‘Queer Eye’ Lead Editor Toni Ann Carabello On Piecing Together A Story Of Growth That “Makes Everyone Leave Smiling”:

As an editor for Netflix’s Queer Eye, Toni Ann Carabello says the work is very different from other reality series. “On a lot of other shows, you’re over-emphasizing the drama,” she says. “On Queer Eye, you’re really just playing up the best parts of what’s there… It just makes everyone leave smiling.”

Carabello was nominated for an Emmy for her work on Queer Eye episode “Speedy for Life”, which follows a young man looking to inspire others after a traumatic accident. “At the end of the day, [that episode] touched everybody with how it really made an impact on this kid’s life,” she says. “He was just a nice, sweet kid who seemed appreciative of everything and genuinely happy.”

DEADLINE: What are you looking for in the footage that you want to use in the final edit?

TONI ANN CARABELLO: Mostly just his personality. In an episode like this where it’s really a sad, tragic story, it’s important to find a balance. It’s this very sad thing, but here’s what he wants from his life, how he can move on and do something that he wanted to, like being an influencer or a motivational speaker. So, it’s always important to show the guy’s personalities, connecting with the person too, and then showing Speedy’s personality and little moments of humor or to get out of that constant sadness.

Speedy was very quiet initially, so he didn’t have too much to say, but I think they ultimately made him feel comfortable and really brought that out. The guys really did a good job of giving him confidence. So, it was about finding those moments of connection between them, which there was a lot. It’s also about finding a balance of humor, touching moments and showing what the person is really gaining from it. You have to really go on a journey with them, and it’s so subtle to see someone evolve.

DEADLINE: What is your favorite part of working as an editor on Queer Eye?

CARABELLO: For so many years, I had worked on housewives and other reality shows where it’s not wrapped up in an episode. It’s a story over all these episodes and it keeps continuing. I had started at MTV back when they used to do more biographies, and I loved that you would tell a real story and you had to figure out a way to make it interesting. So, working on Queer Eye brought back that idea of really trying to tell a story without having to interject anything that wasn’t true, or add any drama or make it more than it was. It really was this kid’s story and what happened to him in life. Going back to the past, then being in the present and then hopeful for the future. And to work on something where it’s all positive, there’s nothing negative about it, it’s just beneficial. So many people have reached out to me saying how much they’ve enjoyed the episode and how much they love Speedy. And it feels nice to be part of that.

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