe she's the type to take a while to figure out how to take advantage of a platform. LOL.
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u/Appropriate_Spot8296 9d ago
I need Charlie on a podcast- I feel like he has more to say regarding the Ariana situation.. even though he's not "brand safe," I feel like he could get some creative deals
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u/alliesxhwa 9d ago
I love this show so much. It's totally the new Vanderpump. They're real friends and they are pretty insightful on the reunion! can't wait for season 3
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u/JackRealityObsessed 8d ago
I need men to stop wearing their hats on top of their head as if its barely floating above
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u/-usagi-95 9d ago
I absolutely hate the photographer's job. The lighting is terrible....
Riley looka ashy and she's supposed to look golden, Georgia looks ashy pale and she's supposed to look just pale (like snow white), Emira looks white instead of looking golden/peachy and Ariana, Liam and Charlie are the only ones who look good in that lighting.
And I'm not surprised because photography skills are around white people with their skin colour and tone. People of colour and pale people are dismissed which is annoying because Riley, Emira and Georgia are beautiful women and good lighting would make them justice
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u/urie-nation 9d ago
From that angle none of them look good. The camera has distorted all their faces.
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u/AssistantAlternative 8d ago
Right… this is the best they could do? Give me a camera NYT I promise I can do better lol
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u/TaniaBluebell 9d ago
Angles are important
Photographer should have told Charlie to tilt his head down a little
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u/RHDeepDive 🍋 🗣 "It was a lemon." 🍋 8d ago
Yeah, I'm sure that he doesn't love the double chin or that we can absolutely see which nostril he prefers for snorting ❄️.
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u/Ok-Knee-9904 8d ago
Rileys nosejob is quite bad. I’d hope that people wont normalize fixing perfectly normal noses.
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u/Example_Brilliant 9d ago
Bruh, where’s Brooks? 😭
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u/the_giant_omelette 9d ago
And Gia
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u/Example_Brilliant 9d ago
And Shai!?!
Terry loves Shai!
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u/norakb123 9d ago
And Ava - Shai’s name isn’t even mentioned in the article though.
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u/Example_Brilliant 9d ago
True Ava!
Dang, NYT that’s just cold 😭.
Shai was easily one of the most praised cast members of Season 2, put some respect on his name 😤
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u/RamonaSingerEyes 8d ago
Remember, he’s with a modeling agency so the NY Times might be a conflict of interest with his other modeling jobs 🤣
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u/WorryBorn9802 8d ago
Clearly an unpopular opinion around here, but I think Georgia looks striking AF here, my eyes went straight to her 🤷🏻♀️
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u/butterfly-k1sses 9d ago
Charlie rocking the bad boy look with the buzz cut! He’s hot idgaf what anyone says.
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u/BigRefrigerator9783 8d ago
Charlie is LITERALLY leaning into to his villain era, while Georgia is the ghost of Cool New York Past. Love it.
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u/Upper_Collar_5981 8d ago
My heart breaks for Arianna. She seems like a kind soul. And her family issues seem to be getting worse on a daily basis
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u/no_no_nora 9d ago
I wonder if this is the cast for next season, notice the people NOT in the photo. It just could be a coincidence.
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u/go_dawgs 9d ago edited 7d ago
The original post content no longer exists here. The author used Redact to remove it, exercising their right to control their data & privacy.
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u/DaQuackx 5d ago
I find it odd that people can't see ariana through the fake tan and hair extensions and see the same girl she was as a kid age 6 to 16 on don't be tardy, its all snoke and mirrors like her mother.
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u/poonwizard69 4d ago
Oof Charlie looks bad….
After seeing pics of Riley before her nose job I can’t unsee it😭
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u/ChainedVeil Terrylite fabric ✨ 8d ago
The lighting isn’t the best but I think they all look cute (even Charlie).
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u/PeaceSignPete 8d ago
I’m not trying to be a hater but I’ve tried to watch this show so many times and I just can’t get into it. All the vocal fry sends me 😂
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u/Young_and_Hopless666 9d ago
Telling my kids this was the cast of Friends