Tan France is understandably nervous about his acting debut.
Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE about his role in the Hulu comedy series Deli Boys, the fashion expert shares what his Queer Eye costars — Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Jeremiah Brent — knew about his role as British cousin Zubair in the sixth episode.
France, 41, says that the other Fab Five members all knew “for quite some time now” about the role, but he didn’t send anyone screeners.
“They asked and I said, “No, I want you to watch it in order. I want you to watch the first episode and then I want you to watch the show so you understand why my part is the way it is,’ ” he says, adding that the others haven’t had a chance to see the episodes yet due to busy work schedules.
“I can’t wait for them to see it. I’m really anxious about it. I’m so nervous. Of all the people to watch it, I’m most nervous for them to watch it,” he says.
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty
When asked why, the fashion expert explains that the role put him in a “vulnerable position” on camera.
“They know me, like, they know they know me inside out,” France says of the Fab Five. “They know me in a way my husband doesn’t know me. Like, they see how I am on camera. They’ve watched almost every scene I’ve ever done on camera, when it comes to Queer Eye.”
“So, I’m nervous that they’re gonna see a different side of me, which is obviously what I want, is what I want the audience to see, but it’s a very, very vulnerable position to put yourself in. To show a different side of yourself.”
James Washington/Disney
France gave an example of constantly seeing a group of close friends to turn up one day and speak to them with a different accent. “That would be wild, and you would be so self-conscious,” he says.
“That’s how it is here. On this show, I’m not just acting. I’m doing a character actor’s job,” the father of two continues.
“My voice is not the same, my accent’s a completely different accent to my accent. It’s British, but it’s a very London accent, that’s not my accent at all,” he explains. “I’m walking in a very different way. It’s a very violent character, so I’m doing stunts. Everything about it is so intimidating for me to have my castmates see.”
Bronson Farr/Netflix
Elsewhere in the conversation, France gushed about the Hulu series. “It’s such a wild comedy, but also very aggressive, major drama, great fighting, and I was like, okay, this sounds so fun,” he says, adding that it “checks every one of the boxes I enjoy for a bingeable show.”
A synopsis of the comedy series, created by Abdullah Saeed, reads: “When their convenience store-magnate father suddenly dies, a pair of pampered Pakistani American brothers lose everything and are forced to reckon with their Baba’s secret life of crime as they attempt to take up his mantle in the underworld.”
All 10 episodes of Deli Boys are available to stream on Hulu.