Why Was Kelsey Owens’ Role Got Cut From Siesta Key Season 5?

Divesh Solanki
October 30, 2022

According to Kelsey Owens, she won’t be around at the start of Siesta Key season 5 but will show up later on. The well-liked reality show’s fourth season, which was split into two parts and focused on main actress Juliette Porter’s romance with Sam Logan and the growth of her bathing suit business JMP The Label, came to an end in May. Even though Juliette and Sam broke up during season 4b, viewers continued to tune in each week to see how their relationship played out. Madisson Hausberg gathered her friends on the beach and broke the news to them about her stillbirth, putting a harsher tone on the season’s conclusion.

The actors of Siesta Key season 4b began teasing the possibility that season 5 will take place in Miami on social media as the season was airing. The cast members all started relocating to the new city shortly after that. A fan’s observation of actors Cara Geswelli and Meghan Bischoff shooting a scene at a Miami restaurant served as additional proof. Fans feared Siesta Key would be following in the footsteps of Laguna Beach and releasing a spinoff like The Hills as it became apparent toward the end of the most recent season that the cast members’ lives are headed in a different route than when they originally started the show.

Since Kelsey admitted she won’t appear at the start of the season, Siesta Key apparently has even more changes in store. Kelsey announced on her Instagram story that she will play a lower role in the upcoming season despite being a prominent cast member on the programme since season 1. During a Q&A session with her fans, a follower inquired as to whether the celebrity was still a cast member of Siesta Key. Kelsey said, “Yes, Siesta Key is still where I am. I have not yet begun filming, no. I was informed at the last minute that my requirement won’t arise till later in the season.” Kelsey clarified that the decision to begin filming later was apparently made by the Siesta Key producers and not by her.

Kelsey’s character changed for season 4b from feuding with Juliette to largely avoiding conflict and preparing for the future with her boyfriend, Max Strong. Since Alex Kompothecras was fired in 2020 due to uncovered racist social media posts, Juliette has assumed the role of the main character. Whether it be in the form of friendships, personal partnerships, or professional ventures, the star always brings the drama, and it appears like Siesta Key is letting go of anyone who isn’t eager to reveal their dirty laundry on television. Garrett Miller and Camilla Cataneo, the show’s stars, have so far stated they would not return for season 5. It’s unknown why Camilla departed, but Garrett acknowledged on Instagram that he didn’t quit the programme on his own volition because he and MTV had different ideas about what his part should have been in the reality series.

It is unsurprising that Siesta Key would reduce Kelsey’s participation on the programme, but it supports predictions that season 5 of the reality series may take a radically different direction. The cast members are growing less willing to manufacture petty controversy solely for screen time as they get older and discover happiness, and the programme doesn’t seem to want to keep them around if they aren’t bringing the drama every episode. Fortunately, Juliette is still prepared to put everything on the line for the benefit of the show, as do a few other cast members including Chloe Trautman and Jordana Barnes. It will be intriguing to see who else from the series survives and who is left in the small beach community as Siesta Key absorbs Miami as the island takes on a new direction.