Steven McBee Jr. is sharing new behind-the-scenes details about The McBee Dynasty Season 3 finale and claiming Allie Eklund refused to return for additional filming unless she was paid more.
During an exclusive interview with the Roxanne and Shantel podcast, Steven opened up about how the season was originally expected to wrap and revealed that production had planned to return for additional pickup scenes after filming initially ended.
“The finale was, I didn’t know how they were going to piece the finale together, because we really didn’t have a fully wrapped season yet,” Steven explained.
According to Steven, production wrapped regular filming in early February with the expectation that cameras would return for several additional days.
“Whenever production left in early February, the expectation was that they were going to go to the editing room and then come back out for three or four more days called pickup scenes,” Steven said.
He explained that the additional filming is standard for reality television and is generally used to fill in gaps or give storylines additional closure.
“This is what every reality show does. It just helps piece together, you know, some final thoughts or wrap up some final thoughts, if there needs to be any closure.”
But according to Steven, those planned pickup scenes ultimately never happened because of a dispute surrounding Allie’s compensation.
“We didn’t get to do that because Allie and her manager refused to film anymore unless that they paid her another episodic salary, pretty much,” Steven claimed.
We then asked Steven whether Allie knew at the time that she was already being paid more than the other women appearing on the show, including Galyna.
Steven initially said he didn’t want to assume before clarifying that he believes he did tell Allie what the other women were making.
“I think, I don’t want to assume, I’m pretty sure I told her what the other girls were making,” Steven said.
He then clarified that the conversation happened verbally, which is why he was hesitant to present it as something he could definitively prove.
“It was a verbal conversation with Allie and then her say, ‘Show me the receipts,’ because I don’t think I had that in a text message,” Steven explained. “Like, I definitely told her what the other girls were making. That’s just something that you do. Like, you’re like, ‘Oh, you’re already making more than these other girls. Why are you asking for even more?’ But I don’t think I have that in a way that I can prove it. So I just don’t want it to be, you know, her word versus mine.”
We also asked an important question: Is it normal for cast members to receive additional money specifically for returning to film a season finale or pickup scenes?
According to Steven, no.
Steven explained that pickup filming was already covered under the original agreement with the network.
“That’s part of your, like, the original contract that you signed with the network. They have the right to come back out and film,” Steven said. “I can’t remember what the exact allotment is, but it’s pickup scenes and it’s in every single reality show.”
In other words, according to Steven’s account, he was not receiving an additional episodic payment simply because production returned to film pickups or material for the finale. He says those additional filming days were already part of the cast’s existing contractual obligations.
Steven also claimed production was frustrated by the situation.
When asked whether production was surprised by what happened, Steven responded, “I’d say frustrated is the word.”
Steven admitted he was frustrated as well because he says he had previously gone to bat for Allie when her original filming rate was being negotiated.
“I literally used every bit of leverage to get her her rate that I possibly could,” Steven said.
He pushed back on the idea that Allie’s salary was simply the result of her being a strong negotiator, claiming he personally used his position on the show to help secure the amount she wanted.
“What is so frustrating is that online people are like, ‘Well, she’s just a smart businesswoman. She knows how to negotiate.’ I’m like, I literally was going to not film the show. I was going to stop the show if she didn’t make what she wanted,” Steven claimed. “Like, that’s not her negotiating. That’s me using my leverage.”
The revelation could also help explain why some viewers felt certain storylines in the Season 3 finale were left without complete closure.
Steven previously revealed during the interview that he and Allie had not actually broken up during the events viewers saw in the finale. At that point, their major disagreement centered around whether Steven would spend more time in Texas or remain in Missouri.
Steven says several conversations about their future were filmed throughout the season but never made it into the final episodes.
The couple would eventually split months later following the highly publicized Stagecoach incident.
During the full interview, Steven also opens up about what he says really happened after Stagecoach, his newfound respect for ex Calah, whether he wants another season of The McBee Dynasty, his father Steve McBee Sr.’s relationship with Masha, Galyna, Saley Carson and much more.
Steven’s full interview with Roxanne and Shantel is available now.