We're heading back to Fiji folks: yes, Survivor season 47 is returning to the South Pacific for another edition of contestants trying to outwit, outplay and outlast one another to claim the title of Sole Survivor and a hefty $1 million prize. The new episodes kick off with a special two-hour long episode on Wednesday, September 18, at 8pm ET/PT on CBS.
While our trusty host Jeff Probst is back as host and showrunner, the latest installment of the long-running reality competition will also feature a batch of 18 fresh faces — well, not entirely fresh faces. If you're a podcast diehard, you might recognize one of the competitors: "Pod Save America" co-host and former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett. He will be joined by a flight school owner, an ER doctor and an AI research assistant, among others.
Before all of the physical challenges and personal dilemmas start, let's get to know the 18 competitors in the Survivor season 47 cast.
Meet the Survivor season 47 cast
Teeny Chirichillo
Age: 24
From: Manahawkin, N.J.
Occupation: Freelance writer
"I've been developing my social game in life since I was about this big," Teeny said in a CBS teaser clip. "I grew up dressing like a boy and wanted no attention for it so had to distract them from having questions about me. That's really taught me how to just befriend any type of personality."
Rome Cooney
Age: 30
From: Phoenix, Ariz.
Occupation: E-Sports commentator
"What I do in E-Sports is what Jeff does on Survivor," Rome told CBS. "When I'm watching Survivor, the second a challenge starts, I'll mute it and start commentating over the challenge and then I'll rewind it and listen to how Jeff does it and see where I can improve. Jeff is the GOAT of it, so you got to learn from the best!"
Anika Dhar
Age: 26
From: Los Angeles
Occupation: Marketing manager
"I'm a manager of finance and operations. It's a very strategic role... knowing how to move the business forward if we are doing good or bad," Anika told CBS. "Same thing in Survivor: I'm going to have to continuously update my gameplay based on how things go."
Terran "TK" Foster
Age: 31
From: Upper Marlboro, Md.
Occupation: Athlete marketing manager
"When I was 14, I was diagnosed with FSGS, a pretty rare kidney disease... I was told by three different doctors that I wasn't going to make it," TK shared. "At the end of the day, I don't really care what adversity I face. I'm just excited to be in all of this and experience it all."
Tiyana Hallums
Age: 27
From: Aiea, Hawai'i
Occupation: Flight attendant
The native Hawaiian joked to CBS: "When you hear Hawai'i, you think, vibe, go with the flow. But in reality, I'm gonna be cutting throats. So I'm hoping they think I'm just here for a fun little ride, but they have no idea what's lurking under the surface!"
Rachel Lamont
Age: 34
From: Southfield, Mich.
Occupation: Graphic designer
For Rachel, joining the cast of Survivor season 47 seemed like a no-brainer: "I love people, I love games, I love challenging myself and I love money, so what is there not to love about Survivor?"
Jon Lovett
Age: 42
From: Los Angeles
Occupation: Podcast host
Jon's background as a political speechwriter will come in handy, he surmised: "[It's] about figuring out the best way to convince a bunch of people to either come along with your or agree with you or support you. I think that's a lot of what Survivor is. Final tribal is a political campaign, it's an election."
Genevieve Mushaluk
Age: 33
Current Residence: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Occupation: Corporate lawyer
"I will absolutely not be telling people that I am a lawyer. Post-45? Hell no. Three out of the final six were lawyers," Genevieve told CBS. "There's no way I can tell people that I'm a lawyer or they'll be like, 'Nice to meet you, bye!' I gotta be really careful. "
Gabe Ortis
Age: 26
Current Residence: Baltimore, Md.
Occupation: Radio show host
"Being a talk-show host is one of the perfect jobs to have coming into Survivor, knowing when it's your time to be the guy and take up all the air in the room and when it's time to recoil and let someone else take up that spotlight," Gabe revealed. "It's all about working people."
Kyle "Kyle Rhen" Otswald
Age: 31
From: Cheboygan, Mich.
Occupation: Construction worker
"I do this thing called the Bump and Run Derby... the main goal of the game is to cross the finish line, and if that means putting somebody into the wall along the way, so be it," said Kyle. "It's been preparing me for Survivor... only one of us is gonna cross that line."
Kishan Patel
Age: 28
From: San Francisco
Occupation: ER doctor
The doc likens the emergency room to the reality program: "The ER trains me for [Survivor]. You never know what's coming at you but you still have to be in control of it, you have to know the strategy of what to do next. That's exactly what Survivor is!"
Sam Phalen
Age: 24
From: Nashville, Tenn.
Occupation: Sports reporter
Sam knows one thing he'll be avoiding on that island: idols. "Everybody wants to find an idol, but idols are like curses now," he told CBS. "Individual immunity works just fine for me. That one I don't have to overthink!"
Andy Rueda
Age: 31
From: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Occupation: AI research assistant
"People are looking at me and thinking that I am another [season 45 contestant Austin Li Coon]: solid, dependable but ultimately beatable," Andy told the network. "If people see that in me, I can capitalize on that and play like a snake!"
Sue Smey
Age: 59
From: Putnam Valley, N.Y.
Occupation: Flight school owner
Sue isn't letting her age stop her: "These people look at the old person, they think they're the weak person here. Between my work ethic and my level of competition, they're gonna soon realize that they're gonna want me here."
Caroline Vidmar
Age: 27
Current Residence: Chicago
Occupation: Strategy consultant
Caroline is a water polo enthusiast, which she calls "a game of viciousness." "What you're not seeing under water, that's what the real war is... People don't think I can fight. I can fight. That is the mentality that you have to have in Survivor. People are attacking you, but you have to keep swimming," she said.
Aysha Welch
Age: 32
From: Houston, Texas
Occupation: IT consultant
Aysha cited how watching prior contestants like Maryanne Oketch and Katurah Topps made her want to join Survivor. "Seeing someone like me and thinking, 'Wait, if they could do it, I could do it.' So, if I can do that for some other girl out there, I think that's inspiring!"
Sierra Wright
Age: 27
From: Phoenixville, Pa.
Occupation: Nurse
Nurse Sierra revealed she often ends up being "the therapist" for people in her life. That won't change in Fiji: "really want to be somebody that my tribemates can turn to and be like, 'Hey, I'm feeling down.' I feel like I can bring that to them."
Solomon "Sol" Yi
Age: 43
From: Norwalk, Conn.
Occupation: Medical device sales
"I've won over $200,000 playing poker tournaments," Sol confessed. "When I make a move, I'm not lying to you, I'm bluffing you. I can take that emotion out because in the end, this is a game. The best game ever."
Beginning September 18, Survivor season 47 will air on Wednesdays at 8pm ET/PT on CBS. You can also stream on-demand on Paramount Plus the next day.
