Jonathan Van Ness Refused to Film “Queer Eye” With Certain Co-Stars, Reports Say
By Sara Whitman
Published March 5, 2024, 6:50 p.m. ET
“Queer Eye” standout Jonathan Van Ness reportedly refused to work with some of their co-stars, according to a Rolling Stone exposé published Tuesday.
A member of the show’s production team claimed to the outlet, “He didn’t want to ever share the spotlight with anyone. There were times when we couldn’t even shoot scenes with certain members of the Fab Five together because it got so bad.”
There was tension between stars Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, and Antoni Porowski as well, but Van Ness was described as the main contributor to the tense atmosphere.
Statements from multiple production members support the claim that Van Ness had volatile mood swings which would deeply impact the atmosphere on set. One person claimed, “When he comes on set, everything changes if he’s in a bad mood. Working with him is very difficult in any capacity.”
Owing to their behavior, some described Jonathan Van Ness as emotionally “abusive” and cited instances of “rage issues.” Others referred to them as “a monster” and “a nightmare,” highlighting their oppressive and demeaning behavior.
According to another source, there was “a real emotion of fear around them when they get angry.” They further alleged, “It’s almost like a cartoon where it oozes out of them. It’s intense and scary.”
While Netflix executives reportedly addressed their concerns by meeting with Van Ness, the alleged concerning behavior persisted when they returned to set.
A source who previously worked with Van Ness, however, mentioned that they also have positive traits, stating, “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.”
This behind-the-scenes expose by Rolling Stone sheds light on the cracks within the beloved Netflix series “Queer Eye.” It’s not the first time the issues within the cast have been highlighted. Bobby Berk previously revealed a feud with Tan France, and Tan France’s not inviting three of his castmates to his bachelor party has fueled speculation of strained relationships within the Fab Five.
The reported tensions between the cast members confirm that their relationships have changed over time. The show’s production insiders acknowledge that being thrown together in their mid-thirties and being told to be best friends created dynamics similar to that of a manufactured boy band. Not surprisingly, this manufactured closeness eventually turned toxic.
