Audiences love living vicariously through the lavish luxury featured on Million Dollar Listing New York, but high-end real estate agent Fredrik Eklund gets to live it in real life. The native of Sweden may have come from humble beginnings, but his entrepreneurial spirit and a little bit of luck helped him to achieve the American dream and create his perfect life alongside his husband Derek Kaplan and their fraternal twins.
While fans of Million Dollar Listing may also enjoy similar show Selling Sunset, it turns out the MDL cast does not. When the cast appeared on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, cast members Tracy Tutor and Josh Flagg said Selling Sunset was a completely fake show. They said they had never met any of the cast members, which seemed questionable given that they travel in the same real estate circles and should be running into each other professionally. Cast members like Fredrik Eklund may star on a show about New York, but they often sell high-end real estate on both coasts.
Fredrik revealed to Metro that his first job in Sweden was chopping onions as a preteen. Fredrik explained that in Sweden, school-age children have to work for two weeks. He was assigned to a high-end restaurant called PA & Co. In high school, he had the opportunity to study in Minnesota. In his 20s, he founded an internet company, worked at an investment bank, and worked briefly in porn before quickly realizing it wasn’t for him. He then found real estate, where his success really took off.
With his success came prizes like unbelievably luxurious mansions in Manhattan and Bel Air, fancy cars, and world travel. Fredrik says he still goes back to eat at the restaurant where he got his start in business. His social media is full of videos of him and his family in beautiful locations. He loves Italy so much, as soon as COVID-19 restrictions lifted enough for him to travel there, he went, hoping to find a dream home. He also frequently travels between New York and California for work, both as a real estate agent and to film two shows: Million Dollar Listing NY and Million Dollar Listing LA.
Success has also brought its own challenges. Fredrik revealed on Instagram that he was what he called a “high-functional addict.” He is working on his sobriety and, while he said it was hard to decide to quit, he expressed how much better his life has been since he became sober. Many celebrities say their children motivated them to get sober, and no doubt having children has helped Fredrik. Now, he can finally remember and enjoy the trappings of his American dream. Fans can see Fredrik work his real estate magic on Million Dollar Listing NY and Million Dollar Listing LA, both on Bravo.
Source: Instagram/Fredrik Eklund