Survivor50, the milestone fiftieth season of the long-running survivalist competition series, may be about a year away, butwith the show beginning to film, the cast has been released to the public. While there’s been a lot of debate surrounding who should be included onSurvivor50, who shouldn’t, and who ultimately would make the cut regardless of whether they deserved it or not, there hasn’t been an easy path to finding the right castaways for the milestone season. With 49 seasons of contestants to choose from,Survivorhad its work cut out to pick a major milestone cast.
It was clear that not everyone was going to be satisfied aboutwho would be returning forSurvivor50, butmostSurvivorfans had a list of contestants they felt were likely a lock for the milestone season. Still, it wasn’t easy to narrow down. Even knowing there are some castaways who aren’t interested in playing the game again, some who wouldn’t be invited back for personal and professional reasons, and some who would simply not fit the current era ofSurvivor, the majority of castaways that long-time viewers hoped to see seemed like they’d be achievable to bring back.
WithSurvivor50’s cast finally released, viewers will now be able to speculate on who will do well within the game as it films in real-time. Though this may cause some to be fatigued by the time the season actually comes out, the build up of excitement to see what twists and turns play out in the game will be something mostSurvivorfans have never seen before. With such a major milestone season coming to life,Survivor50 needed to bring the best into the competition, creating new dynamics for the long-running show as it moves into another era.
Jenna Lewis Dougherty
Survivor Borneo & All-Stars
Jenna Lewis Dougherty, one of the original castaways stranded onSurvivor Borneoin 2000, isthe only representative of the first season joiningSurvivor50. Although Jenna’s reputation during the first season was more of an immature, youthful persona, when she returned to the series forSurvivor All-Starsfour years later, she was ready to play the game strategically.
Jenna came back to a completely different show after a handful of seasons, bringing a new energy to the competition. While Jenna hasn’t played in nearly 20 years, her ability to move through the game socially may help her stay afloat.
Colby Donaldson
Survivor Australian Outback, All-Stars, & Heroes Vs. Villains
As a veteran originally appearing onSurvivor: The Australian Outback,Colby Donaldson hasn’t played since 2010. During the second season ofSurvivor,Colby had a rivalry that made a major splash with his fellow castaway Jerri Manthey, which eventually continued on throughout several seasons together. Colby returned onSurvivor All-StarsandSurvivor Heroes Vs. Villains,but struggled to make it far in the game coming in with a high threat-level. Now, years later, Colby is returning forSurvivor50 for a game-changing first, asit will be the first season he’s playing without Jerri as a fellow castaway beside him.
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick
Survivor Palau, Guatemala, & Heroes Vs. Villains
As one of the long-standinglegends who hasn’t returned in the modern era,Stephenie LaGrossa first appeared onSurvivor Palau,where she was the first ever castaway to become a tribe of one. While Stephenie has never won the game, she’s long been praised as one of the best to ever playSurvivor.With a mix of stealth social strategy and physical prowess, Stephenie returned to the show onSurvivor Guatemala,then came back forHeroes Vs. Villains.While she’s been able to strategize before, being out of the game for 15 years could makeSurvivor50tough for Stephenie.
Cirie Fields
Survivor Panama, Micronesia, Heroes Vs. Villains, & Game Changers
Returning for another season ofSurvivorwasn’t necessarily a shock for Cirie Fields' fans, but learning that she’d be on the iconicSurvivor50 is exciting nevertheless. Cirie is one of the best to never winSurvivor,if not the best social player to have never won the game. Socially dominant and hard-working,Cirie has been able to move through nearly the entire game without making it to the end several times, but her game has been aired out for fans of the show. Cirie could come out victorious onSurvivor50, but it would take all of her skill.
Ozzy Lusth
Survivor Cook Islands, Micronesia, South Pacific, & Game Changers
Ozzy Lusth, who last played onSurvivor Game Changersin 2017, has nearly won several times, but has never gotten to the end of the game and taken it. While he’s always been competitive and athletic,Ozzy has worked hard to earn his reputation onSurvivorover the years. First competing onSurvivor Cook Islands,Ozzy was always impressive in a challenge, but his social game was most shocking in one of his later seasons. Competing duringSurvivor South Pacific,Ozzy was able to use Redemption Island as a way to consistently, repeatedly win his way back into the game.
Benjamin “Coach” Wade
Survivor Tocantins, Heroes Vs. Villains, & South Pacific
Although some struggle to find enjoyment in Benjamin “Coach” Wade, others understand thattheSurvivor Tocantinscastaway has grown tremendously since his first appearance. Coach’s early seasons onSurvivorshowed him as an undeveloped player who was afraid to make moves that would leave him out in the dark socially, but that timid streak worked directly against his desire to be a leader. Coach made it difficult for everyone to move through the game with a solid strategy, as he had a tough time owning up to his mistakes, but the more he played, the better he got atSurvivor.
Aubry Bracco
Survivor Kaoh Rong, Game Changers, & Edge Of Extinction
As a three-timeSurvivorveteran, Aubry Bracco wasn’t an expected castaway forSurvivor50, but she’s someone viewers will be happy to see back. After being introduced as a weaker player onSurvivor Kaôh Rōng,Aubry overcame her issues and eventually found a place she could stand strong. As a strategic mind,Aubry worked her way through the game with a ton of control, but lost to Michele Fitzgerald in a tough Final Tribal Council. Although she returned to play twice more, Aubry couldn’t find the same momentum she had in her first season. Hopefully she’ll stabilize onSurvivor50.
Chrissy Hofbeck
Survivor Heroes Vs. Healers Vs. Hustlers
While Chrissy Hofbeck was almost the first boot onSurvivor Heroes Vs. Healers Vs. Hustlers,she found herself moving through the game with social and strategic moves that mad her a great castaway. With a fantastic story, Chrissy knew how to make relationships and keep them throughout her time on the show. While there were some moments where her connections were put to the test within the game,Chrissy seemed like she was going to take the win during her season, but adevilish fire-making twist hurt her chances. Chrissy could make an incredible but deserved comeback onSurvivor50.
Mike White
Survivor David Vs. Goliath
Mike White, the creator of hitThe White Lotus,may be doing a lot more with his creative side these days, but prior to creating the limited series, he nearly wonSurvivor David Vs. Goliathin 2018. Mike’s game was built on social relationships and fostering them as he moved through the game, but eventually had to put himself in vulnerable positions. While he was able to earn his way to the end,the jury voted against Mike in one of the most divisive endgames inSurvivorhistory. Mike’s new Hollywood status may help or hurt him onSurvivor50.
Angelina Keeley
As one of Mike’s closest allies onSurvivor David Vs. Goliath,Angelina Kelley is often praised for her powerful gameplay from the beginning of the season. While she was often able to work through the challenges and strategic situations, Angelina also found herself to be a divisive social player, taking the fall for some major moves in the game. Angelina was a chaotic player during her first season on the series, but things may be different during her second time around onSurvivor50. Though she’ll have Mike again,Angelina may struggle with a whole new cast in her way.
Christian Hubicki
Although Christian Hubicki wasn’t one of Mike and Angelina’s allies onSurvivor David Vs. Goliath,he was a threat in his own right throughout the game. From the earliest moments of the game, viewers could tell that Christian would be someone who took on a powerful role in the game. Having an idol played to save him post-merge, Christian had a loyal band of allies throughout the game, even finding himself having to defend against his one-time ally Gabby Pascuzzi. Eventually, Christian was too threatening to keep,but he may not be as threatening onSurvivor50 surrounded by veterans.
Rick Devens
Survivor Edge Of Extinction
Survivor Edge Of Extinction’sRick Devens may not have made it far in the game at first, but he was an incredibly memorable part of the season. While he was left without any allies after the season’s tribe swap, Rick battled back from the Edge Of Extinction for another chance to play the game. After using four immunity idols,Rick found himself in the final four, but it was a tough showdownto make it past the difficult fire-making challenge, and ultimately wound up eliminated. Rick could be a great challenger to watch onSurvivor50.
Jonathan Young
Survivor 42
Jonathanis one of the first new-eraSurvivorcastaways to return to the game for another shot at the $1 million grand prize. Appearing inSurvivor42, Jonathan is a massive challenge competitor who showed feats of strength throughout his time in Fiji. Although he was a massive physical force,Jonathan was also able to move through his social game fairly easily, building strong bonds that brought him through the game. His threat level may be high coming intoSurvivor50.
Emily Flippen
Survivor 45
A fan favorite fromSurvivor45, Financial Analyst Emily Flippen was an incredible part of this new era season. Making her presence known early on, Emily got into social trouble quickly within the season, but was able to bounce back and learn to adapt to the game. While she played a more socially strategic game than a physically competitive one,Emily struggled to maintain her footing when her tribe began to collapse inward. Iconic in every way, Emily will be an incredible asset toSurvivor50.
Dee Valladares
The winner ofSurvivor45, Dee Valladares was an incredibly adept social player who knew how to take control of a situation. While Dee was able to move through the game with a handle on what was happening, it wasn’t easy for her to manipulate and move through the rest of her allegiances without consistently stoking the flames of her relationships. Dee benefited from a minor showmance, buther ability in the game to stay strategic, competitive, and focused gave her a winner’s edge. She may struggle to find her place onSurvivor50 as one of just two winners.
Q Burdette
Survivor 46
Divisive, Q Burdette was one of the most frustrating castaways onSurvivor46. Whether it was watching him refuse to compete in challenges he was certain he’d win, creating the Q skirt, or ultimately turning on one of his closest allies, Q was a lot throughout the season. Though he wasn’t always the most strategically minded player,Q had a lot of control over how the votes were castthroughout his time onSurvivor46, which made him feel like he was gaining momentum. With hindsight on what he would’ve done differently, Q could be a threat onSurvivor50.
Charlie Davis
As one of the finalists ofSurvivor46, Charlie Davis was a fan favorite throughout the season. A Taylor Swift fan who often quoted her lyrics in clutch moments, Charlie was a charmingSurvivorsuperfan who had a tight grip on what was going on in the game. His consistently well-hidden alliance with Maria Shrime Gonzalez was a great part of his game, and though the pair consistently tried to go against one another in the endgame, it wasCharlie’s social strategy that outplayed Maria. While he didn’t win, Charlie came away ready to return toSurvivorfor another shot.
Tiffany Nicole Ervin
As another piece of the puzzle onSurvivor46, Tiffany Nicole Ervin was a consistent social force throughout the season. With competitive prowess and social strategy under her belt,Tiffany struggled early on with a tribe that couldn’t get a winunder their belt. Even so, Tiffany was able to do well throughout the game until she found herself the victim of a blindside. While Tiffany may not trust her former ally, Q, duringSurvivor50, she’ll come into the game with some tremendously unique experience.
Genevieve Mushaluk
Survivor 47
As the sole representative ofSurvivor47, Genevieve Mushaluk didn’t seem like she was going to be a major part of the season for the first few episodes. When she finally moved into the spotlight, creating an unlikely alliance and leveraging her power to create paths to the end for herself. While Genevieve wasn’t always kind in her gameplay,she did what needed to be done in order to move herself ahead. Genevieve did well until post-merge, when she orchestrated a blindside that laid out her whole game. It’s unlikely Genevieve will keep a similar strategy onSurvivor50.
Joe Hunter
Survivor 48
As one of the final 3 onSurvivor48,Joe Hunter was a physical threat from the beginning. Often seen as easy-going and kind-hearted, Joe’s social gameplay allowed him to move through the competition despite having a physical advantage, as he minimized his strategic prowess. Though he consistently tried to talk about how he was just a firefighter, Joe may find himself needing a new refrain onSurvivor50.
Kyle Fraser
As the winner ofSurvivor48, Kyle Fraser is sure to have a target on his back going intoSurvivor50. While he’s one of the most interesting strategic players in the new era, Kyle’s power came in his alliance with Kamilla Karthigesu throughout a lot of the game.It’s possible he’ll be on a different tribe than his former castmate, but he should be careful about his interaction as he moves intoSurvivor50.
Kamilla Karthigesu
As one of the masterminds ofSurvivor48, Kamilla will have a major target on her back heading intoSurvivor50. Though she didn’t make it to the end,Kamilla was praised for her social gameplay and her strategic mastery. The jury of her season shared if she’d been in the final 3, she would’ve been voted the winner of the game, giving her fellowSurvivor50 castaways a major reason to vote her out as quickly as possible.
Rizo Velovic
Survivor 49
Rizo Velovic,apparently known as Rizgod, is one of the upcoming castaways onSurvivor49. Though viewers have yet to see his gameplay, Rizo will be part ofSurvivor50. Despite not knowing how Rizo did onSurvivor49,he clearly made enough on an impact to be asked backfor a milestone season.
Savannah Louie
Much like Rizo,Savannah Louiewill be a part of the upcomingSurvivor49. A journalist from Atlanta,Savannah seems like she could have the ability to communicate well, which could help her in the game. As she moves intoSurvivor50, it’s possibly a strength that her season of the series has yet to air, as her threat level won’t be something her fellow castaways are aware of.
