The Fab Five on Netflix’s Queer Eye almost had a very different dynamic, according to chef Stuart O’Keeffe.
“Back when they were casting, I went for the show way back when, and I actually got chosen. Like, I was one of the [Fab] Five and actually got chosen,” he claimed during the Wednesday, March 13, episode of his “Don’t Let It Stu” podcast. “I was in one group of five and Antoni [Porowski] was in the other. So, like, A and B. They came in and [said], ‘You’re the Fab Five.’ I was like, ‘Holy s—t,’ and I was like — we all went outside the room, like, screaming, jumping up and down — I was like, ‘Hey, let’s get a photo [because] this is such a great moment for us all.’”
O’Keeffe, 33, claimed that he was set to star in Netflix’s reboot alongside Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Tan France and Bobby Berk. O’Keefe would have handled the culinary aspects of the makeover show instead of Porowski, 39.
One month after the alleged casting, O’Keeffe still had yet to receive an official contract or details about filming dates.
“I’m talking to the other guys. I’m like, ‘Hey, have you got your contract?’ [They said], ‘Yes, we have,’ and I’m like, ‘Hey what’s going on?’ and [production] is like, ‘We’re working on it, we’re working on,’” he continued. “I’m like, ‘OK, that’s fine,’ like, whatever. Cut to we all go to dinner. Tan doesn’t go to dinner with me, so the other four do, and I’m like, ‘Why is he not coming to dinner?’ I’m like, ‘Something’s up [and] somebody knows something.’”
O’Keeffe recalled being told to come into the Netflix studio for another round of auditions with studio executives about one week later. He was subsequently “pulled out” of the Fab Five, and Porowski got “pulled in.” (Netflix has not publicly addressed O’Keefe’s version of events. Us Weekly has reached out for comment.)
“I never crossed paths with [Antoni]. He was there, obviously, really nice guy … like, legitimately. Like, me, Bobby and Karamo just hit it off like crazy,” O’Keeffe added. “JVN was a bit more, like, he’s off to his own. Like, he knew he was a star. And then Tan was just kind of weird, but he was kind of on his own too.”
O’Keeffe claimed that he found out about the recasting via Instagram, which he called a “really s—ty” way of learning he was axed from Queer Eye.
“The production company wanted me on the show ‘cause I’d worked with Harbor before I’d done other shows with them,” he said. “They were like, ‘You’ll be perfect for this [and] you have a cookbook out, it all ties in perfectly.’ I was like, ‘This is great. I’m super excited, this is awesome,’ and then … my agent called me [and] he’s like, ‘Look, I know this sounds totally kind of s—ty, but they said that you kind have done too much stuff.’”
O’Keefe continued: “I was on the Today show, I was on Rachel Ray … because I had a cookbook out and I’d done multiple shows before and where the other four hadn’t so … they kind of want everybody to be on the same level. I was like, ‘OK, that’s kind of a lame excuse but, like, fine I guess.’ I guess I’ll take it, but the worst part was I found out on Instagram that I didn’t get it.”
Porowski has been the resident “food guy” since Queer Eye premiered on Netflix in 2018.
After seven seasons of the docuseries, rumors of behind-the-scenes drama started swirling. Berk, 42, cast the first stone in November 2023 when he said that season 8 would be his last. Us later confirmed that Berk’s exit was related to an offscreen conflict with his costars. Fellow interior designer Jeremiah Brent will fill Berk’s shoes for the forthcoming season 9.
Weeks later, Van Ness, 36, was accused of mistreating crew members and fostering a toxic environment. Van Ness has yet to address the drama. (Us previously reached out for comment.)
