Former „Below Deck'' stars claim they were paid significantly less than their „Real Housewives'' cast members and were subjected to racist comments while filming.
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in New article from Business Insider Some of the series' main characters were published on Tuesday. The show, one of Bravo's top-rated reality shows, said it paid between $5,000 and $6,000 a month.
Salaries are determined by the position on the yacht, with captains sometimes earning nearly three times that amount, according to the report.
However, Bravol Breeze's fellow cast members from the „Real Housewives“ series can earn up to $1 million per season, and some „Southern Charm“ stars reportedly earn $25,000 per episode.
Ashley Marty, who appeared as a stewardess on Season 3 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht in 2022, told the outlet that the pay disparity is unfair.
“We’re on TV, but technically we’re helping out,” she said. “We don’t get the same treatment.”
Additionally, former cast members claim they were abused during filming.
Gabriela Barragan, who also appeared on Season 3 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, said that producers, nicknamed „M&M,'' which means master manipulator, knew that she had a substance abuse problem. However, he claimed that he encouraged drinking.
Barragan, who is Black and Latinx, also claimed that he was subjected to a ton of racist microaggressions from several of his co-stars.
In one instance, Barragan claimed a co-worker told her that her hair looked like „pubic hair“ and that she was „aggressive.“
Another crew member pointed at a black man on the street and said, „Look, Gabby, that's your brother,“ Barragan claimed.
She also claimed that someone made a joke about slavery during a talent show for guests, but it was not aired on the show.
When Barragan brought this to the attention of producers, she claims she was told to calm down rather than reprimand those who made racist comments.
Elizabeth Frankini, who appeared on Season 8 of Below Deck, which aired from 2020 to 2021, claims that the show's producers encouraged her to sleep in a guest cabin on a yacht with co-star James Hough. did.
A week later, Franchini was fired for his actions after the ship's chief stewardess, Francesca Rubi, told her that sleeping in a guest cabin without permission was the „last straw.“
However, Mr. Huff was allowed to continue working.
„That made me feel really bad about Bravo, about the production, about everything else,“ she told the outlet.
Asked about these allegations, Bravo told Business Insider: „We take allegations of misconduct on our show seriously and review all allegations that come to our attention.“
The network has strengthened its production policies, including „stricter guidelines on alcohol consumption and instructions on when to intervene to keep cast and crew safe, increased psychological support, and more. This includes „reinforcing on-the-job training and providing it to cast and crew members,“ it added. Please contact NBCUniversal directly to raise concerns. ”
Not all shows and salaries are created equal.