The long-running TLC series 90 Day Fiancé is one of the most successful reality franchises of all time, boasting an astounding nine seasons and 18 spinoffs (so far). The original series follows long-distance engaged couples in their 90 day shared stay in the United States, as permitted by the K-1 visa for international fiancés of U.S. residents.
For any television series to gain such popularity, there is a requirement to keep viewers engaged and highly interested throughout the show’s run. With that comes much consideration over editing and presentation of the cast and their respective storylines. Current and former cast members of 90 Day Fiancé have let fans in on some the secrets behind the production of the show.
Some 90 Day Fiancé Cast Members Have Acted On TV Before
A show like 90 Days Fiancé requires big personalities, as well as being comfortable on camera and willing to reveal a personal side of themselves. In a way, a reality TV career involves a level of performance from its cast to keep viewers entertained.
It may not be a surprise that some of 90 Day Fiancé‘s biggest personalities have had acting careers before appearing on the show. Geoffrey Paschel from the Before The 90 Days spin-off has appeared in a number of television productions, mainly in true crime reenactments. Similarly, Natalie Mordovtseva has appeared in a number of tv shows and movies in her native Ukraine.
90 Day Fiancé Is Partially Scripted
Entertaining viewers across multiple seasons and spin-offs requires dynamic scenes and snappy dialogue to keep fans engaged. Just like fictional films and television, 90 Day Fiancé relies on a script to keep the drama high.
Friends of fan favorite David Tobrowsky, Chris Thieneman and Nikki Cooper, have revealed that the show relies on a script, as they have experienced on their time on the show. Coopy told In Touch Weekly, “There are times where there are different people or producers that come up to you and say, ‘Oh, I think it would be cool if you do this,’ or ‘I think you should say this.'”
90 Day Fiancé’s Editing Can Create False Narratives
Countless hours of the lives of each couple are filmed for 90 Day Fiancé, spanning over multiple weeks and months for each season. In doing so, the crew whittle down the footage to the highlights that feature the most important and dramatic events of the couple’s lives.
That editing, according to some cast members, can be crafted to present events that never actually occurs. Former 90 Day Fiancé cast member Deavan Clegg told In Touch Weekly, “The edits are just getting so bad on my daughter that it’s disgusting.” She cited an incident that presented her daughter Drascilla as running away from an argument from her and former husband Jihoon. In reality, Clegg insists, Drascilla was running to a playground.
90 Day Fiancé Cast Members Pay For Their Own Flights
In order to keep the drama going (and in accordance with the K-1 Visa rules), 90 Day Fiancé couples spend much of their screen time apart in their respective countries. Many of the show’s most dynamic scenes involve couples struggling to contact one another overseas and resolve their issues.
This is, in part, due to the fact that the cast pay for their own flights, as revealed by former cast member Deavan Clegg in a YouTube video. A show with as big a budget as 90 Day Fiancé could probably easily afford flights for their cast members, but the tension that arises from budget and travel issues probably makes for good content in the eyes of its producers.
90 Day Fiancé’s Scenes Are Shot Multiple Times
Cast members have been vocal about how the show relies on editing and scripted dialogue to create the most dramatic scenes possible to air. In order to do this, scenes constructed by producers are filmed multiple times and are edited to create the best scene possible.
Friends of David Toborowsky, Chris Thienerman and his wife Nikki Cooper, informed fans in a Q&A that they were asked to film a scene where Chris asked David’s wife, Annie, for a massage. “The producer asked him to say it & Chris had to say it more than once because it didn’t come off as natural” Nikki revealed in a Facebook post (via E! Online).
90 Day Fiancé’s American Cast Members Are Paid Very Little
With 90 Day Fiancé’s immense popularity, viewers may expect its cast to quickly become wealthy off of the show’s success. The American cast members, however, have stated that the reality is very different.
In a Facebook Q&A, Nikki Cooper claims the Americans are paid roughly $1,000 per episode (via Reality Blurb). Depending on whether the cast members are able to work full time alongside filming, this is a pretty low lone salary.
90 Day Fiancé’s Non-American Cast Members Are Paid Nothing At All
If money wasn’t already tight for much of the cast with low salaries and travel expenses, it is even worse for non-American cast members. Producer Matt Sharp confirmed that the international cast are not paid any money whatsoever.
On the Reality Life With Kate Casey podcast, Sharp stated they cannot legally pay those on a K-1 visa. “Someone who is an international , that would be illegal to pay someone,” Sharp said. “They would have to have a green card, which they do not.”
90 Day Fiancé’s Female Cast Members Have To Sit A Certain Way
Most seasons of 90 Day Fiancé conclude with a “tell all”, a reunion where the main cast get together and reflect on the events of the season long after filming has wrapped. During the tell all, the female cast members often sit in the same position, often with one leg slightly elevated in a crossed position.
When asked about this odd occurence by a fan on instagram, 90 Day Fiancé alum Anfisa Arkhipchenko replied that “producers make all women on the show sit like this if you haven’t noticed” (via E! Online).
Many 90 Day Fiancé Cast Members Have Appeared On Other Reality TV Shows
Reality tv casting agents typically recruit people that enjoy attention and will happily play up to the cameras and follow the requests of producers on the show. Many of 90 Day Fiancé’s most colorful characters that appear on the show have been scouted for other reality shows in the past.
Before The 90 Days’ Angela Deem has appeared on both Maury and Trisha before being cast on the TLC show (via Starcasm). Similarly, twins Darcey and Stacey Silva were set to star in their own tv series called The Twin Life (via Starcasm).
