"It’s all a fantasy": Mel Owens talks about love, clarity, and The Golden Bachelor finale fireworks

The star of The Golden Bachelor, Mel Owens, is preparing for the most crucial episode of his season, and he says the path to this moment has given him surprising clarity.

As his journey winds down with two finalists, the 66-year-old bachelor reflected on love, authenticity, and why he refers to the show as “a fantasy.”

The Golden Bachelor: Behind the scenes and emotional growth

The Golden Bachelor is heading into its final rose ceremony on Wednesday, November 12, and Owens is ready to talk about what led him there. In an interview with Glamour, he clarified his mindset,

“Well, I tried to leave it to my gut and my instincts, right? You’ve got to like the person before you love them. Because you can love your crazy uncle, right? But if you don’t like him….So I have to really like you first. And then we can get to the other stages.”

That emphasis on genuine connection over rushed emotion sets the tone for his season.

Owens also addressed the so-called fantasy suites, a hallmark of the Bachelor franchise,

“Yeah, but I was excited because you get a nice suite with no cameras, no mics. As you’re in the show, and it’s getting down to the last two, it’s time to talk about some important things off camera.”

When asked if the term “fantasy” applied, he remained candid,

“No, it’s always a fantasy. This whole thing’s a fantasy. Right? It’s all a fantasy. So then you really get to know each other a lot deeper, and then you can go from there. Some things people just don’t want to say on camera.”

His perspective is telling: despite the glamor and production, Owens sees the process as an evolution of connection, self-understanding, and life choices.

He said as much when he reflected on how the experience changed him,

“I have more clarity. This has opened up my thought process, and I’m a lot clearer about my own life. I’ve had a great life. I’ve had a fantasy life. But being on this journey and with these women has really opened up my mind. I've always had an open mind, but this is really…it’s clarity.”

And looking ahead to the finale, he dropped a tease that the show will deliver.

“The fireworks aren’t what you think they are,” he said. “That’s right, and it applies three different ways. They’re not what you think they are. You’re going to be amazed. There are so many twists and turns, you’re going to go, ‘What was that all about? How did we get from here to there?”

For Owens, The Golden Bachelor became a mirror as he said that the process opened his mind and clarified his outlook.

“I’ve had a fantasy life,” he said, “But being on this journey and with these women has really opened up my mind…it’s clarity.”

As The Golden Bachelor heads into its final moments, viewers will watch the outcome of that cautious approach, of those deeper talks, and the way fantasies were turned into something less choreographed and more genuine.

The Golden Bachelor Finale: What audiences can expect

As the final episodes of The Golden Bachelor air, including the overnight dates and the final rose ceremony, Owens promises a finale full of surprises as he says,

“You’re going to be amazed.”

Whether love is found or clarity achieved, the season wraps with both the trappings of a television spectacle and the soft truths of human connection.

Mel Owens heads into the finale of The Golden Bachelor not just seeking a partner, but seeking clarity—and the show’s “fantasy” premise, he says, only helped him get there.

Stay tuned for more updates.