The Next Gen NYC Season 2 cast members are connected in so many different ways. While some of the cast members are connected because of their Real Housewives mothers and Bravo families, others have rubbed elbows while making their dreams come true in NYC via friendships and tight-knit groups.
How to Watch
Next Gen NYCÂ airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.Â
Ariana Biermann, Riley Burruss, Ava Dash, Emira D’Spain, Shai Fruchter, Gia Giudice, Rowan Henchy, Brooks Marks, Georgia McCann, Hudson McLeroy, Liam Obergfoll, Kendall White, and Charlie Zakkour are all friends through different means. Each Next Gen NYC cast member is connected to others through their parents, longtime friendships, and thriving NYC social circles. Some even went to the same college ithe Big Apple as Riley, Emiria, Brooks, and Georgia all attended NYU.
Read on to learn more about their connections.
Ariana Biermann
Ariana Biermann’s friendship with Riley Burruss
Ariana and Riley first reconnected during Next Gen NYC Season 1 after both being friends during their childhood. The Georgia natives both grew up in the Atlanta area, with their moms, Kim Zolciak and Kandi Burruss, appearing on The Real Housewives of Atlanta at the same time.
As Ariana and Riley’s friendship grew stronger during Next Gen NYC Seasons 1 and 2, they are still close to this day. Ariana appeared on the Next Gen NYC After Show after Season 2, where she revealed that she is “still besties” with Riley. “Riley is one of my best friends,” Ariana explained. “I literally adore this woman and love her and know her heart. And I know how good of a person she is. This year, we’re definitely navigating our friendships.”
Riley Burruss
Riley Burruss reveals where she stands with Georgia McCann today
Riley and Georgia got into it during Next Gen NYC Season 2, Episode 4, when they had a fight during a night out on the town. Riley appeared on Gia’s podcast, Casual Chaos, on Aug. 17, where she revealed where she stands with Georgia today. “Me and her, when we have these snarky comments to each other, we just laugh at each other,” Riley stated during the episode. “Like, we kind of have a running joke. So people don’t realize we’re literally fine…And I’ve talked to her, even since the episode came out. And [we] are good.
Emira D’Spain
- Ariana Biermann, Riley Burruss, Rowan Henchy, Gia Giudice – Newer friends
- Brooks Marks, Ava Dash – Best friends
- Charlie Zakkour – Very good friends
Details on Emira D’Spain’s friendship with Charlie Zakkour
Emira’s friendship with Charlie has been up and down on Next Gen NYC Season 2. While Emira was upset with Charlie over alleged comments he made to Georgia at one point during the season, she was quick to forgive him for what he said. Emira appeared on Casual Chaos in June, where she opened up about their friendship.
“Charlie and I have been friends for, I wanna say, seven years. I don’t even know. It’s almost as long as I’ve known Brooks and Ava,” she explained to Gia during the episode. “He is unfiltered. But then there is also a very humane side of him that is very down to earth, and you can see that.”
Brooks Marks
- Ariana Biermann, Riley Burruss, Gia Giudice – Friends through Bravo parents
- Ava Dash, Emira D’Spain, Liam Obergfoll, Georgia McCann – Close friends
Brooks Marks opens up about his friendship with Liam Obergfoll
Brooks opened up about his very close friendship with Liam during Next Gen NYC Season 2, Episode 1. “Liam’s lore is crazy,” he explained during the episode. “He’s gone from Nickelodeon star to Law & Order. Now you’re just yourself.”Â
Brooks also revealed that he was excited to introduce Liam to the rest of the group so they could get to know his “super fun, outgoing, positive” side.
Ava Dash
- Charlie Zakkour – Longtime friend
- Emira D’Spain, Brooks Marks, Georgia McCann – Close friends
- Ariana Biermann, Riley Burruss, Rowan Henchy, Gia Giudice, Shai Fruchter, Kendall White – Newer friends
Ava Dash shares details on her friendship with Georgia McCann
Ava spoke with Decider in June 2026, where she opened up about her friendship with Georgia. “I think she’s such a quirky, funny girl,” she admitted to the outlet. “She cracks me up, so I think we naturally just kind of gravitated towards each other. I love rewatching the episodes and, like, seeing our funny little dynamic and banter.”
Shai Fruchter
- Ariana Biermann, Ava Dash, Charlie Zakkour – Close friends
- Emira D’Spain, Rowan Henchy, Georgia McCann, Riley Burruss, Hudson McLeroy, Liam Obergfoll – Friends
Shai Fruchter opens up about his friendships with Ariana Biermann and the Next Gen NYC Season 2 cast
Shai has grown super close with Charlie throughout Next Gen NYC Season 2 and has continued to maintain his friendship with him, Ariana, and the rest of the Next Gen NYC cast. “Ariana and I are really close. I will sing her praises all the time, and I have her back as much as she needs. We’ve been supporting each other in many ways for a long time now, and she’s wonderful,” Shai said during an appearance on the podcast, The Viall Files, on Aug. 18.
He continued, noting who else he is close to. “A couple other people in the cast, too. Ava and I are really close, Charlie and I are really close. Even Liam and I have been hanging out quite a bit,” he said.
Gia Giudice
- Brooks Marks, Ariana Biermann, Riley Burruss – Friends through Bravo parents
- Ava Dash, Emira D’Spain, Rowan Henchy – Newer friends
Details on Gia Giudice’s bond with Brooks Marks
During Next Gen NYC Season 1, Episode 2, Brooks opened up about his bond with Gia and how it started between his mom, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast member Meredith Marks, and her mom, The Real Housewives of New Jersey‘s Teresa Giudice. “My mom and I have been friends with Teresa and Gia for the past three years,” he said. “Gia was my walking stick for navigating what it’s like having a mom as a Housewife.”
RELATED: What Does the Next Gen NYC Cast Do for a Living?
Rowan Henchy
- Ariana Biermann – Close friends
- Emira D’Spain, Ava Dash, Gia Giudice, Shai Fruchter, Georgia McCann – Newer friends
Rowan Henchy opens up about her friendship with Ariana Biermann
Rowan appeared on Casual Chaos in August, where she opened up about her bond with Ariana, noting that she was her “glue” when it came to introducing her to the cast of Next Gen NYC Season 2. “And you know, it’s so funny because our sisters know each other through a mutual family friend,” she explained during the episode. “And I had mutuals with Ava.”
Georgia McCann
- Charlie Zakkour – Longtime frenemy
- Shai Fruchter, Ariana Biermann, Ava Dash, Brooks Marks, Rowan Henchy – Friends
Georgia McCann reveals where she stands with Charlie Zakkour today
Georgia appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on July 8, where she dished on her longtime friendship with Charlie, admitting that no one on the cast of Next Gen NYC should trust Charlie. “I don’t take advice from Charlie,” she told host Andy Cohen.
However, she did share one of Charlie’s more “admirable” qualities. “I think he’s really funny,” she stated. “I think he’s very funny.”
Hudson McLeroy
- Ariana Biermann – On-again-off-again ex-girlfriend
- Shai Fruchter and Charlie Zakkour – New friends
Where Hudson McLeroy and Ariana Biermann stand today
Ariana confirmed on Aug. 6 that she is single following her reconciliation with Hudson earlier this year. Viewers watched during Next Gen NYC Season 2, Episode 1 when the couple broke up in 2025, but they reconnected shortly after.Â
“I’m a single girl. He will always be like a dear friend and a close person in my life. There will always be love there,” she admitted to E! News, before revealing why they didn’t work out this time. “Our paths right now are just still in two different ways. We gave it a shot one more time, and it just didn’t work out, but we’re in a great place still with each other.”
Liam Obergfoll
- Kendall White – Childhood best friends
- Ariana Biermann – Flirty friends
- Brooks Marks – Close friends
- Ava Dash, Rowan Henchy, Gia Giudice, Georgia McCann, Emira D’Spain – Newer friends
Liam Obergfoll and Ariana Biermann reveal what drew them to each other
Viewers have watched both Liam and Ariana progress from just friends to potentially something more during Next Gen NYC Season 2. Liam spoke with Decider in July, where he revealed what drew him to Ariana. “She’s just super chill, down to earth, and she’s got a great smile,” Liam told the outlet. “We had a good connection right off the bat.”
Ariana shared her thoughts on Liam during Next Gen NYC Season 2, Episode 3. “I think Liam’s amazing. He has 800 hobbies,” she explained in a confessional. “He doesn’t like to stay in the house. He rides a motorcycle.”
Charlie Zakkour
- Shai Fruchter, Ava Dash, Emira D’Spain – Close friends
- Hudson McLeroy – Newer friends
- Georgia McCann, Brooks Marks – Longtime frenemies
Hudson McLeroy opens up about his friendship with Charlie Zakkour
Following his October 2025 breakup with Ariana, Hudson found himself becoming friends with Charlie during Next Gen NYC Season 2, Episode 1. Hudson explained his reasoning for befriending Charlie during the Next Gen NYC After Show. “Well, you know what they say. Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. I was avoiding Charlie flirting with Ariana by being friends with him,” Hudson explained.
But Hudson hinted on the Next Gen NYC After Show that his friendship with Charlie has since soured. “I should’ve known better that the devil always has a bigger and deeper plan than anybody ever realizes,” he admitted.
RELATED: Who Are The Next Gen NYC Cast Members’ Parents? Meet the Famous Families
Who grew up together on Next Gen NYC Season 2?
Ariana, Riley, and Hudson all grew up together in Atlanta. Liam and Kendall are also childhood BFFs after growing up in NYC together.
Whose families are connected on Next Gen NYC Season 2?
Brooks, Ariana, Riley, and Gia are all connected through their moms, who are current or former cast members on The Real Housewives franchises. Riley’s mom, Kandi Burruss, and Ariana’s mom, Kim Zolciak, both overlapped on RHOA. Brooks and Gia’s mom are cast members on RHOSLC and RHONJ, respectively.
Get the refresh on what happened during Next Gen NYC Season 1 and how the friendships have changed since then.
