Netflix’s Selling Sunset has had three seasons thus far, with two more greenlit and on the way. For the most part, it showcases the glamour of the real estate scene in Los Angeles and nearby areas. But the reality TV show also digs into the personal lives of the real estate agents at the Oppenheim Group (and it can get pretty juicy). In the interim of filming, one Selling Sunset star is opening up about gaining full custody of her kids amidst the mysterious disappearance of her NFL ex-husband.
Amanza Smith joined the cast of Selling Sunset in Season 2 as a “green” real estate agent. While struggling to sell multi-million-dollar properties, she's been very open about her custody situation with ex-husband Ralph Brown, who was an NFL cornerback for nearly ten years. They initially had split 50/50 custody until he seemingly vanished. Then, in Season 3 of Selling Sunset, fans saw Smith going to court in order to change the custody arrangement. More recently, on September 29, the court granted Smith sole custody of her two children, according to legal documents obtained by E! News. Smith said in her statement to the outlet:
I'm relieved that this long process is over, it's been incredibly hard on me and especially the children. We will never be 'over' the absence of their father, but hopefully we can move forward in a more positive way now that we are unhindered by the legal obstacles that prevented me from making the decisions that are best for us as a family of three.
The disappearance of ex-NFL player Ralph Brown – who played for several major teams, including the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals – has confounded the public but especially Amanza Smith. The Selling Sunset star shared on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast that the last she heard from Brown was a 2019 email through which he stated he couldn't “financially take care of the children” and they were “not safe” being around him. She conveyed to Entertainment Tonight last year that the whole ordeal has been “bizarre” and “heartbreaking,” adding:
For my kids, because it's not just their dad, it's that whole side of the family has just disappeared. In my mind it's like, okay, if he's had some sort of mental breakdown or—he played in the NFL for 11 years, I have to wonder if maybe it's CTE. Those are real things, so even if that were the case...
Selling Sunset’s Amanza Smith also indicated to E! News that she has made “several efforts” to locate her ex amidst going to court to obtain sole custody of their kids. She said she had “a good idea” of his whereabouts but “no confirmed factual knowledge.”
It's an inexplicable and certainly unheard of situation for a major reality TV star to be in. Hopefully, for the sake of Amanza Smith’s children, their father will be safely found.
