Ryan Serhant Is His Own Worst Enemy

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Ryan Serhant was already having a great career selling high-end apartments when he tried out for Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York. The show, which aired from 2012 to 2021, followed real estate agents as they competed to sell luxury properties in New York City. A key to its success was the competitive dynamic between Serhant and his co-star Fredrik Eklund – Serhant even calls it the best rivalry ever seen on reality television. He recalls that they were both top sellers in New York, and their competition was very personal, especially with cameras rolling.

After 15 seasons, Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles ended in 2021, suggesting Bravo is moving away from real estate TV. The genre has thrived on Netflix, though, starting with Selling Sunset. This success led to more real estate shows on the platform, including Mauricio Umansky (from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) joining Buying Beverly Hills, and Ryan Serhant’s Owning Manhattan launching in 2024. Serhant’s show gives viewers an inside look at his growing real estate firm, and he believes it’s remarkably genuine. “Often, reality TV makes you question what’s real,” he explains. “But our shows are uncomfortably honest.” He even worried during the second season of Owning Manhattan that the show lacked a clear antagonist, until he realized, “I’m the villain.”

People often ask when I felt successful in reality TV. I’ve been on five shows now – four with Bravo over ten years, and now Owning Manhattan is my fifth, with Netflix. But honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever truly felt like I’ve ‘made it.’

I’ll never forget being on Watch What Happens Live after the first season of Million Dollar Listing finished airing in 2012. We were all so nervous, not knowing what the future held, and then Andy announced we were coming back for a second season! We – me and the other cast members – were completely shocked and thrilled. That moment really launched what became an incredible, long-lasting adventure for all of us.

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If you had to pick one moment on TV that really stands out for your career, what would it be? It happened on an episode of Million Dollar Listing: New York. I went to a property my competitor was selling – it had a gorgeous pool – and I spontaneously stripped down and jumped in. People still bring that up to me constantly.

Reality TV is captivating because it’s like seeing an exaggerated version of everyday life. To create compelling content, you need to be engaging. Simply going through the motions – like entering a room, noticing a pool, and quietly eating a muffin – won’t capture viewers’ attention. Instead, you need to create memorable, even shocking, moments that generate buzz and excitement.

Someone once asked me what I spent my first paycheck on. It came from season one of Million Dollar Listing: New York, and I earned $3,000 per episode. That wasn’t enough to cover living expenses in New York City, so I had to keep working. Honestly, I earn much more now through real estate than I ever did appearing on reality TV.

If you had to sum up your on-screen personality with just five words, what would you say? For me? Honestly, just ‘straight Andy Cohen’ or ‘Ryan Reynolds’.

I realized I was being misunderstood when the show Million Dollar Listing first aired. My mom pointed out that what I thought was humor wasn’t landing that way with audiences. Because the show was so widely seen, a lot of people perceived me as an arrogant and sarcastic person, and I felt really misrepresented. I was only 24, and while you shouldn’t listen to every single opinion, it became clear that if everyone online was seeing me a certain way, I needed to consider if I was the problem. It made me reflect on how I was actually coming across to viewers.

Which reality stars seem genuinely authentic on TV, and which ones put on a completely different act? Andy Cohen is consistently himself, both on and off screen. The same goes for Bethenny Frankel – she’s a true friend and presents herself honestly. I recently filmed a show with Kim Zolciak for Netflix’s Squid Game: The VIP Challenge, and she was just as genuine as she appears on TV. I really tried to find a difference between her on-screen and off-screen personality, but she was consistently the same. Conversely, Steve Gold from Million Dollar Listing: New York was very outgoing on camera, but in real life, he’s actually quiet, introverted, and really sweet.

Does every successful reality TV show need someone to play the bad guy? Absolutely. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg famously said you always need to know where the villain is in a story. Even when focusing on the heroes, the audience should always be aware of the source of conflict. Take shows like Deadliest Catch – the dangerous ocean is always present, representing the threat. Or Ice Road Truckers, where the icy roads are the constant danger. The reality shows that fail are usually those that don’t clearly define what—or who—that danger is.

I play the villain on Owning Manhattan, but I didn’t realize it until I was watching the edits in the second season – I’m also an executive producer on the show. I actually reached out to the other producers and asked if I was the bad guy, and they wouldn’t even answer me! It was a really unsettling realization, and I’m still processing it, going to a lot of therapy to work through it.

Do you have an enemy? Not really. I think my biggest challenge is myself. I often create my own problems and have to work through them daily – it’s like battling my own internal storms.

You know, people always ask me what I miss from before I got any recognition. Honestly, I’ve landed in a really good spot. People know me as the real estate guy, which is fantastic for business, but it’s not like I’m constantly hounded by paparazzi or can’t enjoy a meal in peace. The only downside? I actually have to put some effort into my appearance now! I’ve got a lot of hair, and it’s gone completely gray – seriously, it’s like a steel wool pad! People definitely notice and aren’t shy about telling me what they think about how I look. It’s a bit much sometimes, but that’s just part of it, I guess.

If you’re hoping to become a reality TV star, my biggest piece of advice is to really go for it! As long as you stay true to yourself and don’t act completely outlandish, take risks and do things that might feel a little daring. The only real downside is if people aren’t interested, which would mean you wasted your time.

If I were on The Traitors, I’d team up with Dylan Efron. I just finished filming a Squid Game experience with him in London for Netflix – it was incredibly intense and I’m still processing it! It was a wild experience, and Dylan actually won while playing as a ‘Faithful’ player. Because people already see him as trustworthy and he’s naturally good at games, he’d be the perfect Traitor partner – everyone would suspect someone else!

For me, the greatest reality TV feud ever is definitely Ryan Serhant versus Fredrik Eklund on Million Dollar Listing: New York. I truly believe it’s one that people will be talking about for years to come. What made it so good was how genuine it all felt. You often watch reality shows and wonder what’s real and what’s manufactured, if the drama is forced by producers. But with our show, it was uncomfortably honest. We were genuinely two of the best real estate agents in New York City, competing directly, and everything felt incredibly personal – we both took it very seriously.

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2026-05-07 16:05