Captain Sandy Yawn and Aesha Scott on ‘Below Deck Mediterranean.’ Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
Below Deck fans got some of their burning casting questions including regrets, how involved production is with firings and more.
Nadine Rajabi, who is an executive producer on Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean, revealed during a recent appearance on the “Group Text” podcast that the stars often change after being cast in the franchise.
“That has happened so many times,” Rajabi said. “Some people freak out because they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, what did I sign up for? How is this going to affect my life?’ And some people are just silent. And I’m like, ‘What happened? You were so funny and outgoing.'”
Rajabi recalled some instances when she met people who were “so funny” and lived by the “work hard, play hard” motto — until they got on the boat. “[They] just freeze because of the cameras,” she revealed.
Below Deck, which debuted on Bravo in 2013, introduced viewers to various crew members who reside and work on a superyacht during charter season. The original series quickly became a major success for the network, spawning spinoffs that include Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under and Below Deck Adventure.
Keep scrolling for answers about some of the biggest Below Deck casting changes:
How Does the Casting Process Work?
According to Rajabi, production doesn’t have too much time to spend with the contenders before they join the show.
“You meet somebody, like, two times on a Skype, maybe three times on a Skype at most or maybe one time some of the people,” she explained. “Some people do so well we just do one Skype with them and that’s it. Some people we talk to a couple of times because you want to make sure.”
Rajabi has offered the same advice to everyone — but it’s often ignored. “I always say to them, ‘Be yourself because if you try to be something that you’re not, the camera is going to sniff it from a mile away,'” she added. “The camera never lies.”
Are There Background Checks in Place?
Bravo has a “whole department” that looks into each applicant’s past, but they don’t always know when someone is “lying” on their resumes.
“That’s when you run into these seasons that kind of become toxic — if somebody’s trying to be something that they’re not, or trying to start something,” Rajabi said. “It’s just like, ‘Why are they doing this?'”
Can Bravo Fire People After Casting Them on a Show?
Once the Below Deck stars are hired, production doesn’t have any say in their departures.
“There’s absolutely nothing you could do,” Rajabi revealed about how they “cannot fire” anyone behind the scenes. “They’re in the care of the captain.”
Is There More Interest in Starring on ‘Below Deck’ Now?
More than a decade after Below Deck premiered, the casting process has changed because of how much the show blew up.
“I think it’s lost its innocence,” Rajabi said about the franchise. “Back then, it was truly yachties just doing a YOLO thing. Maybe they did another season, and then they go back to their boats. [Now] they want to come [and] be reality stars. And I think that’s the problem of what is happening in all of reality right now.”
