Rowan Henchy is not interested in changing her personality to create bigger moments for Next Gen NYC.
The 23-year-old daughter of Brooke Shields addressed viewers who complained that she brought “nothing” to her debut season. Rather than taking the criticism personally, Henchy said she would rather stay true to herself than behave in ways that feel unnatural on camera.
Rowan Henchy says she’d rather be herself than manufacture drama for the cameras
“I love the comments that are like, ‘Yes, Rowan, give us nothing,’” Henchy told Us Weekly. “Because like, OK, I’d rather give you nothing than [be] throwing stuff. It’s not in my character. It’s not who I am.”
Henchy joined the Next Gen NYC cast during Season 2 and said she enjoyed the experience despite reactions to her more reserved approach.
“At the end of the day, this is fun. This is life. And I don’t care if it’s nothing,” she said.
Henchy’s Bravo debut also exposed her to social media commentary. She admitted that she sometimes reads what viewers write, even though people advised her to avoid the comments.
Most criticism does not bother her. However, comments questioning her character or upbringing hit differently.
“The negative comments for me don’t really bother me at all … it’s when people kind of come for my character [that annoy me],” Henchy explained.
She specifically mentioned criticism suggesting that she appears “spoiled or rotten.” Henchy said she does not want viewers to perceive her as disrespectful or poorly raised.
Still, she has no major regrets about how she handled the season.
“I don’t regret doing anything in the season,” Henchy said, though she acknowledged there were moments she might approach differently.
Her relatively calm run does not mean she stayed completely removed from the cast’s conflicts. Henchy revealed that she spoke up for other people during the reunion.
“Things come out. People talk. It’s a reunion, and it’s good. It’s a free therapy session,” she said.
Despite whatever happened during filming, Henchy said the group later gathered at her home and ended the night on good terms.
