Credit: Bravo
Below Deck stars claimed they got $6,000 a month for their time on the franchise, which is considered one of the most successful on Bravo. Meanwhile, the Real Housewives can earn $1 million per season.
One star accused Below Deck producers of ignoring her racism complaints. Another star said a producer urged her to sleep in a guest cabin with a co-star – before she was fired for it.
According to a report from Business Insider, some Below Deck stars claimed their monthly pay was between $5,000 and $6,000.
The report said their income is based on the castmate’s position on the boat, and captains can make three times that number.
‘Real Housewives,’ in comparison, can earn up to a million each season, and certain stars on Southern Charm reportedly earn $25,000 for each episode.
Ashley Marti, from Below Deck Sailing Yacht season three, said the mismatch is unjust.
“We’re on TV, but technically we’re the help,” said the former stewardess, via Page Six. “We don’t get the same treatment.”
Gabriela Barragán, of the same season, claimed she was encouraged to drink alcohol by a producer – who knew she had issues with substance abuse. The producer was nicknamed “M&M” — master manipulator.
Gabriela, who’s a person of color and a Latina, said several castmates bombarded her with racist microaggressions.
She claimed a coworker called her “aggressive,” and they compared her hair to “pubes.” A different castmate, according to Gabriela, pointed toward a person of color on the street and said, “Look, Gaby, your brother.”
A joke about enslaved people was made during a talent show for guests, said Gabriela, though it never aired. But when she told producers about it, Gabriela alleged they didn’t reprimand the person who said it, and instead told Gabriela to calm down.
Elizabeth Frankini, from Below Deck season eight, said a producer encouraged her to sleep in the guest cabins with castmate James Hough.
“That gave me a very bad taste in my mouth about Bravo, about production, about everything,” stated Elizabeth, who claimed she was fired for it by chief stew Francesca Rubi, who told her that sleeping in the guest cabin without permission was “the final straw.”
But James got to keep his job.
In response to the accusations, Bravo told Business Insider they “take allegations of misconduct on our shows seriously and review all claims that are brought to our attention.”
Bravo also said they enhanced their policies with production, including “stricter guidelines on alcohol consumption and direction on when to intervene to maintain safety of cast and crew, increased psychological support, enhanced workplace trainings, and a requirement to provide cast and crew with a direct line to NBCUniversal to raise concerns.”
