When Selling Sunset debuted on Netflix in 2019, it didn’t take long for the show to become a hit. The series follows a group of successful real estate professionals in the Los Angeles area who specializes in selling luxury properties. Not only have viewers fallen in love with all of the beautiful homes that are featured on the show, but they have also fallen in love with the cast members and Despite the show’s popularity, lots of people can’t help but question whether the show is real or fake. After all, it’s no secret that reality shows are never quite as real as they seem. That leads us to one major question: is Selling Sunset fake? Let’s talk about it.
Is Selling Sunset Scripted?
When people ask if a reality show is fake, they usually want to know if it’s scripted. The good news is that there’s nothing to suggest that Selling Sunset is scripted or that any of the cast members are actors. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the show is ‘real’. It appears that the storylines on the show are concocted in an effort to create the most drama and excitement.
Christine Quinn, who has been a cast member on the show since season one, has spoken out about the validity of the show and she has made it clear that things on the show are manipulated a bit. According to an article from Women’s Health Magazine, Christine said, “I’ve been into the office. There are six full-time storyboarders. What they do is they write the story lines and depending on how things change in [the] real world in our lives, they can kind of rotate the story lines”. She continued, “But we have six full-time storyboarders who create narratives.”
In the fall of 2022, Christina continued to push the narrative that the show is fake with a tweet in which she stated, “30 minutes till the launch of #SellingSunset ??enjoy the new season and all of its 5,000 fake storylines! ? ?”. On top of the “fake storylines”, viewers should also keep in mind that the show is heavily edited to create more excitement around certain scenes and cast members. This is something that is true for all reality shows.
It’s also important to note that even though it doesn’t appear that any of the cast members are acting for the show, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t people on the show who always dreamed of working in the entertainment industry. People who have always wanted to act are probably a little more likely to play into the cameras a little more.
Were The Agents Really That Well Known Before the Show?
When Selling Sunset premiered, it was marketed as a show about well-known and highly successful real estate agents in the Los Angeles area. However, some have questioned how well known some of these people were before the show started. In a series of tweets in the summer of 2020, Chrissy Teigen wrote, “…I also know everyone on tv plays up a character. They’re all doing that. You guys are … super mad at people who are in on the joke.” She added, “I will say, I look at LA real estate a lot and have never seen any of these people lol either have our agents, who I have obsessively asked.”
While it’s true that the agents were successful before the show came along, there is a good chance that Netflix slightly exaggerated how popular they are in an effort to generate a bigger buzz for the show. After all, people are more likely to want to watch a show about people they think are well-known than they are to watch something with a cast full of small-time agents.
What’s Next for Selling Sunset?
Selling Sunset wrapped up its fifth season in the fall of 2022 and the good news is that it was renewed for a sixth. As of now, there is no official release date for the upcoming season, but more than likely it will come out at some point in 2023. It’s unclear exactly who will be part of the cast although we know that Maya Vander, who has been with the show since season one, won’t be returning. It’ll be interesting to see if someone new is introduced in her place.
As the show’s fan base continues to grow, it seems likely that Selling Sunset will be around for years to come. Plus, it’s already spawned one spin-off (Selling Tampa) and there will probably be more in the future.
