Charlie Zakkour is the breakout bad boy of Next Gen NYC—and like most Bravo villains, his behavior has fans asking: what’s really going on at home? While many of his castmates come from Bravo-famous families, Zakkour’s parents aren’t public figures. Early in season 1, viewers got a rare look into his past—and the parents behind the crypto bro chaos.
Charlie Opens Up About His Family on Next Gen NYC
In Episode 3 of Next Gen NYC, Charlie revealed the truth about his unconventional upbringing. While grabbing lunch with his mom, Elizabeth “Liz” Williams, and her boyfriend, Ivor, the Bravo star shared some deeply personal details in a confessional.
“My dad is the dad from that show,” Charlie said, referencing Succession. “Just how badly one of the sons wants his approval and how little he gives a f*ck.”
According to Charlie, his mother raised him until he was ten, but she couldn’t provide a stable environment. That’s when he went to live with his father, Anwar Zakkour, a high-powered private investor with a resume that includes top jobs at Bank of America, J.P. Morgan, and Citi. He even served as Chief Investment Officer for a firm in Dubai.
Charlie compared his father to Logan Roy and described their relationship as strained and emotionally distant. “He’s the kind of guy who has extremely high expectations and shows zero emotion,” he said.
Who Are Charlie’s Parents?
Anwar Zakkour is a private investor and former executive in the global banking sector. His LinkedIn profile confirms he once served as the Global Head of Tech, Media, and Telecom at Bank of America and worked for several firms at the executive level. His current focus is private investment, and he’s been living a relatively low-profile life—until Bravo’s cameras started rolling.
Elizabeth Williams, Charlie’s mother, is an art collector. She has also made appearances on Next Gen NYC, including one scene where she jokingly references a disturbing childhood drawing he made about his father. While the two appear friendly on screen, Charlie shared that growing up, he felt unprotected.
“In fear of her receiving repercussions from being against him, she would sort of leave me to fend for myself,” he said during the episode.
The scene left many fans questioning how Charlie’s unresolved family issues are fueling his controversial behavior on the show.
Is Charlie the Villain of Next Gen NYC—or Just Misunderstood?
Charlie’s attitude has sparked strong reactions online. From crude comments about castmates to unprovoked drama, he’s been labeled the show’s resident antagonist. “Who does he think he is?” one Reddit user asked. “A wannabe James Spader character from the ’80s?”
But fans also got a glimpse of Charlie’s emotional baggage, which may explain his abrasive persona. Unlike most of his Next Gen NYC co-stars, who come from supportive, close-knit families, Charlie’s upbringing appears complicated, emotionally distant, and pressure-filled.
Whether you love him or hate him, Charlie is undeniably a central figure in Next Gen NYC. He may not be the show’s hero—but every reality series needs a villain. And he plays the part well.
Fans can catch Charlie on new episodes of Next Gen NYC on Tuesday nights on Bravo.
So his dad make the big big big bucks! “Real” wealth!
Kids who grew up in Manhattan/NYC are a little abrasive to start with!
He’s from an abusive childhood and is choosing to repeat the cycle. At some point he week be the father that his father has been to him because he doesn’t have the strength to become better at being a human. It’s pretty sad.