Queer Eye star Tan France says he was close to turning down Netflix role because he felt "so much pressure"
Currently one of TV's favorite fashion designers, Queer Eye's Tan France, has revealed that there was a point when he almost turned down the opportunity to star in the now-hit Netflix series.
Tan, who has been turning heads as the fashion consultant on the Netflix reboot of the original Bravo series, 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy', returns for a second season this week. But ahead of the season premiere, the 35-year-old designer has come clean about his initial hesitation with starring in the makeover saga, reports Mirror.
"When I was first offered the show there was a time when I thought I was actually going to say 'I don't want to do it' before we started filming because I felt so much pressure," said France to the Press Association, revealing how he was close to turning down the role that has undoubtedly catapulted him to public attention in the recent past.
Explaining his reasons, however, the British star said, "When I speak, I don't speak for myself, I don't have the luxury of a Caucasian to be able to speak for myself. I speak for a whole community and I represent so many different communities that that felt like a lot of pressure."
Indeed, with Netflix taking over the reins, the reality series has seen a major overhaul especially when it comes to the handling of relevant and current issues. And given France's unique position, as the first openly gay Muslim in American television, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that he was pressured by the task of representation.
However, the fashion guru from Doncaster, explains that thanks to his American husband Rob France, he was ultimately convinced that it was the right thing and right time to take on the role. "My husband is wonderful and he reminded me that if it's not me, who? If it's not now, then when?" he says adding, "And so I feel like it's perfectly appropriate that we now have representation and that I am that person."
'Queer Eye' returns on Netflix with season 2 on June 15 and if the trends are any indication, the political leaning of the show is here to stay. From discussions over Black Lives Matter to police brutality, the reality series has adopted a unique perspective, an approach that took shape over time.
"In all honesty we weren't expecting to do this," says interiors expert Bobby Berk.
"Our plan wasn't to go in there and make a political show, but when we got down there (in Atlanta, Georgia) we realised, especially in the political climate that we're in right now - everything is so polarised, you're on the far left or the far right and nobody is in the middle anymore."
