TV
“Queer Eye” standout Jonathan Van Ness reportedly refused to work with some of their co-stars, according to a Rolling Stone exposé published Tuesday.
“He didn’t want to ever share the spotlight with anyone,” a member of the show’s production team claimed to the outlet. “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 noted that there was “absolutely tension between” stars Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France and Antoni Porowski as well, but that Van Ness was the main contributor.
Supporting this claim was a statement made by another production member, who said the 36-year-old hair stylist’s mood often dictated the atmosphere of the entire set.
“When he comes on set, everything changes if he’s in a bad mood,” the person claimed. “Working with him is very difficult in any capacity.”
At least three other people described Van Ness, who identifies as non-binary, as an emotionally “abusive” individual with “rage issues,” while others told Rolling Stone they acted like a “monster,” a “nightmare,” and was “demeaning.”
Another person close to production claimed there was “a real emotion of fear around them when they get angry.”
“It’s almost like a cartoon where it oozes out of them,” the individual further alleged. “It’s intense and scary.”
And while Netflix executives reportedly held at least one meeting with Van Ness about their concerning behavior, they allegedly carried on as usual when they went back to set.
A rep for the TV personality did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment regarding the accusations.
Despite the discomforting remarks made about Van Ness, a source who previously worked with them told Rolling Stone they can be a joy to be around at times.
“Jonathan’s a person who contains multitudes and who has the capacity to be very warm, very charismatic, and has the capacity to make you feel really special that they are paying attention to you,” they noted.
They added, “But at least once a day, 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.”
Rolling Stone’s exposé is not the first time the cracks in the beloved Netflix series have been highlighted.
In January, Berk, 42, revealed he had been feuding with France, 40, behind the scenes.
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“Tan and I had a moment,” he told Vanity Fair. “There was a situation, and that’s between Tan and I, and it has nothing to do with the show.”
“It was something personal that had been brewing — and nothing romantic, just to clarify that,” he added.
However, they have seemingly moved on from their drama, as Berk said he and France “embraced each other” at the 2024 Creative Arts Emmys on Jan. 7.
By that time, Berk had already announced his departure from “Queer Eye” after eight seasons to pursue other projects.
Raising more questions about the group’s dynamic, Brown, 43, revealed in November 2023 that he, Berk and Van Ness were not invited to Porowski’s bachelor party.
Although the Fab Five appeared to be the best of friends during the early seasons of the show, a production insider told Rolling Stone that they live “very different lives.”
“Their relationships have definitely changed since Season One,” another production member explained.
“As in all workplaces, as time moves on, people become closer with some people and move further away from others.”
Yet another production source said fans should not be surprised at all by their fractured bond.
“Essentially they were a group of people put together in their mid-thirties and told to be best friends. But people don’t expect that ‘Queer Eye’ could be that,” the insider disclosed.
“That’s truly what it was: a manufactured boy band with big personalities that certain ones were favored and certain ones were not, and then eventually [things] turned really toxic.”
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Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
