William Mahnken

William Mahnken began his career in the film industry in 2007 with Blackflight Studios, contributing to productions such as “Exit 101” and “The Legend of Seven Toe Maggie.” He later relocated to the Atlanta area, where he began writing screenplays. Throughout his acting career, William Mahnken has appeared in various films and television series, often as a background artist. His roles include appearances in “Baywatch,” “Killing Reagan,” “Logan Lucky” (2017) as Prison Guard #5, “Vengeance: A Love Story” (2017) as a Police Officer, and a stint as a Savior in “The Walking Dead” (2017) for two episodes. He also acted as an Arcade Attendant in an episode of “Stranger Things” in 2017 and as Bobby in “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” for two episodes in the same year. His work as a cinematographer includes “Exit 101” (2011), and he further engaged in behind-the-scenes work as a first assistant director for the second unit on “Exit 101.”

A significant milestone in William Mahnken’s public profile occurred with his appearance on season 2, episode 2 of Netflix’s “Queer Eye.” Titled “A Decent Proposal,” the episode documented the Fab Five’s assistance in his proposal to Shannan Eller. The couple subsequently married on June 13, 2018, in a private sunrise beach ceremony in Amelia Island, Florida. The official “Queer Eye” Instagram account publicly congratulated the couple following their wedding. His acting career continued with roles such as Dallas in the short film “Tartarus” (2019) and upcoming projects in 2025, including Josh in “Nothing Without A Reason,” Pete Grimes in the TV Mini-Series “My Fathers Billionaire Boss Treasured Me as His Bride,” and Trapper 1 in the short film “Gilt.” He also made a cameo with Shannan in season 3 of “Stranger Things,” a detail noted by media outlets.

William Mahnken maintains an active presence in theater productions, with recent and upcoming roles including Bob Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol” (December 2024), Uncle Henry/Emerald City Guard in “Wizard of Oz” (August 2024), Mr. Maraczek in “She Loves Me” (December 2022), and Marcellus in “Music Man” (August 2023), all performed in Dahlonega, Georgia. His skill set includes stunt training, encompassing precision driving, 10ft back falls, stage fighting, and swordplay. He possesses a driver’s license and a passport, and he is non-union in the acting industry.