The‘Next Gen NYC’cast is in full chaos mode, and it all comes down to one hookup that everyone saw coming from a mile away. Charlie Zakkour, the controversial 31-year-old castmate who famously announced in Season 1 that he wanted to be with Ariana Biermann, finally made his move during Season 2 filming. The hookup happened after Ariana’s breakup with her on-and-off boyfriend Hudson McLeroy, but here’s where it gets messy. McLeroy had explicitly asked the guys in their friend group to respect his relationship and not pursue Ariana while they were sorting things out. Charlie didn’t just ignore that request, he actually became friends with McLeroy first, making the whole situation feel like a complete betrayal of trust.
When Ariana was confronted about the hookup on‘Watch What Happens Live,’she gave a super vague answer, admitting that she and McLeroy are“together but still figuring it out.”That’s not a denial, that’s deflection. The real tea came when Andy Cohen asked if McLeroy and Zakkour were still friends. Ariana’s response?“Definitely not.”That friendship is completely dead, and honestly, it makes sense. You can’t become close with someone and then hook up with their ex without consequences. To make matters worse, another new castmate named Liam Obergfoll also ignored McLeroy’s original request and has been flirting with Ariana this whole season, which means McLeroy’s boundaries were disrespected by not one but two guys.
The most satisfying part of this drama is that we don’t have to wait to find out what happens next. The reunion is coming, and when they sit down to unpack this friendship explosion, it’s going to be absolutely unhinged. Charlie’s always been a polarizing figure on the show (his connection to a crypto scandal doesn’t help), but deliberately ignoring McLeroy’s request and then watching the friendship implode might be his most controversial move yet. So what do you think: was Charlie wrong to ignore McLeroy’s request, or do you think Ariana gets to do what she wants regardless?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.