On the 22nd anniversary of the first episode of “The Bachelor,” the franchise announced its first Asian-American lead. This is what we know.
Who is Jenn Tran?
Jenn Tran, 26, is a physician assistant from Miami, Florida. She was announced as the next Bachelorette during the reality show's finale on Monday night.
How I finish? 'Bachelor' Finale Reveals Joey Graziadei's Final Choice
Wearing a purple dress with a plunging neckline, she came out on stage to greet the audience of Bachelor Nation alumni and fans. Just the day before she was in the emergency room dressed in her medical gown, she said.
Did you know that 'The Bachelor' star Zach Shallcross lives in Austin? This is what we know
'Bachelor' Fans Are Already Familiar With Tran
This won't be Jenn Tran's first appearance on a reality dating show. She was first seen on the gender swap show “The Bachelor” with Joey Graziadei. She made it to the top six before being eliminated in episode 7.
“I always wanted to see Asian representation on television”
Jenn Tran, who is Vietnamese and bilingual, described being the franchise's first Asian-American lead as “honestly amazing.”
“I feel so grateful and honored to be the first Asian bachelorette on this franchise,” Tran said.
“When I was a kid, I always wanted to see Asian representation on television. And I feel like it was very lacking. Every time Asians were in the media, it was to play a supporting role, to fulfill some kind of stereotype, and I felt really trapped. “That's why because I thought, 'I don't see myself on screen. I don't see myself as a main character.'”
She continued, “And now, to be here today in this position and say, 'I'm going to lead my own love story. I'm going to be the main character in my story,' I just can't help but think about that.” “How many people am I inspiring and how many lives am I changing?
“The Bachelor” aired in 2002 and “The Bachelorette” was created a year later. The latter took 14 years to feature people of color as protagonists.
Rachel Lindsay was the first black lead on “Bachelorette,” in 2017. In 2021, Matt James became the first black bachelor.