William Mahnken

William Mahnken, an actor and cinematographer, gained wider recognition through his appearance on Netflix’s Queer Eye. After gaining widespread recognition through his appearance on season two, episode two of Netflix’s ‘Queer Eye,’ titled “A Decent Proposal,” William Mahnken established himself as a versatile actor and cinematographer. The episode documented the Fab Five’s assistance in his proposal to Shannan Eller, a milestone publicly celebrated by the official ‘Queer Eye’ Instagram account following their marriage on June 13, 2018. Mahnken began his journey in the film industry in 2007 with Blackflight Studios, contributing as cinematographer for ‘Exit 101’ in 2011 and as first assistant director for its second unit.

His 2025 screen slate includes roles such as David Hone in ‘Apertif’ (March 2025), Pete Grimes in the TV Mini-Series ‘My Fathers Billionaire Boss Treasured Me as His Bride’ (April 2025), Josh in ‘Nothing Without A Reason’ (May 2025), Homeowner in ‘Winner, Winner’ (June 2025), and Trapper 1 in the short film ‘Gilt’ (2025), for which he will also serve as Director of Photography. Mahnken’s specialized skill set includes stunt training (precision driving, 10ft back falls, stage fighting, swordplay) and he is non-union, holding both a driver’s license and passport.