Raine Michaels Shares Insight on the “Unhelpful Advice” from Dad Bret Michaels Before Her ‘Calabasas Confidential’ Role

Raine Michaels, the 26-year-old offspring of the legendary Poison frontman Bret Michaels, is carving her own path in the entertainment industry. Instead of rocking out in sold-out arenas like her father, Raine is stepping into the limelight as one of Netflix’s fresh faces in the world of reality television.

Calabasas Confidential, which premiered on Netflix today, features Raine and her group of Gen Z friends from the glamorous Californian city of Calabasas, a locale that owes much of its fame to the Kardashian family. Among the cast, Raine stands out not only for her famous lineage but also for her down-to-earth nature, often acting as the calm amidst the show’s whirlwind of drama.

Raine is no stranger to the reality TV scene. As a child, she appeared in VH1’s Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It, a series that chronicled her father’s life as he managed the dual roles of rock star and father. Prior to that, Bret Michaels was the star of Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, a dating show where he sought love among 20 hopeful contestants. Despite her father’s extensive reality TV experience, Raine humorously noted that he gave her some “terrible advice” when she embarked on her own reality TV journey.

“He told me, ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,’ which was just awful advice considering he did just about everything on [Rock of Love],” Raine shared during a recent Zoom interview with DECIDER. “So, not the best guidance from him in that regard. But he did say, ‘Just be yourself and hopefully everyone will love you.’”

Raine, who landed her first modeling gig with Sports Illustrated at the young age of 18, is depicted in the series as she contemplates her future career path. Should she continue in modeling, venture into sports broadcasting, or perhaps explore the quirky option of selling feet pics? Whatever choice she makes, it’s clear she has her father’s support in all her endeavors.

In Episode 7, Raine opens up about the pressure she feels to find success, given the fact that Bret was so young when he skyrocketed to fame. When we caught up with Raine, she said her dad’s early success “both” motivates her and makes her nervous.

“Seeing what he’s accomplished in his life is super motivating to me. But then, also, when he was 26, he was doing a bunch of crazy things, [like] selling out arenas,” she said. “I think it’s a little bit of a mix of nervousness, but also excitement to see what can happen when you put your mind to something. He is a testament to success in coming from really nothing to making such a name for himself.”

As for how she feels about the phrase “nepo baby,” Raine said it “doesn’t” bother her, noting that it’s just “a term” that has a “fun spin to it nowadays.”

“My dad has always told me, ‘I can open the door for you. I can get your foot in the door, but it’s your job to keep it open,’” she said. “He can only get me so far, and then I have to do the rest myself. He’s always instilled in me and my sister to just follow our dreams, and whatever we set our mind to, give it 100%.”

Calabasas Confidential is currently streaming on Netflix.