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Netflix’s popular series, Queer Eye, has encountered some challenges off-camera, according to recent reports. Notably, there have been discussions around the departure of design expert Bobby Berk and other issues the production faced while filming the latest season in New Orleans.
A comprehensive investigation by Rolling Stone, involving interviews with 10 anonymous staffers and several other sources, has shed light on some internal conflicts within the show, particularly concerning grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness. Sources characterized Van Ness as an emotionally “abusive” “monster” and “nightmare,” who had “rage issues” and was constantly putting people down on set. This atmosphere reportedly affected relations among the entire cast, including the other four members of the Fab Five.
“[There’s] a real emotion of fear around them when they get angry. It’s almost like a cartoon where it oozes out of them. It’s intense and scary,” a source said of Van Ness, who uses he/she/they pronouns. One staffer estimated that they would have an outburst at least once a week. (“He was a yeller,” they said.) Another said that it was “at least once a day” that “they would need to yell at somebody. It might be something small, but there’s always going to be somebody to point out and blame and make the villain of the day.”
“When he comes on set, everything changes if he’s in a bad mood,” a source shared. “Working with him is very difficult in any capacity.” This apparently extended even to the other members of the Fab Five—Berk, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, and Tan France—whom they “didn’t want to ever share the spotlight with.” “There were times when we couldn’t even shoot scenes with certain members of the Fab Five together because it got so bad,” the source continued.
The dynamics on set seemingly contributed to Berk’s decision not to return to the show following Netflix’s unexpected renewal for another season. This decision was revealed amidst broader context involving the entertainment industry’s challenges, such as strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
Additionally, there were claims of internal lobbying for cast changes, with mentions of attempts to bring in new faces to the Fab Five. These developments hint at complex interpersonal relationships and decision-making processes behind the scenes.
Plus, Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Colin Firth, Luann de Lesseps news, and more! Keep scrolling to check out today’s entertainment and pop culture news.
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