When Captain Glenn Shephard fired Emma Crouch, the Parsifal III needed a new deckhand. The crew, namely First Officer Gary King and Chef Stew Daisy Kelliher, were shocked to find out Chase Lemacks would fill the slot. The two leads remember working with him last season. Things weren’t all smooth sailing with Lemacks often critical of King’s work ethic and how he ran his department. He also struck out in the romance department.
However, given first impressions, that doesn’t look to be an issue this time around. He caught the eye of stewardesses Diana Cruz and Danni Warren. History has shown a love triangle doesn’t go well. Just as the drama unfolds, Lemacks opens up to TV Insider about his unexpected return.
Did you have any second thoughts about coming back in the middle of this season knowing how you and Gary butted heads?
Chase Lemacks: No trepidation at all. I was excited to be back on the show. I love Parsifal. I love Glenn. Gary and I had our tough moments, but I think after we’ve figured each other out after that first season it’s easier the next time. I was very excited to be asked back.
Taking your past experience into account, what kind of mindset did you go into this time?
It’s funny because I had a different mindset compared to Season 4. In season 4 I thought it was going to be a big party and going to meet my soon-to-be Mrs. Leemacks and all these things. It didn’t go that way. In season 5 I really just wanted to focus on my job and make sure I stayed between the lines. That I didn’t party too much or say anything to offend anybody. I tried to pivot from Season 4 and fix some of the mistakes I made. I don’t know if I did any of those things, but my mindset was very much I needed to behave myself.
This seems like it will be a hard thing to do with two stews interested in you right from jump.
I’m shocked. I think, even having been there, I didn’t know that was going on. I’m pretty bad at picking up female attention. When they are interested in me, I don’t really see that. They kind of usually have to roll up a message in a bottle and throw it at my head for me to get the hint. Watching it back was very surprising. I think maybe there was a little bit of cabin fever going on if I was the big man on campus, but I’m very happy about it. No complaints. Both ladies are amazing. I do get myself into a little bit of trouble very early on.
What was it like working with Daisy again? You had a unique dynamic there as well.
I don’t know why [Gary and Daisy] were so upset to hear I was coming back. I was a little hurt by it because I’m friends with Daisy. I literally just saw her for drinks a week ago in London while I was over there studying for my captain’s license. I linked up with her, and it was a lovely time. I have no problem working with Daisy. I think I’m one of the few people who doesn’t have a problem working with Daisy because she is not my boss. I’m not running service with her. She isn’t telling me to clean cabins. I can just hang out with the fun Daisy on nights out. I think she can be a little bit intense or sometimes difficult to work with on service moments, but I don’t see any of that. My relationship with Daisy is great. I guess maybe I get on her nerves. I have this effect on people.
What can you say about what we’re going to see for the rest of the season?
Across the board, we have some wild charters. We have a charter of people who do not want to be there whatsoever, which is quite a difficult thing to take care of. We had guests who didn’t enjoy boats or beaches or sun or anything that comes with chartering a yacht. That was a challenge. We also had some amazing guests. We had drag guests who had these wild and crazy parties. There are a lot of different looks with the charters coming up.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Mondays, 9/8c, Bravo