‘Owning Manhattan’ star Ryan Serhant Addresses Sexuality Rumors While Reflecting on Fame, Family, and LGBTQ+ Fans

When "Owning Manhattan" returned to Netflix with a new season of luxury listings and reality‑TV drama, viewers were just as interested in Ryan Serhant’s personal life as they were in his multimillion‑dollar deals. Alongside questions about his marriage and fatherhood, one topic kept resurfacing online: rumors about the high‑profile broker’s sexuality.

In a recent feature, LGBTQ+ outlet Queerty reported that Serhant directly addressed this speculation, explaining that he identifies as straight but is aware that some people have assumed otherwise based on his style and demeanor. According to Queerty, he discussed how the rumors trace back in part to the early days of his relationship with his now‑wife, Emilia Serhant, when even she initially wondered if he might be gay.

As detailed in prior interviews, Serhant has often retold the story of their first encounter: he went to a townhouse open house on New York’s Stone Street hoping to meet both potential real estate clients and, in his words, a “Jewish girl,” but Emilia later admitted she assumed he was gay at first. He has said that his yarmulke “kept falling off” during the event and that this awkward moment became part of the couple’s origin story, which he has shared in a 2018 Facebook video and subsequent press coverage.

According to entertainment reporting on the new season, Serhant’s heightened visibility on "Owning Manhattan" has only intensified public curiosity about his private life. The series follows him as he leads his namesake brokerage, SERHANT., while navigating personal pressures at home with Emilia and their young daughter Zena, born in 2019. In interviews about Season 2, he has spoken candidly about the strain of trying to be “No. 1 dad” and a top boss at the same time, acknowledging moments of emotional vulnerability that made it into the final cut of the show.

Speculation about his sexuality has unfolded alongside separate, widely circulated rumors that he and Emilia had separated after he stopped featuring her prominently on his social media accounts. In February, Serhant told celebrity outlet TMZ that they are “still very happily married,” noting they have been together for 14 years, and a representative later said his shift toward more business‑focused posts was driven by security concerns and his emphasis on work. The couple further underscored their status by posing together at the "Owning Manhattan" Season 2 premiere, images of which Emilia shared on her own social media.

Coverage of Serhant’s comments has highlighted how reality‑TV personalities are often read through the lens of gender expression and cultural expectations, particularly by LGBTQ+ viewers who may pick up on mannerisms or aesthetics that resonate with queer experiences. Queerty framed Serhant’s remarks within a broader pattern of fans speculating about public figures’ identities, especially when their presentation or emotional openness does not fit narrow stereotypes of masculinity.

In that context, Serhant’s willingness to discuss the rumors without dismissing LGBTQ+ people has been noted as part of a gradual shift in how straight male public figures respond to questions about their sexuality. While he has been clear about identifying as straight, coverage describes him as engaging with the topic in a way that acknowledges his queer fanbase and the visibility of LGBTQ+ communities in New York’s real estate and creative industries.

Serhant’s public narrative is closely tied to New York City—a place with deep significance for many LGBTQ+ communities and a longstanding history of activism and cultural production. His brokerage’s branding around ambition, individuality, and high‑fashion marketing has also attracted viewers who see reality real‑estate series as modern lifestyle entertainment that intersects with conversations about identity and representation.

Meanwhile, Emilia has developed her own profile within the firm after previously working as a maritime attorney and later in land title insurance before joining SERHANT. in 2025, a career shift documented in real‑estate trade and lifestyle coverage. She has also written a children’s book and been described in press reports as a “dedicated philanthropist” involved in multiple nonprofit initiatives. Their family story—meeting in 2011, getting engaged in Times Square in 2014, and marrying in Greece in 2016—has been repeatedly referenced in entertainment and lifestyle outlets, contributing to their ongoing appeal for audiences following both their relationship and Serhant’s on‑screen persona.

As "Owning Manhattan" continues on Netflix, Serhant’s response to sexuality rumors underscores how reality‑TV fame can invite close scrutiny of identity, even when public figures have clearly stated how they identify. For LGBTQ+ viewers and allies, the conversation around his comments highlights the continued importance of inclusive media coverage and nuanced depictions of gender expression, relationships, and community in mainstream entertainment.