Not many people can say they're selling Harry Styles' former home, but Selling Sunset'sEmma Hernanis doing just that. 'I currently have it listed on the market and hopefully we will sell it very soon,' she tells Grazia. 'We've had a few offers so hopefully we will get a deal done soon - it's a gorgeous home.' This is just another day for Hernan as a real estate agent at The Oppenheim Group and one of the stars on the hit Netflix reality show.
As the show enters its seventh season, Emma has become the voice of reason on the cast. She tends to stay out of the drama and is a listening ear to her fellow Oppenheim agents - but it wasn't always this way. Viewers will remember during season four and five we saw her in many bitter clashes with former cast member Christine Quinn. After Quinn's departure, Emma feels like viewers have now seen more of her fun-loving personality. 'Nobody wants to feel like they're under attack, or there's someone trying to backstab them every single day. I was constantly backstabbed. I feel like this season, you got to see more of my personality. I finally didn't have to worry about someone who I don't care about trying to get me.' She adds, 'I don't have drama with people - I'm very easygoing.'
That's not to say Emma's completely out of the drama though. This season the show introduced Bre Tiesi.Whilst Emma and Bre had a disagreement initially, they ended the season as friends. However, Emma is also very close friends with Chelsea Lazkani. As viewers ,we know that Bre and Chelsea don't see eye to eye after Chelsea critisised her open relationship with Nick Cannon. But what is it like navigating the drama as the friend suck in the middle? 'I would be lying if I said it was easy,' Emma says. 'We're trying to balance and figure it out - I love them both. Chelsea and I have this sister bond and I'm super close with Bre too. I am hoping one day they can get along - I do think that's a possibility.'
As a reality star, you have to be extremely open with your personal life, but Emma says it was a journey getting to that point. 'When I first came on to the show, it wasn't the easiest decision to make,' she explains. 'I remember talking about it with both of my parents and we were going for a walk. They said "If you're going to do it, you've gotta go all in." I think that being vulnerable and showing people your true self is really important. It's difficult sometimes to talk about things that are personal and to put your life out there for the world to judge but at the end of the day - it's something that I signed up for, and I don't think it would be fair to be honest to the audience if I didn't show my whole self.'
Emma adds, 'If I happen to go through a breakup, and it happens to be at a time where we're filming, that's something I would be open to showing because I think that people will resonate with it.'
At the start when people would make fun of me it would definitely hurt my feelings. Now, I am laughing with them!
We were previously witness to Emma's love life on the show. Last season, viewers were captivated by her blossoming romance with property developer Micah McDonald. However, this season Micah and Emma's relationship took a backseat, so what happened? Emma tells Grazia, 'Micah's an amazing guy and he was a lot of fun to flirt with. But at the end of the day, he was just someone that I couldn't actually picture ending up with.'
Despite not working romantically, the pair have maintained their professional relationship. She reveals, 'We still work together - I still have one of his houses listed. We didn't go too far where, you know, sometimes if you go too far and you're too invested, then it's hard to go back to the work relationship. I'm smart enough to know that and take a step back so I don't waste my time or his time.'
The Oppenheim agents have become notorious for their extravagant fashion.This season the girls took it up a notch as we watched Chelsea struggle to move in her structured micro-mini Diesel Skirt. 'I was watching the show back and I was dying at Chelsea trying to sit down in that skirt.' Despite the criticism for some of the outfits this season, Emma says she only see's the funny side of it. 'I was actually just laughing at a couple different fashion articles and funny memes. There was this one where we were all on the red carpet and the caption was like, "The agents of Selling Sunset showing up to a Broker's Open at 2pm."'
Emma believes that the shows unique fashion just makes the show more iconic. 'All of the girls in the show, including myself - we are a little extra in life. Our fashion is over the top. We all have our own sense of style and I think that's what makes it even more appealing. Some of us are more crazy with our choices whilst others are more business -it's just a mixture. I think that it's a perfect combination for a great TV show.'
But does starring on a show that often paints an image of physical perfection make the cast feel like they have to adhere to those perfect beauty standards? Emma answers frankly, 'I think at the beginning I did feel the pressure to live up to those perfect standards - but I feel like I've come a long way. I've gone from my first scene where I rocked up in my favourite business suit in full glam, to this season filming in Palm Springs with no makeup on and I just threw my hair in a ponytail. That took a lot for me to do.'
'Just to clarify no, we do not wake up out of bed with our hair and makeup ready,' she adds candidly. 'I do think it's important for the audience to see that because at the end of the day, we signed up to do the show and show our real lives and our real lives also include laying in bed having girl talk with little under eye patches on our faces!'
One thing is clear, Emma has always been determined to create a beautiful life for herself. 'I loved working and making money. I knew that I had to really hustle and work really hard for it. So, from a really young age I went from babysitting to working at a little ice cream shop to waitressing and saving my modelling money. Then I turned that money into a great investment by investing it instead of spending it.' She adds, 'I've worked really hard my whole life but especially as a female, it can be difficult and you can be underestimated. I love proving people wrong, and I've made a name for myself.'
Many viewers thought season six of Selling Sunset was the best season yet, but Emma teases that season seven raises the bar again. 'I feel like season seven is even better than six. We have another trip that's even better than Palm Springs and there is definitely a lot of drama - the kind the you wouldn't imagine.'
Before signing off, Emma wanted to address anyone who laughs at her growing Empanadas business 'Oh I'm laughing with you - but I'm laughing whilst I build my empire!'
Lead image: Jason Kent