Rowan Henchy is stepping out into the spotlight with Next Gen NYC. As the daughter of Hollywood icon Brooke Shields and prominent writer/producer Chris Henchy, Henchy is no stranger to fame and fits seamlessly into the friend group populated by the adult children of Bravo royalty. However, Henchy admits that her mother was initially “hesitant” about her diving into the world of reality TV. “[She] was worried that I would be thrown into this process with other people who have been around cameras since they were 8,” explained Henchy. “This has been their entire life.”

However, as a native New Yorker, Henchy wasn’t intimidated by the group dynamics of the Next Gen NYC cast. “I could get along with a brick wall because I like talking,” said Henchy. However, Henchy knew that “if you’re coming into a new friend group at any stage in your life, you have to be a little sensitive to prior relationships.” That savvy has helped endear Henchy to her new peers and audiences everywhere.

Henchy found Ariana Biermann to be among the most welcoming of the crew. “Ariana was my first friend and really helped me integrate into this group,” said Henchy. “She’s such an amazing girl.” So, it was tough for Henchy to watch Biermann juggle three guys this season: Hudson McLeory, Liam Obergfoll and Charlie Zakkour. “I think people put a lot of pressure on her to maybe have it all figured out,” said Henchy. “But she is 24, living alone, and dealing with her first big breakup.” With a friend like Henchy by her side, Biermann is going to be just fine.

Henchy dropped by the Decider studio to discuss her first season of reality TV, sing the praises of much-maligned rookie Kendall White, share an update on her screenplay and more.

DECIDER: Rowan, you are fitting in beautifully with the cast of this show. Why do you think you were able to navigate these group dynamics so easily?

Not easily, by the way [laughs]. I will say it’s a learning process, but I could get along with a brick wall because I like talking. I can talk to anyone. If you’re coming into a new friend group at any stage in your life, you have to be a little sensitive to prior relationships. But it’s also not a hard group to integrate yourself into because everyone is such a unique personality. I’ve built relationships that I’m not sure that I would have had if I didn’t say yes to joining this friend group.

You’re also one of the few cast members on this show who is actually a New Yorker.

Yeah, I am! That’s emphasis on “actually.”

Is being a native New Yorker something important to you?

Of course. It’s a privilege to say that I’m from here. Growing up in New York also makes you so much more vigilant in terms of, like, getting around or just meeting people. You’re exposed to such a wide array of personalities from an early age. Maybe that’s what made coming into this friend group more seamless for me. I’m open to meeting anybody and getting to know anybody. I see myself residing in New York for a while, but I love LA. However, now that I’m on a show called Next Gen NYC, I might have to stay here.

It’s well known that your mother, Brooke Shields, didn’t initially want you to sign on for Next Gen NYC. Now that the season is finally airing, is she glad that she changed her mind?

She’s glad that I stayed true to myself and that I did meet an amazing group of friends. There were a lot of headlines about her not wanting me to do the show in the beginning. She was hesitant for me to jump into this world. She had never done reality TV herself and was worried that I would be thrown into this process with other people who have been around cameras since they were 8. This has been their entire life. She gave me some good advice and warned me to be cautious of getting roped into unnecessary drama.

Has your mom gotten a chance to meet and bond with all the other Next Gen NYC famous parents? Who do you think she’d get along with the best?

Parents, no. Kids, yes. Riley [Burruss] and her had a little heart-to-heart a couple of months ago, which was so funny. We had a really fun night. I love having people over to my home. I just love everyone being in one space. Ariana [Biermann] has also met my mom.

In terms of parents, I think she and Meredith [Marks] would definitely hit it off, maybe both getting behind the DJ booth. Also, Teresa [Giudice] and my mom have met before. I haven’t really set up a play date with the moms yet, but I should totally think about that.

Of course we’ve loved getting to see your mom on the show, but it was also a nice surprise to see your dad, Chris Henchy, pop up as well. Which of them do you go to the most for advice, or does it vary?

I am very open with both my parents. Like, I’m sure my dad has already called me six times today. We have constant communication throughout the entire family. For life advice, I go to my mom more, just because she knows my brain so well. I can say like one word, and she’ll be able to help me get through whatever I’m dealing with in that moment. For career advice, I go to my dad more. Though sometimes I have to keep in mind they’re from a different generation, and we operate differently.

We have to get into the ski trip. How did you and Kendall luck out and end up in a room together all by yourselves?

I have no idea, and I am so glad that we did because I slept well—for the most part. I think Georgia [McCann] was very adamant about having her own room? Or maybe I’m mixing that up. Ava [Dash] also wanted to be in a room with Brooks [Marks], and Brooks wanted to be with Riley. So, they all decided to hunker down in the bedroom on the first floor with two blow-up mattresses. I was like, “That is fine with me.” [Laughs] Kendall and I had a blast. It was really nice. It was cozy.

I’m so glad, but Charlie has said some not-so-nice things about Kendall in his confessionals on the show.

I know!

She seems great! Can you tell us why Kendall should absolutely come back for another season?

Listen. If we get another season, we need to have Kendall back. She’s great. She’s a vault. She is Liam’s best friend. She might not be the loudest in the room, but she definitely has a lot to say. She’s also built amazing friendships in this group. She was someone I turned to when I was uncertain about how to move forward with certain people.

Liam, Kendall, and I were all new this season, so we leaned on each other for support. However, I will say that the things Charlie has said about Kendall are pretty tame. So we need to take that with a slab of salt. He wasn’t being nice, but the fact that he’s even talking about her—and even giving her breath—is a compliment. That’s how I think about it.

Very fair. Your shady secret Santa was Charlie, and he gifted you with a sweatshirt that said, “My mom is the hot one.”

Love it, love it. She’s gorgeous. She’s been beautiful her whole life.

You handled it beautifully. Are you fazed by anything anyone ever says about your mom anymore?

I would only be fazed if someone kind of questioned her character. If someone ever was like, “Your mom’s not a nice person,” that’s where I would be like, “Okay, whoa.”

In your confessional, you revealed that you could hear Liam’s and Ariana’s early morning conversation through the walls when he told her he loved her. Could you feel the awkwardness radiating from the room? And what exactly could you hear?

I didn’t know that he told her that he loved her until a little bit later on. There was definitely some energy between them when we were all hanging out downstairs. I was like, “I need to go to bed,” And Kendall and I did. Liam came up and went to bed, but Ariana ended up staying downstairs a lot later. Usually, when someone goes to bed, they are expecting their significant other to follow.

Ariana was hanging out downstairs and having a good time with her friends. When she did finally come upstairs about 5:30 AM, I could hear through the walls an awkward back and forth between them. They weren’t crying, but… the fact that Liam was able to be so passionate at 6 AM in the morning made me think that maybe things weren’t 100% great. But when are they ever?

At this point in the season, Ariana is in a love square with Hudson, Liam, and Charlie. What was your take on the situation? And who would you pick in that situation if you were Ariana?

She’s newly single. We are young. I think people put a lot of pressure on her to maybe have it all figured out. But she is 24, living alone, and dealing with her first big breakup. I would never speak for her, but if I were her, I probably would choose every single one of those guys at different points. I really would. She has to learn lessons from some relationships, grow from others, and make mistakes. That’s how you figure it out.

She’s such an amazing girl. Ariana was my first friend and really helped me integrate into this group. I want nothing but the best for her. I do think it’s necessary for her to continue to choose herself. At the end of the day, she’s going to do what she wants to do. Nobody else’s opinion should matter.

The Next Gen NYC Reunion has already wrapped. What were your thoughts on your first reunion?

That was a long day [laughs]. It was also cold in there! I chimed in now and then. Some things happened that I didn’t even know happened. I was like, “Wait, what? That happened?” I tried to give my input where it was best needed. Andy [Cohen] has it down to a tee. He’s really good at his job. I was in awe watching the behind-the-scenes production team in action. I was also really listening, and I was proud of what people brought to the table. I’m excited to see how the conversations are interpreted.

On Watch What Happens Live, Riley said that the Next Gen NYC Reunion really “helped” all of your friendships. Would you agree? And whose friendship do you think needed the most help?

Interesting. I think the friendship that needs the most healing— just simply because we’re really tired of hearing about it and they’ll probably agree with me when I say this—is Charlie and Georgia. It’s done. We’re tired. I think they were able to get a lot of feelings out during the reunion. I had everyone over afterwards, and we stayed up late talking. So, I don’t know. I think it was good. We’ll see.

In the series, we see you in the midst of working on a screenplay with your writing partner. Can you give us an update on the project?

I can. It’s fully done, and it is being shopped around. I’m really hoping that I get to jumpstart this project in the next couple of months because I’ve been working on it for over a year with two buddies of mine from college. Not to hype myself up, but it’s good [laughs]. It’s not too serious. It’s about kids in college, written by kids who just graduated from college. The world needs more comedy right now and I’m excited to see it all the way through.

I have really high hopes for it. Maybe I’m being naive, but I think you have to be when you have a project you are this passionate about. Otherwise, nothing is going to get done, right? I have someone whom I’m really interested in taking a look at it, and I have a very clear idea of a future for the film. I hope people see the same vision.

That’s awesome! I’m excited for you, and excited to see this film come together.

Me too.

Is there anything else you can tease about the rest of the season, whether it be the remainder of the ski trip on Next Gen NYC or the reunion?

I had so much fun on the ski trip. That was such a great use of our time. I hope people watch the rest with open minds. We’re all at really different points in our lives right now. We’re young kids trying to figure life out in New York. We’re really just going day by day here [laughs]. Give us a little grace.