Crystal Kung-Minkoff is the newest cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Not only is she the first Asian-American cast member on the show, but she delivers the exact dosage of realness that it needed. It's to her credit that RHOBH is having its best season yet. Even though Crystal lives in the 90210 with her two kids and her husband, filmmaker Rob Minkoff, fans relate to her and find her personable.
Thus far in season 11, Crystal has been getting along well with the other women on the show but has been butting heads with Sutton Stracke. Despite the small feud, Crystal is standing her ground in the thick of it, making a name for herself along the way.
Crystal Was Born And Raised In Los Angeles
According to Bravo TV, Crystal isn't necessarily new to the Beverly Hills area. After immigrating from China, her parents settled in North Ridge, Califonia, right outside of Las Angeles. When Crystal was a child, her mom took her to popular restaurants and dinner parties in Beverly Hills, giving Crystal her first real dose of what life in the 90210 was like. Years later, Crystal found herself moving there with her future husband, Rob. Given the Minkoffs' net worth of $15 million, Cyrstal could be one of the richest Real Housewives cast members.
Crystal Is Related To An Iconic Philosopher
In an interview with Bravo, Crystal revealed some fascinating news about her family history. Crystal said, "I am the 76th generational descendent of Confucious." She added, "That's been a very big part of my life and the way I raise my family and the way I approach people."
She shared her traditional side on RHOBH when she met Lisa Rinna and Kyle Richards for the first time. She explained that she includes her Chinese background as an important part of raising and educating her children. Her unique history and down-to-earth personality are part of what makes her one of the most loved Real Housewives cast members.
Crystal Has BFFs In High Places
One of the first notes mentioned in season 11 of RHOBH is that Crystal and Kathy Hilton (the newbies) were already friends. The pair met years prior and have been working for the same charities and circles. In fact, it was Kathy who suggested they do the show as a duo. With Kathy signing on as a friend of the series, she'd be on most group trips without much of a storyline (although fans wished they had more RHOBH storylines from Kathy).
Crystal, however, holds the diamond as one of RHOBH's main roster. Crystal told E! News, “It never occurred to me to be on the show, but I’ve been friends with Kathy [Hilton] for, I don’t know, 15 years now, and she just called me and said, 'What do you think?'" The pair have been stuck to each other's side ever since.
Crystal Is A Business Owner
According to Crystal's Instagram account, she's also a successful business owner. With the help of two other business owners, Jeffrey Kung and Brian Bardos, Crystal founded an organic beverage called Real Coco.
The plant-based company serves 100% natural coconut milks, coffee creamers, waters, and snacks. Fans can search the Real Coco website to see where its products are sold near them.
Crystal Has Connected With Two RHOBH Cast Member In Particular
Kathy Hilton was the only RHOBH cast member with whom Crystal had a personal relationship prior to the start of the show. Even though Kathy is close with her sister, Kyle Richards, Crystal didn't meet Kyle until her time on the series began.
When asked whom Crystal gravitated to the most at the start, she said it was Dorit and Garcelle. According to Bravo, Crystal loved how real Garcelle was, while Dorit had small children like her own.
Crystal's Brother Is Well-Known In Asia
Crystal has a sibling, a brother named Jeffrey, to whom she's really close. Due to COVID-19, Jeffrey stayed with Crystal and her family in Beverly Hills instead of remaining in Asia. Jeffrey is a pop star on the rise and is incredibly popular in Hong Kong. It's said that he's always been interested in music and has always wanted a music career. Appearing on The Real Housewives is a chance to get his name known in the American music market.
Crystal And Her Husband Met At An Office Party
Crystal's husband Rob hasn't been shown much on RHOBH as of yet, but fans feel like he could be one of the best of the husbands in the Real Housewives franchise because of how much he dotes on his family. And while fans know Minkoff as one of the directors behind Disney's The Lion King, some may not know how the couple met.
According to Women's Health, Crystal and Rob met at an office party and have been together ever since. Adorably, their first date was to the premiere of Finding Nemo. About the date, Crystal said, "By the end of the night, I was hooked."
Crystal Has An Instagram Cooking Series
With almost 200,000 followers on Instagram, Crystal is well on her way to being one of the most well-followed member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. On her account, she often posts videos of herself preparing family dinners, sharing the recipes with her followers. She even created her own miniseries called "Cooking Kids." In it, Crystal films her two children making simple recipes that followers can copy.
Crystal Has Worked In Film Alongside Her Husband
According to IMDb, Crystal is familiar with the world of film outside of RHOBH. She had small roles in Flypaper and The Forbidden Kingdom. She was an assistant on the set of The Forbidden Kingdom as well. Given her growing success on Bravo, it'll be interesting for fans to see what she has in store for filmmaking in the future.
Crystal Is A Tomboy At Heart
Crystal isn't just one of the newest and most entertaining Real Housewives cast members, but she may be one of the most athletic too. As seen on the show, Crystal loves sports and isn't afraid to get sweaty and dirty. She has been seen ruling the tennis court, kickboxing with a personal trainer, and is an avid hiker as well