While theBelow Deckfranchise has its fair share of villains,some have a far better work ethic aboard the franchises’ superyachts than others, making them difficult to fire from a crew. Though someBelow Deckvillains are riddled with poor work ethic or a lack of skill, most yachties were brought into the franchise for their capabilities aboard a superyacht.Below Deckas a franchise has been able to find both capable yachties and bring reality TV style drama to the charter season, with some of the best yachties fitting into the villain roles.
ThroughoutBelow Deck’s decade-plus run, the series' villains have been some of the show’s viewers' favorite yachties to watch, even if they’re not happy with their performance.Villains onBelow Deckshowsoften clash with crewmates, cause drama, and create conflict as they move through the charter season. Working well with others may not be their strong suit, but the yachties who are branded as villains often have the best work ethics on the vessel.Villains tend to know their jobs well, but struggle with the interaction between the rest of the crew, which can make them tough to handle.
While some of thevillains of theBelow Deckfranchisebecame villains because of the way they handled their workload,most of their villainy comes from the fact that they’re struggling in their interpersonal relationships. From stews who find themselves in competition with their colleagues over the affection of a deckhand to bosuns who aren’t able to lead their team successfully,Below Deck’s villains come in all shapes and sizes, making it clear that the franchise has been able to capture an array of issues over the course of its run.
Althoughnot allBelow Deckvillains are created equally, the franchise has been able to indicate some cast members who are a higher degree of villainous than others. WithBelow Deckgetting ready to launch new seasons of several different franchise shows in 2025, the villain roles are more important to fill than ever before. Bringing drama to the shows,here are some of the best villains ofBelow Deckwho don’t always let their combative behavior bleed into their performance, creating chaos within the scope of the crew, but rarely letting it impact their job performances.
8Gary King
Below Deck Sailing Yacht
Below Deck Sailing Yacht’sGary King is one of the most controversial cast members in the franchise’s history, but his problematic nature doesn’t take away from his work ethic. While Gary has been a difficult part of theBelow Deckfranchise, his behavior hasn’t taken away from his strong work ethic. Originally appearing onBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 2, Gary has been part of the series for nearly its entirety, and he’s one of the onlyBelow Deckyachties to work aboard a franchise vessel during the off-season.
While Gary has a great work ethic, his personality has been difficult for some viewers to get behind as a part of the franchise.Gary’s behavior in the past, specifically in the way he’s treated women both on and off the show, has created some serious allegations of sexual misconduct and generally pushed viewers away from supporting him. Regardless, Gary is an incredible First Officer who knows the ins and outs of Parsifal III. His yachting expertise has been unlike any otherBelow Deck Sailing Yachtcrew member’s.
7João Franco
Below Deck Mediterranean & Below Deck Down Under
João Franco was one ofBelow Deck Mediterranean’smost polarizing figures, showing off a complicated sense of duality during his time on the show. While his abrasive personality and penchant for stirring up conflict made him a clear villain, João’s work ethic was impressive for viewers. His expertise, efficiency, and leadership set him apart from the rest of the crews he worked with, even if he wasn’t able to handle the social elements of his time within the franchise.
João’s villain edit was interesting throughoutBelow Deck Mediterranean, ashe consistently showed a stark contrast between his professional abilities and his personality. As a Bosun, he was able to mentor new yachties and ensure that they were working well under pressure, making it clear how much he cared about his job. As a member of the crew, however,João struggled in nearly every interaction, creating an abundance of tension. When he joinedBelow Deck Down Under, viewers were fearful he would still be villainous, but João seemed to have grown up a bit.
6Ben Willoughby
Below Deck
AlthoughBelow Deckdeckhand Ben Willoughby started off on the series with a vast amount of knowledge, he didn’t have a lot of experience when he joined the series. Coming intoBelow Deckseason 10 as a new yachtie,Ben had to work hardand prove that he knew what he was doing to improve, but his behavior often caught up to him before he could make solid progress from charter to charter. Somewhat of a gossip, Ben often found himself in trouble with his crew socially.
The duality of Ben’s personality became more clear duringBelow Deckseason 11, when he found himself at the center of nearly every drama after spreading information around to the crew. While Ben was struggling socially and finding himself branded a villain on the show, he was doing great work with Captain Kerry Titheradge. Promoted to Bosun during the season,Ben did a great job with his work aboard St. David, but his villain edit made it clear that viewers weren’t sure about him in the long-term.
5Barbie Pascual
As one of the best stewsBelow Deckhas seen in some time,Barbie Pascual’s villain edit made it difficult to enjoy just how hard-working and good she wasat her job. ThroughoutBelow Deckseason 11, viewers got to know Barbie along with several other stews working under Chief Stew Fraser Olender. While Fraser knew Barbie was good at her job, her attitude toward him was often difficult and displaced, as she was frustrated with the working conditions aboard St. David. Even so, the pair feuded throughout the charter season, with Fraser even nearly firing Barbie more than once.
Barbie, who explained early on that she wasn’t working for the money but for the experience as a whole, made it clear that she wasn’t interested in following anyone else’s orders. While she wasn’t blatantly insubordinate, she did like to be in control and that was obvious to the rest of the crew. Barbie’s continuous attitude was a struggle and a detriment to her work a lot of the time onBelow Deck,buther hard work and ability to work through her issues was admirable.
4Kyle Viljoen
Below Deck Mediterranean
Below Deck Mediterranean’sKyle Viljoenhad an interesting personality, making him as controversial as he was hardworking. Kyle was known for his dramatic energy, sharp wit, and outspoken nature. His attitude often led to confrontations and tension with the rest of the crew, but hishard work tended to make Kyle indispensable throughout the charter season. Even though Kyle was tough to work with, he was an incredible stew and made it clear that he could put his drama aside to work hard.
As a stew,Kyle had a sense of creativity that none of the other stews did, and his precision was unlike anyone else on the interior team. He was able to deal with demanding charter guests easily, helped with themed meals and activities, and generally was able to anticipate guests' specific needs. While Kyle was creating drama behind the scenes, he was highly dedicated toBelow Deck Mediterranean.
3Elena Dubaich
As a stew aboard Mustique onBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9, Elena “Ellie” Dubaich made it clear from the beginning of the charter season that she was hoping to improve her skills and become a Chief Stew. Hardworking and knowledgeable, Ellie was able to work through her issues and ensure that the work aboard Mustique came first.She was clear that she wasn’t interested in letting drama seep into her professional life, but it’s hard to stop the drama from twining together with the work onBelow Deck Med.
Ellie’s issues onBelow Deck Mediterraneanstemmed from the love triangle she became part of, between herself, Joe Bradley, and Bri Muller. On top of the drama of her interpersonal relationships,Ellie found herself struggling with Chief Stew Aesha Scott throughout the season, undermining her authority without meaning to do so charter after charter. Even with her issues, it was clear Ellie knew what she was supposed to be doing aboard Mustique.
2Lexi Wilson
Stew Lexi Wilson, a part ofBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 6, left viewers confused about whether they enjoyed her time on the show, or were happy to see her go. While Lexi was a hard worker who felt dedicated to serving the charter guests, her inability to handle her interactions with the rest of the crew was difficult to stand behind.Lexi’s attitude was difficult, and she often spent her time on the show in a mix of confrontationswith the rest of the crew.
Lexi was able to work hard and deliver great service when it mattered, especially when guests were involved. As a professional, Lexi was aware of when it was time to put her drama to the side and allow the work to stand on its own, but she found herself in so much drama that it almost didn’t matter. Strong-willed and somewhat controlling, Lexi had high expectations for herself andstruggled when she was told that she wasn’t meeting the expectations of others.
1Camille Lamb
Although she was only part of the crew for a time onBelow Deckseason 10, Camille Lamb proved that she could be a hard worker despite the fact that she was one of the season’s biggest villains. Camille, whocontinually struggled with her fellow stew Alissa Humberduring the charter season, made it clear that she was aboard St. David to work, but had a hard time prioritizing during her stint as a yachtie. Working as a dual deckhand/stew,Camille had a lot on her plateand was aware of how much direction she needed.
Instead of asking for help, though, Camille tried to get everything done on her own and burned herself out quickly. Getting to a point where she was unmotivated and uninterested in working, Camille quickly became a villain to theBelow Deckaudience. Arguing with fellow yachties and causing general chaos,Camille may have had a decent work ethic, but she wasn’t always able to follow through, which ultimately led to her downfall.
Sources: x,Kyle Viljoen/Instagram
Below Deck is a popular reality TV franchise that focuses on a group of crew members as they work on luxurious yachts and cater to their client’s needs. After the original series proved to be a success, Bravo developed a handful of spinoff shows including Below Deck Selling Yacht, Below Deck Adventure, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Mediterranean.
