Romain Bonnet wears a tailored suit by Urbane & Gallant.
The “Selling Sunset” star opens up about balancing love and hustle, staying grounded amid fame, and why he and Mary are stronger than ever.
It’s back, baby! The ninth season of Netflix’s Selling Sunset dropped on October 29, once again bringing the glamour, the listings, and, of course, the drama. As fans eagerly await what might happen on the reunion episode, there is a lot of discussion about what happened this season. Since filming wrapped, behind the luxury homes and high-stakes office tension, Romain Bonnet has been busy building something far more meaningful — a grounded life with his wife, Mary, their Pomeranian, Thor, and a thriving career in real estate and construction.
“I’ve been crazy busy with work,” Romain says, as he steps away for a moment to do the interview. “We have two huge projects going on right now. We’re trying to finish one before the holidays, so I’ve barely had time to even look at social media to check out what people are saying about the new season.”
Romain Bonnet wears a ruffled shirt by BMUET(TE), with glasses and trousers by Giorgio Armani.
That balance between TV fame and real-life work is something Romain takes seriously. “I’m lucky I don’t film as much as the girls,” he admits with a laugh. “My schedule is a little more flexible, and my partner — who’s also one of Jason’s [Oppenheim] best friends — is super supportive of the show. So when I need to film, I can take time off. But for Mary, it’s a lot harder. She has to postpone work as a real estate agent or do everything after hours. We both work long days, but we understand each other.”
That mutual understanding is at the heart of the couple’s relationship. “We admire each other’s work ethic,” Romain says. “Mary inspires me. She motivates me and brings out the best in me. In eight years together, we’ve never once fought about working too much because we understand each other. We’re both hard workers, and that’s something we love about each other. It pushes us to do better.”
Despite their packed schedules, Romain and Mary always make time for what matters. “We try to do little vacations, even if it’s just a weekend or a day, to reset and spend quality time together,” he says. “It’s not often, but it helps us a lot.”
Romain Bonnet wears a tailored suit by Urbane & Gallant.
Home life for the couple is more typical than you might imagine. “I wake up at 5 a.m. every day,” Romain says. “I leave by six, and I’m usually home by seven at night. We eat, catch up, and crash. I fall asleep in 30 seconds — Mary always laughs because I’m out cold before she’s even back from brushing her teeth.”
Their days may be hectic, but small gestures keep their bond strong. “We text during the day, mostly because she checks if I fed Thor,” he laughs. “Sometimes we just send simple messages like, ‘I love you.’ It’s our way of showing we care.”
Being on a hit reality show means sharing parts of your life with the world and living under a microscope, especially on social media, which Romain admits hasn’t always been easy. “We signed up for it, but you never really know what it’s going to be like until you live it,” he reflects. “There’s more good than bad, for sure, but people judge you on what they see. And what they see is only a small part of what really happens.”
Fans of Selling Sunset have seen the highs and lows of Romain and Mary’s journey, from heartbreak and loss to home break-ins and career milestones. “We lost a baby, then had a break-in and a fire,” he recalls. “It’s been rough. We spent thousands of dollars upgrading security because Mary didn’t feel safe. For me, it’s not about feeling threatened; it’s about knowing my wife is okay. That’s what matters.”
Still, through it all, their relationship has only grown stronger. “We’ve been through a lot, but we’re more in love than ever,” Romain says. “It’s not always easy, but it’s real. We’ve learned how to hold each other up.”
Romain Bonnet wears a black tank top, jeans, and a robe by Saint Laurent.
Of course, fame brings critics, and Romain has learned to take it all in stride. “Since Season One, people thought I was with Mary for the money,” he says. “Now, years later, some of those same people are like, ‘You know what? I was wrong.’ And I’m like, yeah — I’ve been saying that from the start.”
When it comes to online negativity, Romain has developed a thick skin. “People judge based on what they see on TV,” he explains. “There’s so much that happens behind the scenes — fights, interviews, moments you’ll never see. So when people say, ‘You overreacted,’ they don’t know the full story.”
Mary, he admits, takes things a little more personally. “She doesn’t even read her social media anymore,” Romain says. “She could have 99 positive comments and one bad one, and she’ll focus on the bad. Me? I’ll grab popcorn and laugh. Haters are gonna hate.”
Still, Romain handles it all with humor and heart — even when social media blows up over a trend. “We [recently] did this TikTok trend, and people went crazy,” he laughs. “They were saying I looked aggressive, that Mary looked scared. I was like, dude, it’s a trend. Chill! Literally 15 minutes before that, we did another video dancing in the same outfits. Some people want to find something negative.”
Romain and Mary watched the new season of Selling Sunset together before it aired, which he says was both exciting and nerve-wracking. “Mary was nervous,” he admits. “There’s so much drama. People love it, but I think it’s getting to be too much. It should be more about real estate. People really enjoy that stuff, too.” When it comes to the cast drama, Romain keeps it simple. “I just want less drama. Everyone fighting all the time isn’t fun to watch, and it’s not fun to live through.”
Romain Bonnet wears a ruffled shirt by BMUET(TE), with glasses and trousers by Giorgio Armani.
As for the future, Romain has big dreams — and fans may have a reason to get excited. “We’ve had a lot of people asking for a spinoff,” he reveals. “Maybe something with real estate or flipping houses — or something with travel, because we love to travel. That would be amazing.”
And while Selling Sunset keeps the couple busy, Romain isn’t slowing down. “I’ve always worked as hard as possible for everything I have,” he says. “Nothing’s handed to you. You’ll hear a lot of ‘no’s along the way, but if you stay focused and put in the effort, you can make anything happen.”
As for what fans of the Netflix show may not get to see on air, Romain says, “Apparently, I’m a lot funnier in real life than the show makes me look.” He laughs. “Everyone tells me that. I’m goofy, always joking. They don’t show that side of me, but Mary sees it. She’d tell you I’m the biggest goof she knows.”
Through every season of fame, hard work, and personal growth, one thing remains constant for Romain Bonnet — his love for Mary. “I love my wife,” he says with a smile. “And my little boy, Thor. That’s my life. Everything else — the show, the work, the drama — it’s just noise.”
For Romain Bonnet, success isn’t about fame or followers, it’s about building something lasting. “Whether it’s our relationship, our home, or our work, we’re building our life together,” he says. “And that’s the best project of all.”
