Gabriel declined in appeal during Season 4 due to an unfavorable character arc and an unpopular haircut. Fans reacted negatively to his Season 4 look, with some calling it a "glow down," and the actor questioned his desire to remain on the show. Netflix released a Season 5 first-look photo showing Gabriel with a cleaner, highlighted hairstyle and a dapper appearance outside what appears to be the restaurant. Lucas Bravo said he sacrificed Season 4 hair to grow his hair longer for Season 5, noting he needed to go through an awkward transition phase. He expressed a desire for Gabriel to regain his playful, alive self after three melancholic seasons.
The cut is a surprise, considering Bravo's previous comments about his hair. He told The Hollywood Reporter in September 2024 that he'd been wanting to have longer hair on the show for years but needed to "go through the transition phase where you have, like, sh*tty hair and it doesn't look like anything." He ended up deciding to "sacrifice Season 4 in order to have long hair in Season 5."
The 'sexy chef' was very much part of me in Season 1 and we grew apart season after season because of the choices he makes and because of the direction they make him take," he told IndieWire in October. "I've never been so far away from him." He also said that he wanted to see Gabriel get "back to his fun, cheeky, playful, alive self," adding, "Three seasons playing melancholic, sad, depressed, and lost is not fun anymore.
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