Selling Sunset has quickly become one of Netflix's most successful original shows over its five seasons. Premiering in 2018, the real estate-themed reality show is gearing up for a sixth season that is expected to air before the end of 2022. The show has enamored viewers with its perfect blend of drama, fun, and real estate shenanigans that have kept Netflix subscribers glued to their screens.
As with any reality show, fans often have questions about the behind-the-scenes aspect of Selling Sunset. The cast and producers of the show have kept some things under wraps, but have also disclosed some behind-the-scenes secrets. Some may not be too surprising, but some of what has been revealed publicly has been quite interesting and surprising.
There Are More Agents That Viewers Do Not See
The show's main cast is almost entirely composed of female agents, with the only men shown to be a part of the business being founders Jason and Brett Oppenheim. The show makes it seem that every agent is a woman, but that is not the reality.
In an interview with Us Magazine, Jason revealed that there are around fifteen agents who work in the office, including some men, stating, “There are more female agents in the office than male agents, but there are male agents.” One of these male agents is Peter Cornell, the ex-boyfriend of both Emma and Christine, and someone who has appeared on other real estate-themed reality shows himself.
Christine Spends A Lot Of Time And Money On Her Look
Christine's penchant for creating drama in combination with the attention she gives to her physical appearance has led her to become a fan-favorite Selling Sunset cast member. Her looks are renowned, but it is no easy task for her to pull off.
In a discussion with Refinery29, Christine said that Netflix doesn't help her pay for "anything" when it comes to her makeup or clothing. She spends up to a thousand dollars daily on beauty products, taking up to four hours to apply them. A big part of this is her hair, as she told Juicy Scoop that it takes her two hours to perfect her hair sometimes.
The Pilot Was Not Picked Up For Over A Year
Netflix is known for having a wide array of original programming known as Netflix Originals, and Selling Sunset is a show that falls into that category. The show was not exactly a high priority for the streaming platform though, as it took them quite a while to move forward with producing a full season.
A pilot for the series was filmed and distributed to different outlets, including Netflix. Nobody jumped on picking it up, as it sat in limbo for over a year. Christine revealed this in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, going as far as saying that the cast even moved on for a time, thinking the show would never come to fruition.
The Agency Considered A Show For Years
While Selling Sunset did not premiere until 2018, shows centered around real estate have been around for longer. Million Dollar Listing, for example, has been around since 2006 and has multiple successful spin-off series. Jason revealed to The Tab that his agency could have had their series much earlier.
He said, "We’d been approached for over a year by several agents and producers and we rejected them for a long time because we thought the idea of a show would be more risk than reward." Eventually, successful producer Adam DiVello approached the twins and was persistent with a clear vision of a successful show, and they agreed to start filming. DiVello had great success producing MTV series The Hills, giving the brothers more trust in his vision.
Chrishell Was Hired Specifically For The Show
Behind any successful reality series are personalities that are of interest to viewers, and in order for Selling Sunset to succeed, producer Adam DiVello thought that the agency needed more of them. Chrishell Strause was not a part of the agency prior to the show starting, but had experience in Hollywood as an actress, making her a perfect addition.
DiVello disclosed this in an interview with Variety, saying Chrishell was the final woman cast for the series. This is not to downplay her credentials or success as a real estate agent, as she was previously a successful agent for other agencies on the west coast. She was hired first and foremost as a talented agent, with her showbiz familiarity being an added bonus.
A Spin-Off Series Is In The Works
Plenty of successful reality shows have spin-offs, most notably the Kardashian empire. Selling Sunset has a lot going for it in terms of shows that are primed for spin-off series. It is in a genre (reality realtor shows) that has been consistently successful, while the co-founders of the branch that is the focus of the show also run other successful branches.
The Oppenheim twins' Newport Beach branch will have its own series also on Netflix, titled Selling The OC. It was officially teased in an episode of Selling Sunset season 5, giving fans hope it will be streaming soon. It will seemingly have a similar premise, but with a whole new cast.
The Show Isn't Scripted, But They Are Sometimes "Nudged" Towards Topics
The reality television genre is marketed as being unscripted and a true look inside the lives of those featured on the show. This is not always the case, as plenty of reality shows have received allegations of being scripted or preplanned, and Selling Sunset is no exception.
Chrishell has previously claimed on her Instagram that the show is not scripted, but that it is "amped up" and they are sometimes "nudged" to talk about certain things, but without a script. This is certainly a positive for viewers, as they can rest easy knowing that the many iconic quotes that sum up the cast's personality were not manufactured or staged.
Christine Gave Davina A Makeover In Season 3
The girl's impeccable sense of fashion and style is one of the most recognizable parts of the show, with them always dressed to impress while filming. As mentioned previously, Christine is possibly the one most known for her style, and she decided to give one of her coworkers a helping hand during the filming of season 3.
In a sit-down with People Magazine, Christine said that Davina's top looks in season 3 were curated by none other than herself. She told the magazine that “I told [Davina], ‘Listen, Davina, stop with the mom blazers. Please, let me dress you.’" Davina was a bit hesitant at first before accepting the offer, leading to some of her most iconic outfits.
The Cast Is Not In The Office As Much As It Appears
The real estate office that the girls all work at is in practically every episode, with the series showing them working hard and discussing work in the office. The real work they do for their job, however, oftentimes takes place elsewhere, and production just uses it as a centralized location to get everyone together and set up storylines for the episode.
In his talk with The Tab, Jason said he actually prefers when his employees are away from the office. This may sound a bit confusing and counterproductive, but the real estate expert claims that "you’re not making money if you’re in the office all day." He went on to say he has full trust in them to manage their work outside of his supervision in the office.
It Is Difficult To Film With The Kids
While the show is billed as an inside look at the real estate industry of California, a large chunk of the show focuses on the personal lives of the agents. Their spouses or boyfriends oftentimes make cameos, but fans have noticed a notable absence in the women's children, most notably Maya's. She did reveal the reason for this.
In a discussion with Women's Health Magazine, Maya explained how difficult it can be to keep infants and young children on set for extended periods of time. She said it is quite expensive, specifically saying that "They have to hire nurses. The baby can only be on up to 30 minutes. It’s a whole thing." Going through all that just to show her kid for a few minutes here and there is simply not worth it to production, explaining the lack of kids on the show.