Mention It All - Breaking Down Next Gen NYC Reunion Drama & Love Triangle Trauma Ft. Rowan Henchy

Episode Date: September 8, 2026

Rowan Henchy joins Dylan to break down her first season on Next Gen NYC and everything that came with being in a real friend group on TV. She breaks down Ariana and Liam’s complicated dynamic, Charlie inserting himself into the situation, why Shai keeps finding himself in awkward situations. She also teases a tense Next Gen NYC reunion, including who from the cast showed up with a lot to say. Plus, she opens up about joining an already established friend group, getting closer with Riley, growing up with Brooke Shields, and what she wants to do next beyond reality TV. Go to the BravoByBetches YouTube page to watch full length episodes every Tuesday & Friday: Youtube.com/@BravoByBetches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Discover Coffee Plus on Nispresso.com. Hey everyone, welcome back to the Mention at All podcast. We are getting right to the end of this season of NextGen, NYC. And so I thought it was the perfect time to talk to one of our new castmates this season, because now we've known her for a little while. Rowan Henshi, welcome. Thank you for having me. You are almost at the finish line of your first season.

Yeah. Are you tired? Are you exhausted? It is so fun. It's awesome. I'm not tired. I'm not exhausted. I'm like ready to keep.

going. I think this is something that kind of approached me out of nowhere and came to me out of nowhere. And I just said, yes, obviously, like, there was a little hesitation at first just because I didn't know if I was ready to jump into this reality TV, Bravo universe. And I said yes. And I'm really glad that I did say yes. I do think, like, I don't really believe in regrets because I think you learn from literally everything you do. So even if I did regret it, I would have learned something about myself and I don't. Yeah, I think I think you've got a pretty, you know, pretty good first season. You've kind of just like eased your way

in, you've gotten to know everyone, you've given your little commentary, but it's like, I don't think you're anybody's like number one enemy, which is a good place to be. I mean, I hope I'm not ever anyone's number one enemy because it would be painful for us both. I'm curious, so I think

something that I've seen a lot of people say about NextGen NYC is that it really feels like this cast is a real life friend group and that people have relationships both on and off the show and that when the cameras aren't up, things are still happening within the group. And I'm wondering for you being new to the show in its second season and obviously getting to know some of the people in the group for the first time over the course of filming, do you feel like that element of it being like a real friend group made it easier to work your way into or harder

because it is like I have to form real relationships? No, I mean, I think there's so much that happens behind the cameras too because we are an actual friend group. And I think these relationships go way beyond the screen and I value that. I think coming into this, I was like, screw the cameras, like screw any of this, whatever I can get out of this, I would like to get like all my college friends moved back to New York. All my high school friends are here. Why not now, you know, I'm moving back here. I'm living at home. Why not brought in my horizon, brought in my friend group, meet new people. If I don't, you know, if we don't click, we don't click.

So I came into it literally not even thinking about the fact that there was going to be a camera in my face. I kind of thought about it as like, I'm going to go into this friend group. I knew Ariana. I had mutuals with Ava, but I'm going to come into this friend group and try my best not to overstep because obviously there's a lot of history between this friend group. And I don't ever want to say something where my opinion is not wanted or warranted. but I really just viewed it as an opportunity to meet more people. And I think the fact that we are a real friend group, it just goes to show you why this show does so well.

It's because it's the truth. Yeah. And I've talked to, you know, I've had like Gia and Ariana here before. And I think like when the show was first announced, when people first found out that it was happening, there was, it was really kind of people thought of it as like the Housewives kids show. Totally. And I think even in season one, people were sort of pleasantly surprised how much it felt like

was going on within the group that isn't just like, oh, I remember watching Ariana when she was younger on Housewives. It's like, oh, no, like everybody in this group is like a real person with real problems and real quirks. And there are a lot of quirks. And so the concept of it is really interesting because you see these Housewives shows and they're fantastic, and you see these New York house web shows. But then this is a whole other demographic.

This is a whole other world of viewership that maybe hasn't really been tapped into. And it's interesting to see with the way that social media just like becomes the forefront of everything, how this show is interpreted by different demographics. Yeah, it is so interesting. I mean, even like earlier this season when it was like, Ava was saying that Gia's mom had unfollowed her on Instagram. And it's like, wait, sorry. Like we stop.

We have to go, we have to talk about it. Like, what's going on? Like, how mom doesn't even know what unfollow means? Like, right. Mine sure is hell doesn't. I'll tell you that much. I am, yeah, no, it's, it's so interesting when you have a group like this where it feels like there, it's like every individual connection within the group has so many potential

layers to explore. And it's like, how much time do you have? What are we going to get into this week? And you never really know, like, what's going to happen next? I mean, I still feel. always find myself asking like, wait, what? What? Like, I'm sure if we did a what count for the season,

I would probably be in the three digits. I think it's actually been helpful this season, though, to have somebody like you, Kendall a little bit, Liam, as like the newer presences in the group where there are some of those moments where it's like, I mean, Charlie's on a different page with everyone day to day. It's like to have somebody on the show who's going to be like, no, I need you to explain to me like,

what's going on? You have to raise your hand and ask questions where you feel best fit. And I literally watching some of these episodes back, I'm still confused. I'm still like, wait, what is happening? Yeah. Because there could, I don't know, people respond to things differently and you have to learn and kind of test the waters first. And I've tried to do that.

And I'm learning every day to the way people respond. Yeah. It is challenging when you're like forming those friendships in real time. And it's like different people have different needs. I mean, even like the scene earlier in the season with Riley and Ariana, where they were just clearly not on the same page of like, what does being a good friend in a certain situation? I mean, it seems like they've, you know, kind of worked through that. I was stuck in Ariana's room for that conversation.

Late to my own party. Oh, my God. What? Wait, what party were you going to? Well, shy and I hosted like a night out on the town. It was the Rocky Horror Picture show. Oh, yes, yes, yes. At House of Yes, in Brooklyn.

Halloween, yeah. Halloween. And I, you know, it was also like a monsoon that day, but I was like, I have, I got Ariana a really cute housewarming present. So I was like, I have to go to her house first. And everyone was like, no, you can't. You have to go straight to House of Yes. I was like, no, I don't. I mean, I can do what I want. But idea. And then that disagreement happened and she got her candle. She got her housewarming gift. I forgot that that was the same night that you were like, desperately trying to get to Brooklyn. I know.

And it's like, it's not, it's kind of, it's far Brooklyn. I mean, it's easier on the train, but we weren't taking the train. No, House of Yes is like a little bit of a try. I think Brooklyn on this show gets like a little bit of an unfair rep, but like, House of Yes is a little bit of a schlap. Honestly, I have some beef with Brooklyn strictly because the L train really pisses me off. Like, it's just like so not consistent. And listen, I did work in Greenpoint Brooklyn for a month and getting there from

the west side of Manhattan. It was just like, it's not fun. Yeah, somebody was like, oh, I'm moving and I'm, but I'm going to be right by the G train. I'm like, that's not. Is it Greenpoint? Greenpoint, yeah. Greenpoint, yeah.

I mean, it's not, yeah. So like, listen, Brooklyn's great. And if you live there, fantastic, but it is a trek and a half to get there sometimes. It takes a second. It takes a second. So then all of us in cars. Well, people are used to watching like gossip girl or whatever,

where they just will get from Brooklyn. to the Upper East Side and like the snap of a finger. Everyone also like, you know, I think I said deep Brooklyn in one of my confessionals. Everyone's like, that's not Deep Brooklyn. I'm like, okay, that's, you could also say that Soho's not Deep Manhattan, but like it is. Like there's different versions of Deep and it's not, I'm not coming for the entire

Brooklyn area. Like, good for you for living there. I'm not, I don't, I don't, and nothing against it. But I don't like traffic and I don't like an L train that's confusing. I also feel like, like, you. I mean, you grew up in New York. Yes. So you have, you, I think you're allowed to have, like, a more nuanced POV than, like,

I moved to your six months ago and I don't want to go to Brooklyn. Like, you have, you have that, like, native. I didn't grow up traveling to Brooklyn and experiencing Brooklyn as much as maybe other Native New Yorkers have. But I've grown up here. I, you know, I also strictly take the subway. I try my hardest stuff. I hate cars because I'm always hard sick.

Well, because your mom grew up in New York, too. I did, yes. I thought she grew up in Jersey until like last week and she was very offended. Nothing against Jersey. My boyfriend's from Jersey. He's a Jersey boy through and through. But I was like, well, mom, like, you know, you're from Princeton, New Jersey. She's like, no, I am not. That is so funny. Uptown, the Bronx. Changes every day. It changes every day. It's like somewhere in the city. Yeah. It's like, yeah. She had to obviously trek getting to school. I'm sure she had to walk on like stilts and ski poles to get to school. Meanwhile, back in the day.

An Uber's, you know, that's our parents. That's parents. I'm curious when you first started getting to know people in the group, what your kind of first impressions were like? And then as the season went on, was there anyone who really surprised you based on what you had kind of thought was going to happen? I think I tried not to go in with a lot of, I tried not to walk into the group making assumptions. I kind of wanted people to prove themselves to me organically. And I had watched the first

season kind of a little bit here and there. But I was like, you know what? I'm going to go in. I'm going to meet these people, how I meet them. I'm not going to force them to like me. I'm not going to force them to hate me. Whatever happens happens. And I definitely was not close with Riley at the beginning of this past season. Like, not at all. Like, I think the first time I met her, I don't even think she knew that I was on the show. Like, I really don't. I think we, I met her at Urban Outfitters and I think she genuinely was like, okay, hi, nice to meet you.

Nothing against her. She was just like, okay, I don't need to meet another person right now. And then, um, kind of as, as the season and as time has gone on, we've become really, really close. And she's someone that I, I see, I, I am excited to see how our relationship and friendship flourishes. I love that because I feel, yeah, like Riley wasn't also, there were like certain things that she wasn't around for at the beginning of the season.

So I feel like then it can take. Me too, though. Yeah. You know, I missed Amira's birthday party, which I think a lot happened. And I kind of came into this friend group like a little bit later because I was working on something that I couldn't get away from. But Riley and I kind of like off camera have just been hanging out more. I love that. Yeah.

And then you watched the episode and it's like, wait, sorry, I thought I missed like one happy hour and suddenly. Don't blink. Everything has changed. What has it been like for you watching this season? Because you said you've been watching all the episodes. have you enjoyed the experience of getting the full picture or is it kind of like I have to watch through my fingers? No, I'm like loving it. Okay.

It's good for me to be fully up to date as to what's going on so I can have an opinion because so much happens in such a short period of time so long ago that I kind of forget. And when watching these episodes back, I'm remembering what went down. And so it's really good for me to kind of like actually know what's happening. Really taking votes before the reunion. I mean, I was genuinely like, oh, wow, okay, that did happen. That was said. So, yeah, before the reunion, I had to do some, I had to do like a Bravo crash course. I feel like especially the episodes where the season one crew went to BravoCon.

Oh, gosh, yeah. And so you're like, I don't know what happened. All I'm getting is my little, like, text updates. My fomo scene was really great. I was FaceTiming them. but like you'd face-time them and it'd be like 11 a.m. And they'd all be like hammered. And there'd be like a line of fans wanting to get signed, their forehead signed by shy.

I'm like, what is happening? What do you mean? There's a world of which people are paying to see us. I did. It was really funny because I've like I've been to BravoCon and hearing this specific group describe or find out what BravoCon was. It's like, oh yeah, like Georgia and Charlie, you're not. prepared for this world you're about to enter. And from what they've said, like, they didn't really go to bed because you hang out all day and then you hang out with all those, all these other Bravo

liberties and you go out and then you wake up and you do it again. And people expect you to like be on stage. It's a lot. It's draining on your body. So I, I applaud them for being able to stick through that weekend. But I was back here watching Liam's short film and trying to get, trying to get the tea because I think sometimes I just don't know what it's happening. Well, because then they come back from Vegas and you have like Friendsgiving and then going on the ski trip. And so it's like, okay, we're getting to the end of the run here. Like, I got to be, I got to know what to expect. There's a lot to expect.

But, yeah. What was it like for you as the whole Ariana Liam and then kind of Charlie side quest? What was your kind of POV as that was unfolding? I mean, coming into this friend group with Liam and Kendall is amazing. And so I really got to build a friendship with Liam from the start, same with Kendall. And it's nice coming into a new group of people and having like a couple others to lean back on when things get a little bit weird or awkward. So I have, I think Liam's such an amazing guy. I think he's so talented.

And I saw him and Ariana really flourish from the beginning. And, you know, with Ariana, like, she's just coming out of a really long relationship. and then pretty quickly she kind of got into the habit of a relationship with another person. And I think it's easy to do that. It's easy to go from comfortable to comfortable again. But I think when she kind of got in the thick of this with Liam and they sort of doing more coupley things, she realized, wow, she's going down the same path of heading into a long-term relationship and she kind of took a step back.

But I think, like, Liam's 29. Like, he's ready for something like that. want something like that. And I think he wears his heart on his sleeve. I think that he also falls hard and falls fast. And that's, that's him. That's who he is as a person. And there's nothing wrong with that. There's also nothing wrong with Ariana wanting to explore more and meet other people coming out of this really long relationship. She is allowed to do that. We're at the age where you're supposed to do that. So both sides, there's no one right nor wrong. I know Liam doesn't have a bad, doesn't have a bad bone in his body.

and truthfully is not upset with Ariana, from what I've heard. Yeah, I think also it's just like it is navigating situations like this for anyone is always going to be like there's a little awkwardness. Like what page are we on with this and just like having to do that in front of TV cameras at like a dinner table on the ski trip while someone else at the table is like actively trying to swoop in on that situation? It's like, yeah, like you're anybody's like relationship. questions would look awkward if they were placed in that setting.

But Liam's also trying to let, you know, and you see this kind of unfold at the dinner, but Liam's trying to let Ariana be herself and do what she wants to do while also trying to protect himself and stand up for himself and also stand up for someone like Charlie who's just like right off the bat saying how much he wants to hook up with Ariana. So like it puts Liam in a position where he's like, well, I don't want to tell you to like bug off but like at the same time I do like this girl and I don't want you talking about the girl that I like like that so it's a weird position and I think everyone it was miscommunications at times and also different like wrong place wait right wrong place see exactly yeah wrong right people

wrong time wrong people right time it's a lot of that whatever whatever the combination is That's what it was. Every single thing together is. That's exactly what it was. Also, I do feel like Liam is in his first season and he's also hosting this ski trip. I know. And, okay, what was your honest feeling about the room amount and situation? I just thought, I thought that I was going to have to be sharing a room with Charlie and shy.

Like that's what it made. That's how people were freaking out. Like there was a bunk room. Right. And my boyfriend was like, okay, that's like a lot. little weird. Like, I don't really know these guys. I don't know sharing a room with them. So I was going in with the impression that I was going to be on the bottom bunk and like Charlie, shy, Georgia, like the four of us were going to be in her room or something. Right. Just because, like, yeah,

I'm the new person. No one wants to be like, oh my God, let's go snuggle in a bed together. Like, it's whatever. And then it ended up working out perfectly. Kendall and I got our little humble abode off in the corner. We got our personal onsuit, which was great. We did share a wall with Liam and Ariana, so we, you know, stayed up for not the reasons you would think, way too early in the morning. Once again, emphasis on not the reasons you would think. I know. We heard how that conversation went. Exactly. Yeah, no, it's like whatever wrong, I don't know, what combination we decided on. Exactly. Yeah. All of the above. It's like, you know, no harm, no foul. Yeah. And then Georgia ended up getting the bunk room to herself, which had four beds. Okay. So where are she?

and Charlie's sleeping. They, shy. Where did these beds come from? Charlie finally was like, okay, fine. Charlie didn't want to sleep in a bunk bed because I'm sure it would like threaten his masculinity or something. So he like was,

him and shy did end up sharing a room together. And they were in like, you know, not like twin bunk beds, but full bunk beds. Okay. And then Georgia had the bunk room to herself. I don't know how I walked in and all of the beds. were pushed together so she had like a mega bed and then she I don't know she ended up leaving after

the first night because she was sick could not tell you and then across the hall was me Kendall Liam Ariana and then downstairs it was Gia Riley Brooks Ava in a room that slept to two people okay yeah and then below was a mirror like it's like there's a lot there are a lot of you But I was stressed about the room situation because like you're, I'm like staying with the people that I don't know. Like this is the exact book that you're going to hear about me in the New York Post soon because of whatever happens. Well, I do think too, like for for anybody who's joined a show like this,

you get into the rhythm a little bit of filming in your day to day life where it's like, oh, we have a party. Oh, I'm going to dinner with these people. But when you go on the cast trip for the first time, it's like, oh, no, this is a different thing where it's like we're kind of always on and you know you're seeing people first thing in the morning if you have a fight at dinner then you go back to the house and you have to still keep that dynamic going like it is a different task I think I love like an overnight trip though yeah like I just think you bond so much more with people and it was a bonding experience for me um I there's a clip of me

sleeping I was like when did that happen I'm in my like long sleep pajamas and I always sleep with something like underneath. Yeah. Usually it's my blankie, but I didn't bring my blanket on the trip because I didn't want to be made fun of. So I was like my hand and I'm like curled up in a little ball. I'm like, who is in my room? What was that? So you really like if they're there all the time.

Right. Yeah. If you were sharing the room with Charlie, you definitely can't bring the blankie. You would never hear the end of it. I would give it to him and be like, you need to take this and like connect with it. I am curious your thoughts on shy a little. bit because you you did his photo shoot. Yeah. And I think the clothes look great. I saw, I heard they like sold out. Good for him. Why do you feel like shy has had trouble this season in his communications

with various different people in the group? It feels like he kind of like can't quite get it right for some reason. I just think he, you know, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, just needs to be more confident. Yeah. And it's like so much easier said than done. But he is such a funny, bubbly guy who like is always down to have a good time but I think sometimes people will just like come at him for no reason or question listen he totally screwed up when he Ava and I told him explicitly what not to do and he went and did it and like you know went behind her backs and doing that he said he thought he heard something I'm like oh god who whatever whoever you marry is in for a treat you thought you heard something like chat come on

about that, but he realized that he was wrong in that and he came and apologized to us. So maybe there's things like that where he just doesn't like think and he kind of just like acts. Right. But then I also think if he carried himself with just like confidence and realized like he is that guy, then that could like change his persona of it. Yeah, because I think you have, you know, somebody like Charlie who is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum of like he will tell you a million times how little he gives a fuck about any given situation.

And even if it's not 100% true, like, under the surface, like, he's never going to let you think that he cares. And it's hard not to respect someone who's always honest. Right, right, right. You know, it's like, does the things he say are they extremely controversial? Sure, but, like, he's not going to not tell you how it is. And so at the end of the day, you kind of have to be like, okay, well, like, I respect that you do not care about the way anybody perceives you. Yeah, it's like a specific vibe, but if you can make it work for you. Listen, I would love to not give about what anybody thought about me.

I'm curious, so you guys did your reunion. We did. I saw in an interview you did afterwards that you said that you hosted people after the reunion and you were there. It's so much fun. Until what, like 2, 3 a.m.? It was like my house, so I just like went upstairs and went to bed. But we ended up going for drinks after. I was like, we're not going to all.

Like, what are we all going to do now? Go home? Like, that's so awkward. Right. Let's all go out. Let's all get drinks. We got drinks and we ended up going back to my house and we had a great time. So it seems like...

It was fun. Yeah, it was like good. We, it, I think the concept of reunion is really therapeutic and good for a lot of people, especially if they need to get something off their chest. I mean, you'll kind, you'll see as the rest of the season unfolds and as the reunion airs. Like, there are certain things that maybe people kept and then use the reunion as an, as an outlet and a platform to kind of bring that out to the forefront. But at the end of the day,

we were able to all be immacable and in one place. I'm excited to see this reunion specifically because I think you have some people in the group that are very reality TV minded. Obviously, Housewives Kids, I think somebody like Amira is like very aware of like what a reunion is usually. But then you have somebody like Georgia or Charlie or you where it's like, you, where it's like, what's this going to be? Okay, we'll show up, sure. I had no idea. I had no idea. Part of me thinks Charlie had a pretty strong idea. He knew what he was doing. Interesting. And there's, you know, some people really came to the reunion with a lot to say. I would imagine so. Not the people you'd think. So I'm curious.

Okay. I'm excited to see it. Okay. Before we wrap up, one of my favorite things to do with guests sometimes is to look through on Getty images. Okay. a little bit into the past. Okay. And for a lot of people that I talk to, their first getty images are like their first season on the show or like when they started going to an event. You have Getty images from when you were like a baby. Well, I was the miracle child for Brooke Shields.

And then, you know, I was the IVF baby. She never thought she'd have. So that got me a People magazine cover pretty early. So if I may, I would love to share a few of these photos that I found and talk about your experiences. So the first one, Smurfs. Smurfs. I love that. My dad wrote that, helped write that. You went to a handful of different premieres where you posed with characters. I just love that vibe. And look for my side part. That's probably the last time I had a side part rather than right now. Okay. This is the first, I was saying like this is the first time literally think since that age that I

did a side part. I think it's working for, I think it's working for you better now than maybe it did in like 2000, whatever this was. Okay, the next one, I think it was Halloween. How good is that? We know you love Halloween. So my mom played Mortisha. Yes. And so her costume designer made me a little tiny Mortisha outfit.

Are you kidding me? How sick is that? That is iconic. It's sick. I've also done cabaret and I've also done Chicago because my mom was in both of those. So her costume designer also made me little tiny things. That is like, it's such a fun like little Easter egg thing and it's like, oh yeah, my costume I'll just like do, you know, like this iconic role.

I'll just be mom. But like with a twist. And then I thought this one was really sweet. That's cute. That was the White House Correspondence dinner. Yes. Which was a lot more tame than the most recent one. Yeah.

This was 2022. The vibes were different. The vibes were different. The Oval Office looked a little different too. I'm curious, like, obviously, like, those are all very, like, different types of events and things. You've done so many cool things with your mom over the years. Like, what has it been, like, kind of just, like, having those experience?

experiences, but also being like a normal person who is like going to college, graduating, getting a job. Like, how have you kind of navigated those two sides? Day by day. I think also my mom is always really stressed the importance of being a hard worker and showing up and being respectful. And I love working. And I get that from both my parents.

Like I don't see a world in which I stop creating, whether it's like a TikTok or paint by the numbers. Like I just, I just love creating and putting stuff out there. And my work ethic derives directly from my parents. And it's just, you know, work. But it's good. It's good. I don't, you know, I'm not miserable working. It's, that's the best part about it. And I, I think, you know, I college was the best four years of my life. You went to Wake Forest, right? I went to Wake Forest. Like, I had a blast. Yeah. And postgrad has been amazing. And I just, there's so much that I want to do. You know, I'm about to get. my first screenplay made, knock on anything.

Literally knock on everything. And so I don't know. I'm just like, I see these visions. Yeah. And I just need to see them all the way through. And once again, something as simple as a TikTok. Like, it's just what I do. But it helps when you have equally as creative parents who have a lot to say.

Well, I think, too, it's like even if, even if the thing that you have, at the top of your list doesn't happen next month or next year. It's like figuring out, okay, what am I doing to get there? What do I want to be doing? Exactly. Because like I loved the documentary, your mom's documentary a couple years ago. Yeah, it was really beautifully done. And I think also just looking, I mean, like the, over the decades, it's like figuring out, like, what is my next phase?

What's my next project? Like, you can do so many different things, but it doesn't all have to happen, like, at the same time. And it's not about fame. Yeah. It's like not. For some people it is. But for me, it's just wanting to see. I love when other people resonate with stuff that I do.

Or I can collab with someone and even in my day-to-day work life, like just being able to work with other people and put something out there that I can say, like, wow, I did that. That's mine. Yeah. It's really awesome. Well, you have season two of Next Gen. NYC that I think a lot of people have been watching.

That's my thing. That's my, that's it right now. knock on wood for that screenplay and then we'll see what happens from there. Yeah, we'll see. Literally one day at a time. Otherwise, I get so overwhelmed and like, yeah. One day at a time. Wednesday nights on Bravo. That's, yeah, please. Wednesday nights on Bravo. Well, thank you so much for being here, Rowan. Thank you for having me. Congrats on this season and can't wait to see what's next. Thank you. Thanks everyone for watching. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe, and until next time, be cool. Don't be all like uncool.