We’ve heard about on-set horror stories in Hollywood before. Whether it’s accusations of inappropriate reshoots while filming The Idol or tensions among the cast of Sex and The City, sometimes the off-camera drama proves just as titillating as the scripted version.
On those shows, however, a little behind-the-scenes conflict is perhaps to be expected, given the star quality of the cast or attachment to a controversial director. But when news emerges that behind-the-scenes drama has plagued a show like Queer Eye, known as a feel-good series with a cast who seemingly have great chemistry, our collective ears can’t help but perk up.
The Netflix reality series, in which five queer men make-over someone’s diet, interior design, grooming, style, and cultural taste, is the subject of a new report by Rolling Stone, alleging a long-standing culture of tension among the cast and “rage issues” on the part of one of its stars, Jonathan Van Ness.
So what exactly were the on-set dramas unfolding on the set of Queer Eye, and how does hairstylist Van Ness figure into them?
Jonathan Van Ness’ alleged ‘rage issues’ on the Queer Eye set, explained
Queer Eye had enjoyed eight seasons before Bobby Berk, the cast’s interior designer, announced his shock exit from the show. Berk seemed saddened by his departure while announcing the news on Instagram, saying it has “not been an easy decision,” but sources have since come forward to Rolling Stone, alleging that there is more to the story than the tight-knit, familial unit presented onscreen by the show’s quintet.
Rolling Stone’s sources are 10 production members — all of whom wished to remain anonymous — with some claiming that petty disputes over who was considered Queer Eye’s top star began to make shooting the show difficult, due in-part to Van Ness’ behind-the-scenes behavior. Terms used by sources in relation to Van Ness include “emotionally abusive”, “monster,” “nightmare,” “demeaning,” and “rageful,” with many claiming the star would “lash out” at crew members.
These tensions reportedly prompted Berk’s departure, with one source claiming that one of his castmates campaigned for him to exit the series, and that he was “blindsided” by how things panned out. Part of this on-set toxicity, sources say, was the perception that certain castmates were favored over others, and that as the show grew in popularity, so too did the Fab 5’s competitiveness over screen time. As the breakout star, Van Ness would prove the most competitive, and engendered “a real emotion of fear around them” when they would get angry, sources say.
One production member said Van Ness would yell at least once a day, and that the affable personality they present on the show was mostly a charade. “There’s always going to be somebody [for Van Ness] to point out and blame and make the villain of the day,” the source claimed. Van Ness’ behavior contributed to tensions among the cast, since they were reluctant to share the spotlight with the remaining Fab 5 members — making group scenes difficult to shoot.
“When [Van Ness] comes on set, everything changes,” a source said, “working with [them] is very difficult.” Others described Van Ness’ toxicity as “hypocritical,” since it opposes all the principles and values the star stands for in the public. It’s claimed that Netflix executives had at least one meeting with Van Ness about their on-set behaviour, but that no accountability was taken. The long-running toxicity eventually weakened the cast’s relationship by seasons seven and eight, to the point where one source claimed “none of them are friends.”
All of it led to the most recent season, which was especially difficult to shoot as crew members considered unionizing over alleged construction and safety issues on set. After one incident in which a production vehicle was carjacked, shooting was halted for two days, and the Fab 5 threatened a walk-off if safety issues weren’t addressed.
Competitiveness over screen time reached its climax at this point as Berk — who, as interior designer, did much of the heavy lifting for the make-over — would have his scenes cut and be largely absent for multiple episodes. Berk’s minimal screen time was a long running joke on set, but that the interior designer had since “checked out.” When the show was renewed despite these behind-the-scenes disputes, Berk had already announced his departure, thinking at the time that his castmates were also planning to leave the series.
Sources claim that unbeknownst to Berk, fashion designer France and chef Porowski had campaigned for his replacement in interior decorator Jeremiah Brent, who was announced as the newest castmate earlier this year. Sources described the campaigning as “mean-girl antics,” and Berk himself referenced the incident in an interview. The former castmate, now the lone one out with no renewed contract, said he “can’t be mad, [but] for a second I was.”
Now, Queer Eye is moving ahead with season nine, this time filming in Las Vegas. It’s not yet known how the alleged toxicity of the cast will play into the new season, but it is expected to arrive in early 2025.