The Untold Truth Of The Hype House
TikTok may be puzzling to some, second nature to others. It's basically all about the generational divide, but the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine had moms and teens alike doing funny dances. From JoJo Siwa to Addison Rae, the most famous faces in media in 2020 surprisingly came from TikTok. It's no wonder fans want to be friends with these fun-loving influencers!
Just like most of America, Rae became "obsessed" with the app according to Forbes. Teen dancer Charli D'Amelio has the second most TikTok followers behind Rae, and the duo were also once part of Hype House. The top influencers like Rae and D'Amelio formed the collab house aka Hype House, with Thomas Petrou, Chase Hudson, and Alex Warren—who coined the term and signed a lease for a mansion in Los Angeles in December 2019. According to The New York Times, Hype House was the first major popular TikTok mansion. The group became famous after a "Backstreet Boys-esque photo shoot and within minutes #hypehouse began trending; videos including the hashtag #hypehouse have accrued nearly 100 million views on TikTok."
Rae shot to fame through Hype House, but she reportedly never fully identified with the group. D'Amelio and her sister Dixie also left the TikTok collective in April 2020. Rae's former boyfriend Bryce Hall described the group to Seventeen. "The Hype House? Charli and Dixie left and Addison doesn't really associate with the Hype House, so they really kind of just—I don't know what they're doing exactly." So what is the Hype House to begin with? Keep scrolling to find out!
Addison Rae has a stellar career ahead of her, outside of Hype House reality show
First of all, we need to talk about Addison Rae. From TikTok influencer to Kourtney Kardashian's BFF to screen star, Rae has become A-list seemingly overnight. Rae was cast in He's All That, a remake of the 1999 teen comedy She's All That in Sept. 2020. The movie will "reimagine the plot from a teenage girl's perspective" and "follow an influencer who attempts to turn a nerdy boy into prom king" according to Variety.
Rumor has it (ok, so Rae hinted at it in on TikTok) that she and her family are also getting a Keeping Up With the Kardashians-type spinoff, which makes sense since Hype House inked a deal with Netflix in April 2021. The streaming platform tweeted that current Hype House members Kouvr Annon, Nikita Dragun, Sienna Mae Gomez, Chase Hudson, Larri Merritt, Thomas Petrou, Alex Warren, and Jack Wright will be featured in the docuseries.
The group will "star in a new unscripted series that will reveal a side of themselves (and their relationships) that we rarely see!" Netflix publicized. Deadline also reported that each episode will "look at their creative endeavors for brands to drama-inducing house meetings and the initiation of new members. It will also look at the housemates' backstories, looking at the sometimes difficult and troubling events that propelled them to TikTok and the bonds they've formed with one another." Need more details? Keep reading!
The Hype House crew all lives together in Los Angeles...but it's not all a party
There really is a Hype house! The Hype House has a combined TikTok follower count of 126.5 million, as reported by Insider, and they like to live together to maximize their followers' user engagement...or something like that. Member Thomas Petrou told The New York Times that the house is geared towards productivity, not partying. "If someone slips up constantly, they'll not be a part of this team anymore," he told the paper. "You can't come and stay with us for a week and not make any videos, it's not going to work. This whole house is designed for productivity. If you want to party, there's hundreds of houses that throw parties in L.A. every weekend. We don't want to be that. It's not in line with anyone in this house's brand. This house is about creating something big, and you can't do that if you're going out on the weekends."
Seventeen reported that the house used to be the residence of fellow TikTok group the Clout Gang, and boasts a gym, elevator, and "disco room." The group apparently relocated a third time to a new mansion, but fans will have to wait until the Netflix reality show to really see inside.
So what is that big thing they're all creating? Well, aside from capturing the hearts of followers, leader Chase Hudson aka Lil Huddy has been on the forefront of media technology even before TikTok existed.
Lil Huddy doesn't want to "just" be a social media star
Chase Hudson aka Lil Huddy has been chase-ing fame for years. Prior to his TikTok stardom, Hudson was posting to the TikTok precursor, Musical.ly, staging lip-syncing performances. The co-founder of the Hype House doesn't have to hype himself up too much: his resume certainly does it for him.
Despite not having a musical background before deciding on his goal to be a rock star, Hudson allegedly met with Interscope Records before creating his influencer brand. "It was just kind of all an idea at first, and then I started to go in the studio, and really prove to them what I'm capable of. And then it happened, just after a couple of demos," Hudson told Billboard. He went on to become the first singer signed to the new Immersive Records imprint and is slated to debut his first album in summer 2021. Hudson also unveiled a new pop-punk persona. "Some people view me as the social media star," he told the outlet. "That's something that people are just going to say until you've proven yourself heavily in the music industry. But right now I'm just getting started and easing into it. I can't get everyone to think I'm this musician off the bat, but people will slowly catch on."
Hudson used to date Charli D'Amelio, but after their split, he spilled the tea on cheating scandals throughout his TikTok influencer circle, which included Hype House pals per Cosmopolitan.
Jake Paul has a surprising connection to Hype House
YouTuber Jake Paul is linked to one Hype House member, and there may even still be some beef between them. Before TikTok, Hype House co-founder Thomas Petrou was a YouTube star and even belonged to influencer collective Team 10, led by Paul. For reasons unknown, Paul allegedly kicked Petrou out of Team 10 as reported by Seventeen. Petrou and Paul were friends for years before their professional relationship that forged in May 2019. Yet by August of that same year, Petrou abruptly left Team 10. He explained in a since-deleted social media video that "a few complaints about a few things that added up and that was the excuse to fire me."
Petrou certainly went on to bigger and better things: He found love with fellow Hype House member Mia Hawyard, and even sparked engagement rumors with a Feb. 16, 2021 Instagram pic. Petrou is also dubbed the "dad of the house" from his Hype House roommates, via Seventeen.
As for Paul, he still counts other Hype House star Patrick Huston as a pal and the duo post YouTube videos together. But there is a darker side to Hype House...
Sienna Mae Gomez and co-star ex-boyfriend Jack Wright had a nasty public breakup
Hype House member Sienna Mae Gomez skyrocketed to fame after posting a body-positive video showing her stomach after eating, as reported by Nylon. Gomez's post sparked a social media trend, and Lizzo even emulated Gomez's dance video on TikTok. Gomez landed a sponsorship deal with Maybelline and collaborated with other high-profile YouTube stars. As for her personal life, Gomez was linked to Hype House member Jack Wright, but now she's in the headlines for allegedly assaulting him.
As reported on June 2, 2021, Wright's friend Mason Rizzo "posted a screenshot of a Notes app page with a statement accusing Gomez of sexual misconduct, along with claims that she was verbally abusive," via Insider. Gomez denied the allegations and shared a video on YouTube, firing back that Wright was the one using her. "I unequivocally deny the allegations that I sexually assaulted Jack Wright," Gomez stated. "I'm not making an apology video. This is more of a statement...When I wasn't around for the TikTok kiss or the TikTok video, I wasn't important to him."
While fans may not know exactly what transpired, it's clear the Hype House drama is only just beginning.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit RAINN.org for additional resources.