When you think of British estate agents, shiny suits and Foxton’s branded Minis probably spring to mind. A far cry from the glossy world of Netflix’s hit ‘docusoap’ Selling Sunset, which chronicles the dealings and dramas of a group of elite LA realtors as they sell mansions to the rich and famous. Thanks to next-level property porn and the often frosty dynamic between the impeccably dressed cast – which often explodes into full-blown fights – the past eight seasons (yes, really!) have been must-watch TV.
Chelsea Lazkani joined the realtors of The Oppenheim Group for season five – and has since been proving that British estate agents can be every bit as glamorous. Raised in London, she moved to Los Angeles with a masters in oil and gas economics from the University of Dundee. The plan was to work in the energy sector but, inspired by her dad who also worked in property, she pivoted and got her real estate licence.
Like many of the women on the show, Chelsea now juggles her demanding job with the two young children she has with her ex-husband Jeff Lazkani: Maddox and Melia. ‘At the beginning it was really difficult because I was still exclusively breastfeeding Melia,’ she says. ‘On set, I’d be like, “I need to drain!” or I could tell when my daughter was hungry, even when I wasn’t with her, as I’d start filling up.’
The Oppenheim Group is famous for its strong, no-nonsense women (hello, Christine Quinn) and Chelsea hasn’t come to ‘play any games’. She tells Grazia, ‘Whether it’s in real estate or fashion, I’m making sure that everybody knows I’m not going to be joked with. Other than that, it’s just a lot of fun because all these ladies are remarkable.’
When Chelsea started out in property, she says she was ‘blown away’ by the lack of Black women working in luxury real estate. But she hopes being on the show will inspire more Black women to work in the industry. ‘I’m African, I’m British, I’m Black,’ Chelsea says. ‘Knowing that there’s going to be loads of girls who look just like me feeling like they can succeed in real estate, that was really part of the reason I was like, “You’ve got to go for it and give it all you’ve got [on the show].” Because if I succeed, there are so many other girls that are going to want to get into this.’
Fans of Selling Sunset know to expect theatrics but Chelsea remains tight-lipped about what we can expect as season eight unfolds. (‘Drama is a part of life, babes,’ she laughs.) But from her Instagram, it’s clear she’s still friendly with fellow Selling Sunset agents Chrishell Stause, Emma Hernan and boss Jason Oppenheim.
Despite that, Chelsea hints that her straight-talking nature means some heated arguments are in store. ‘I can love you and still tell you you’re wrong.’