Reality Royalty

Carlos King, who runs Kingdom Reign Entertainment, speaks to Newsweek about shaping the future of unscripted programs

- JANEÉ BOLDEN

WHEN IT COMES TO REALITY TELEVISION, Carlos King is undoubtedly one of the most influential minds in the genre. As the CEO of Kingdom Reign Entertainment, he has produced some of the most talked-about shows shaping the landscape of unscripted television.

From his groundbreaking work on The Real Housewives of Atlanta to creating hit series like Love & Marriage: Huntsville, King's journey from behind-the-scenes producer to media mogul has been nothing short of remarkable. His ability to craft compelling narratives and showcase diverse perspectives has positioned him as a leading industry force.

King, who had left college after being offered a production assistant job at BET, got his break in the business in 2008 when he became an associate producer on The Real Housewives of Atlanta—"You know, a little show you may have heard about," he told Newsweek. "It was my first reality show.

Real Housewives of Atlanta became an instant hit, and I sort of climbed the ladder. I had every single position up until becoming the first Black man to executive produce a Real Housewives franchise, which was in season six. I just kept falling in love with the ladies, the production, the audience."

After accomplishing so much with the franchise, and believing he'd done everything he could with it, King said he felt divinely guided to move on. Despite his success, he felt there was a gap in the industry—there weren't enough Black-owned production companies creating these types of shows.