Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would have seen or at least heard about Bling Empire.
The new Netflix series has been described as the real-life version of Crazy Rich Asians, and it certainly lives up to the hype. With a roundup of gorgeous, successful, and super-wealthy Asian-Americans living their fabulous lives in front of the camera.
The show offers a little bit of everything that makes for good reality TV – friendship, love, and conflict.
And one person who gave us quite a bit of that was Andrew Gray, as we watched his explosive relationship with girlfriend Kelly Mi Li play out on the show.
Andrew’s angry outburst did not sit well with viewers who pegged him as toxic and abusive.
And after one specific scene where he got angry at Kelly during a trip to Paris, fans wanted him axed from the Netflix series.
However, is editing to blame for Andrew’s villainous persona?
Andrew Gray knew he was going to be the villain on Bling Empire
The Bling Empire star had a lengthy chat on Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef and spilled the beans about his appearance on the show.
The 34-year responded to the fan outrage regarding his behavior.
And despite taking some responsibility, he shared that the reality TV world is not always what it seems.
What most people don’t know is that Andrew had a major role in pitching the show, and even assembling the cast members.
“I know I signed a contract of what I can and can’t say, but… I knew I was gonna be the villain, from day one,” confessed Andrew. “And I’m okay with it.”
“Because number one… I realized I still have more work to do in therapy,” noted the Bling Empire star. “At the same time. I’m the only, non-Asian on the show with no friends and no family backing. There’s no support,” he continued.
Did production tell Andrew Gray he would be the villain?
During his chat with David Yontef, the Bling Empire star explained why or how he got the short end of the stick on the show.
But despite the brutal backlash he’s received from viewers, Andrew is taking it all in stride.
When asked if he was told that he would be playing the villainous role on the show, the actor noted that he figured it out on his own.
“I put a little equation together,” noted the Netflix star.
“I was like if they’re going to have these families who are going to be a first, to be an all assemble… all these firsts, would they make them a villain after?”
Andrew is referring to the fact the Bling Empire cast is made up of Asian-Americans and he seems to think the network did not want to put them in a bad light.
Do you think that Andrew was made out to be the villain on Bling Empire, or did he bring this on himself?
Season 1 of Bling Empire is currently available on Netflix.