The future looks bright for the next generation of Bravo stars. Are they chaotic and maybe a little too chronically online? Yes, absolutely. But like the Real Housewives, luxury yacht stews, and Los Angeles cocktail servers that came before them, they’re more than willing to bare their flaws, own their drama, and turn their messy lives into must-watch TV.
Just look at Ariana Biermann, one of the breakout cast members of Next Gen NYC—a new reality series following Gen Z twentysomethings as they navigate life in the big city. It’s basically like Gossip Girl and The Real World had a child, but with Real Housewives nepo babies thrown into the mix.
And Biermann just so happens to be one of them.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Biermann has been on TV for most of her life, thanks to her mom Kim Zolciak’s time on The Real Housewives of Atlanta and its spinoff, Don’t Be Tardy. Her dad, Kroy Biermann, an ex-NFL football player, also made several appearances on the show.
So in a way, her solo entry into Bravo’s reality TV world was practically ordained.
“I watched my mom film Real Housewives and Don’t Be Tardy for years. She loved it and was like, ‘This is amazing that I get to make money and work with my family every day,’” Biermann recalls.
Yet stepping into the spotlight—and facing all the scrutiny that follows—for Next Gen NYC was still a scary prospect: “It was exciting and nerve-wracking to step out on my own and do my own thing.”
Of course, it helps that she’s been in front of the camera since she was about five years old.
“If I had no experience with it, I don’t know if I would jump to be in front of the camera and do it. But I’m very used to it, and I’m just me in a way,” Biermann explained.
Her candidness also extends to her family’s financial and personal woes.
In the premiere of the series, Biermann made the shocking revelation that her parents, who are currently divorcing, allegedly spent all the money she made as a child TV and internet personality, earning what she called “astronomical” paychecks for sponsored Instagram posts.
Back in 2023, Kroy accused Zolciak of gambling away $1.5 million, leaving their family “financially devastated.” Biermann doesn’t address this accusation on the show, but she admits that her mom isn’t in the best financial situation, revealing that Zolciak often asks her for money.
The media frenzy around the episode was immediate, getting picked up by major publications across the country, including TMZ, US Weekly, and The Daily Beast. It was hard for Biermann to handle the increased attention around her parents’ money problems, but viewers’ response to her story made it all worth it.
“People have been so incredibly sweet and shared their own similar experiences with me,” she said. “My goal is to help people know they’re not alone.”
Before going on the show, Biermann made sure to give both her parents a heads-up that she would be talking about their family’s financial circumstances.
“I said I was going to be honest about everything we’ve been going through the past couple of years and everything that is going on now,” she explained. “And you know, that’s my choice. I’m a grown woman…this is my truth about what has happened in my life.”
Of course, not everything Biermann exposes on the show revolves around her family. She also shares the normal coming-of-age stuff, like moving to NYC, trying to find an affordable apartment (practically an Olympic sport in the city), starting a clothing line, and her nerves about moving in with her boyfriend, Hudson McLeroy, the son of billionaire Zach McLeroy, who co-founded the chicken chain Zaxby’s.
It’s all very relatable, of course…minus having a boyfriend who is the son of a billionaire. But hey, what can you expect from the child of a Real Housewives star?
As a member of the “new” generation of Bravo stars, Biermann wants viewers of the OG series to know that they shouldn’t write off Gen Z just because of stereotypes about them.
“Before the show came out, people were like, ‘Oh gosh, we have to watch Gen Z again.’ But I think we will really surprise a lot of people,” she said. “My mom grew up in a totally different world. And I think it will be exciting to see how we actually live and what goes on in [our lives].”
As for what viewers can look forward to in upcoming episodes, Biermann doesn’t spoil anything. But what she can say is that drama is certainly on its way.
“I’m not someone who’s afraid to speak their minds. If people are disrespectful, I don’t like it. And I think you can expect that [attitude] from a couple more people as this season continues to evolve.”
Next Gen NYC airs every Tuesday at 9 p.m ET/PT on Bravo and is available to stream on Peacock the following day.
The post Real Housewife Nepo Baby Ariana Bierman Thinks Bravo Fans Are Ready For a Gen Z Takeover appeared first on The Daily Beast.
