How are Heroes cast on 'Queer Eye'? Casting directors give scoop on how they find great candidates for Netflix show
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Each member of the 'Queer Eye' Fab Five is now a household name, and each season of the Netflix series is an instant watch as soon as it reaches the streaming platform.
While Jonathan Van Ness, Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, and Antoni Porowski headline the show, much of its warmth comes from what the producers refer to as its "heroes"—ordinary individuals going through life changes who are assisted in their transformation by the resident specialists.
Over the course of seven seasons, the series has discovered people with distinct yet relevant stories for viewers to cherish.
Casting directors Pamela Vallarelli and Ally Capriotti Grant told Backstage how they identify these heroes and what they do to keep each season fresh.
A peek at the behind-the-scenes of 'Queer Eye'
As told, 'Queer Eye' features a staff of casting producers and casting associates who assist the casting directors. They have a team in the office as well as a team that is on the ground in the city where they are casting.
The team hands out flyers when they're out in the city, visits the neighborhoods, attends events, and so on, to connect with potential heroes. Then, people at the office go through emails with potential nominations or people writing in, as they talk with each other to decide who they want to feature in the upcoming season.
If they receive a wonderful email or someone nominates someone else, the casting producer will say, "Hey, we got this great email, I had a great phone call with that person, can you go meet them in person and check out their house and meet their family?"
The show wants to know everything about a potential hero. That's why they dig up everything from where the person lives to what's their backstory before writing back.
If the team falls in love with the person and is satisfied with the meeting, filming begins. The footage is then sent back to the office to be edited, which travels to the network for approval.
Who is eligible to be cast on 'Queer Eye'?
Pamela, a casting director, argues that the perfect hero is someone who would never see this coming or would never nominate or submit themselves. That's the beauty of finding someone on the ground, as they or their family are unlikely to say, "Let me write in and nominate them."
'Queer Eye' aims to represent individuals from various communities.
There's also a keen sense of reliability in each participant as the show wants viewers to look at that hero and say, "That person might be totally different, we might have a completely different backstory, but I get what they’re going through, I get their struggle, and I resonate with their journey."
How to apply for 'Queer Eye'?
When it comes to applying for the show, the casting directors look for people who are absolutely honest about who they are and what they stand for. Because the Fab Five will only be there for a few days, there must be some level of vulnerability.
To achieve that transformation in such a short amount of time, you need someone willing to do the job. If someone puts barriers up, they are not going to change in only a few days.
You must be ready, willing, and eager to make a significant change in your life. If you have a sibling, parent, spouse, coworker, or friend with a great tale that needs to be updated, ITV America wants to hear from you.
In December 2023, the show was hunting for potential candidates in Las Vegas, as per KTNV. If you know someone who deserves a visit from the Fab Five, please email qecasting@itv.com with their name, a recent photo, and their story.
What can someone expect from the 'Queer Eye' audition process?
During an interview, casting directors like to pretend they are having breakfast with one of their friends to keep the chat flowing. This creates less pressure on the possible participant as there are no correct or incorrect replies.
They adore it when folks have never appeared on television and are all for honest answers. As experienced casting directors, they can tell when someone is putting up a front.
When a person is absolutely, truly, shamelessly themselves, they're like, "Okay, we can work with someone who's open to this and is being themselves."
Due to the informal nature of the interview, people can be like, "Okay, I don’t have to be on time. It’s just a conversation."
For the most part, it's a back-and-forth discussion, similar to what you'd have with someone sitting at a bar. However, at times, there might be some one-off questions to get the desired sound bites.
Prepare for a binge-watch session of all six episodes of 'Queer Eye' Season 8, set to premiere on Wednesday, January 24 on Netflix.