What Really Happened Behind the Scenes of Netflix's Bling Empire
Dripping with diamonds, designer clothes, and plenty of drama, Netflix’s new series Bling Empire (premiering January 15) follows a clique of insanely rich Asians and Asian Americans in Los Angeles as they try to one-up each other through extravagant living, excessive spending, and outrageous parties—and I experienced it all firsthand.
Covering one of these over-the-top events for T&C during early filming for the series, I found myself immersed in this unique group of frenemies—so much so that I secured some screen time in the first episode.
It was February 19, 2019 when Christine and Dr. Gabriel Chiu—two of the primary cast members—hosted an elaborate Chinese New Year party in Beverly Hills, transforming Two Rodeo into a mini Chinatown for 130 guests. Hopping on a flight the night before, I had no idea what was in store for me.
Christine warned me there would be a camera crew at her house when I arrived to interview her for the magazine that morning. She casually told me the party and preparations were being filmed but didn’t offer more on the subject. As I passed through the gates to her sprawling Bel Air home, I was surprised to find myself driving onto a live set. One of the many production assistants escorted me to the dining room where a producer explained that—if it was alright—they’d like to shoot me interviewing Christine. Naturally, I said yes.
While getting mic’d and some basic instructions on ignoring the cameras, I looked up to see Jeff Jenkins—one of the executive producers responsible for the Kardashian franchise—and realized instantly this was anything but a little project. Knowing Christine, who also happens to be one of the show’s producers, I should have expected as much.
We met a year earlier through a mutual friend and immediately bonded over the business of fashion, haute couture, travel, and our love for really good caviar. Sometimes it’s serious conversation, but mostly it devolves into laughter—as with several parts of our interview that weren’t seen on camera.
For instance, viewers quickly discover Chiu loves a good wig, like the bob she wears to on-screen sparring partner Anna Shay’s dinner party a few scenes into the episode. During our interview I noticed the wig on a table in the background and decided to throw her a curveball by asking if that meant she and Gabriel were into role play.
Everyone—including the crew—burst out laughing when I quizzed her about their safe words. It was so unexpected that the producers asked me to do it again, this time without production breaking the fourth wall. “You’ll have to talk to Dr. Chiu about that one,” she coyly replied after the second take.
What makes Bling Empire special, both on TV and on its set, was that sense of humor. Whether we’re shopping for a Ducati with Chiu in anticipation of the zombie apocalypse, waiting patiently for aspiring model Kevin Kreider’s next striptease, or watching Shay dress up like an Air France stewardess on her first-class flight to Paris, it’s clear that—for these otherwise serious people—this reality show is something of a playground.
Massive estates, fleets of exotic cars, private jets, and closets filled with expensive clothes suddenly become a lot more fun if you camp it up for the cameras. I mean, when would you ever actually see an heiress in an evening gown wield a sledgehammer because she thinks hiring a contractor is a “stupid idea"?
Christine’s outgoing personality and couture-clad exterior—complete with a Louis Vuitton high jewelry necklace that’s been the subject of major Beverly Hills gossip—make her perfect for a reality show about excess and glamour. But these people aren't just characters on screen, and they're not without their serious sides. Indeed, for all their bling, it’s worth noting that—like their cast mates—off-camera the Chius are genuinely philanthropic, donating and raising millions for causes including the Grace Rose Foundation in support of Cystic Fibrosis research, Art of Elysium, The Prince’s Foundation, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Coming down from my brief orbit around the stars of Bling Empire and watching their storylines evolve, I can’t help but relish the experience and hope future invitations come my way—maybe for an impromptu trip to St. Barts to celebrate an end to the pandemic, or just to take another seat at the table of an outrageously-themed dinner party. Either way, my attendance is absolutely confirmed.
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