Brooks Marks Is Getting Used to Conflict
Is being a good reality star genetic? That’s a question you can’t help but consider when watching Bravo’s new show Next Gen NYC, which follows the now-grown children of Real Housewives fixtures and their socialite friends navigating life in Manhattan. As for legacy players, the show stars Ariana Biermann (daughter of RHOA’s Kim Zolciak), Riley Burruss (daughter of RHOA’s Kandi Burruss), Gia Giudice (daughter of RHONJ’s Teresa Giudice), and Brooks Marks (son of RHOSLC’s Meredith Marks), the last of whom is the series’s de facto center. It’s he who brings together his glitzy city crew and his fellow Bravo offspring, but despite anchoring the show, he proves to be a somewhat unconventional choice for reality TV. In the series premiere he admits that he’s averse to conflict, saying, “I literally hate confrontation more than anything.”
While that admission surely sent a chill down the spine of every producer in the room, it ultimately creates a fascinating dynamic for the show to explore. As Brooks finds himself forced to address conflicts with his castmates, like confronting crypto-bro Charlie Zakkour over disrespectful comments he made after a date with Brooks’s sister, we watch him slowly get his bearings. He’s like Eliza Doolittle, but rather than being coached in etiquette, he’s being coached in how to make good television — by some of the best. Bravo alums like Riley and Gia, who have been in this world from a much younger age, help guide him through the confrontation as it happens. He also sounds off to his mother, one of the best in the game when it comes to knowing when to engage or disengage, and even his father, Seth, isn’t afraid to step in. In fact, in the most recent episode Seth takes it upon himself to have a one-on-one with Charlie himself — much to Brooks’s chagrin. In any case, they’re all helping acclimate Brooks as he transitions from occasional RHOSLC cameo to star of the show.
Did it feel natural going from playing a supporting role on RHOSLC to being main cast on Next Gen NYC, or was there a bit of an adjustment?
The timing felt right in terms of showing more of my life and peeling back the curtain on my clothing brand and the work I do at Meredith Marks and all of that. But there were definitely elements that I was surprised by — that I didn’t prepare for per se.
What was the biggest surprise?
Every time my mom is filming her show, she always talks about how the cameras are picking up literally everything and you cannot hide from them. And I was like, Oh my God, I’m sure you could, like, go to the bathroom or something. But you literally can never hide from them. So that is something that I wasn’t used to, because when I film for my mom’s show, I could just hibernate in my room if I don’t feel like doing it. But with Next Gen there was none of that.
Has your relationship with conflict evolved over the course of shooting a reality show?
Absolutely. Something I’m personally excited to see is my growth in that department throughout the season, and I hope that I’m proud of myself by the end of it. Seeing myself in that situation with Charlie, and being so timid and scared to address things, I was watching myself, like, You need to just be more direct and assertive. Come on, get it together. But in the moment, it obviously feels a lot different.
It seemed like Gia and Riley were helping to guide you through that confrontation. Do you think them growing up around cameras for longer gives them a different perspective on conflict?
I think that definitely has shaped them into who they are today, and I think that they learned a lesson way earlier on than I did about never trying to appease other people, because if you do, you’ll never be happy. That’s something they’ve inspired me to live by, and that’s something that throughout this season, I think viewers will watch me struggle with — trying to either choose myself or choose other people.
What was your reaction to your dad having that sit-down with Charlie?
I’m definitely humiliated. Like, I don’t think any 24-year-old wants to see their parent intervene in a situation, so I was not thrilled about that. At least I do have a dad who does want to intervene with people in my life.
It’s clear Charlie didn’t like the idea of more Bravo kids joining the cast, particularly when it came to the addition of Ariana. Where do you think that stigma came from?
I did not recognize, in the moment, the preconceived notions that Charlie did have of Ariana. I did know that he was not down for the idea of more Housewives children becoming featured on the show, but I personally don’t understand it and I don’t know why. As someone who grew up in New York society, obviously everyone gossips about each other’s families. So I thought that he would be able to relate to that element that all of us go through as Housewives children — having our family dynamics talked about and dissected. So I’m not quite sure why he had such a weird reaction to that. I think he fell down too many Reddit threads or something.
What’s the biggest lesson you learned about this job from your mother?
My mom has always told me to be 100 percent authentic. It’s one thing to say it but another to do it, and she does a really good job of leading by example. As long as you’re being authentic, you’re doing something no one else can replicate.
What’s been the most surreal part about your mom becoming a Housewife?
Probably seeing conversations that I would have never seen if not for the fact that there were cameras recording them. For instance, a lot of the stuff between my mom and my dad on their date nights, or conflicts they work through, being open about their marital struggles and their trials and triumphs. I heard about that prior to cameras going up from both sides, but I just didn’t see it. So the fact that I now can see it is really crazy.
Many people on the cast are especially active on social media. What role did that end up having, and was there a concerted effort to make sure the stories played out on camera rather than on your phones?
This is something that hasn’t really been experienced before with a cast on Bravo, the fact that our careers are sort of dependent on social media and sharing our lives. Mine isn’t, but other people’s are. I personally did not share a lot of stuff because I wanted it to play out on this show. I never talked about my relationship life so the first time that people will hear about it is on Next Gen, so I’m really excited about that.
What are you most excited for people to see on the business side of things?
I’m really excited for people to understand that there’s a lot more that goes into a hoodie and sweatpant than just “throwing a label on it.” It’s a very intricate process of choosing fabrics that are ethical and sustainable and grading a garment and measuring everything. There’s a lot of thought that goes into it, and it takes months to develop.
You’ve spoken about the scrutiny that comes from being on reality TV. What’s been the biggest key in learning how to handle that heading into this next chapter?
My friendships with Riley and Gia and everyone on this cast have played such a big role in making sure that I don’t care about those things. I also have the support of my family, which is the best thing ever. But I think it’s something that you’ll watch me navigate throughout the season, and hopefully I’ll land in a place where I don’t care about it anymore.
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