If one can be one’s worst enemy, Luis D. Ortiz is his own best friend.  From janitor to one of the top real estate brokers in the toughest city in the world, the newest cast member of Bravo’s hit-show Million Dollar Listing New York knows a thing or two about the American Dream.  Ortiz was born and raised in Puerto Rico.  At the age of 17 he told his parents he was going to the beach, took a flight to Florida and never looked back.  He got a job as a janitor in a community college and later began his degree in filmmaking.  He left school for a taste of the business and after shooting two movies in Bolivia, he moved to New York City.  Obsessed with an apartment in Manhattan he loved but couldn’t afford, he did the unimaginable to get it... and he did.  His real estate agent was so impressed with him that he told him he should become one of them... and he did.  It took him two weeks to get his license and NYC has never been the same ever since.

We caught up with the charming real estate agent to talk about his experience in the reality show.

Entertainment Affair: Did you watch the show before auditioning?
Luis D. Ortiz: No. In fact, I knew about the show because a lot of people told me I should be on it.  I didn’t audition for it.  I got a call from someone from the show and they wanted to interview me.  I still don’t know who recommended me.  We talked for an hour.  They asked me about everything...  if I was single, if I was gay or straight.  They even warned me I was not going to be in a relationship for a long time. I did a couple of interviews via Skype and then they came to NYC for a camera interview.  I moved from the company I was to Keller Williams.  At the beginning I was not very enthusiastic but along the process I really wanted to be on the show.

EA: What is the biggest challenge about being on a reality show?
Ortiz: No one has asked that question before… I didn’t have any challenges because I really knew myself before shooting this show.  If this would’ve happened to me at 21 years old, the biggest challenge would’ve been trying to be myself.  You have two cameras following you at all times, but when you know who you are, you respect yourself more and you are not willing to change for anybody.

EA: Do you think the show truly shows the reality behind real estate or the production provokes conflicts?
Ortiz: It is real.  I am trying to make business and I have a camera next to me.  The only thing is that the episodes are short and the entire sales process is not shown, like lawyers, banks.  That is private and not very interesting.  Conflicts exist because NYC is a small town and real estate is on fire, especially high end real estate.  You have three brokers from different backgrounds and different motivations, you put them in the same cage to survive and you only give them one piece of something that the three of them really want.  We are all going after the same thing.

EA: Did you meet the other cast members prior to the beginning of the shooting schedule?
Ortiz: No! I’ve seen Ryan before, but we never met.  The cameras were there when I met them for the first time.

EA: Who do you admire more as a colleague?
Ortiz: Frederik.  Regardless of his personal bullshit, he’s done something amazing.  He is very good at what he does.  In my professional opinion, I admire him very much, but at the same time, I am going after him.

EA: Who do you admire more as a reality star?
Ortiz: None.

EA: You are substituting Michael Lorber.  What do you bring to the show that he didn’t have?
Ortiz: Salsa! Salsa from Puerto Rico, mi amor.  The Latin charm.

EA: What does Million Dollar Listing New York have that Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles lacks?
Ortiz: The city.  This is a fast paced city.  There are so many sharks.  No one is from here.  It is the financial capital of the world.  People come here to create opportunities.  That’s what is exciting.  It is a very energetic city.

EA: You were a filmmaker, Ryan and Frederik were actors.  If you cast them in a movie, which roles will you give to them?
Ortiz: (Laughs) Oh my God! I don’t know.  Probably, Frederik will be shoe shining in a corner.  They’ll definitely be extras in my movie.

Million Dollar Listing New York returns at 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, on Bravo.