Sixteen castaways
Everyone arrives with a story. Only one leaves with the season.
Meet the strategists, providers, wild cards, and quiet threats beginning the game on Ember and Tide. Every original cast biography is preserved here, with a deeper individual dossier one click away.
Opening tribe
Ember
Volatile, expressive, and built to make the first move.
08
In the gameScientist
Dr. Aisha Okonkwo
Marine BiologistBrilliant, methodical, emotionally guarded. Grew up in a Nigerian-American household where achievement was love. Observes everything, speaks deliberately. First in her family born in America. PhD from Stanford. Studies coral reef resilience. Spent two years on a research vessel — knows how to live in close quarters with difficult people.
In the gameWarrior
Diego Ramirez
Construction ForemanLoud, physical, fiercely loyal but quick to anger. The kind of guy who picks you up on his shoulders but also picks fights. Heart on his sleeve. Second-generation Mexican-American. Started working construction at 16 to help his mom after his dad was deported. Now runs his own crew. Pride is everything to him.
In the gameMystic
Luna Zephyr
Fire Dancer / Yoga InstructorFree-spirited, mystical, surprisingly competitive. Talks about energy and vibes but is calculating underneath the glitter. The wildcard. Born in Hawaii to hippie parents. Never went to college. Makes a living performing fire dances at resorts and teaching yoga. Lives in a van.
In the gameChallenger
Jaylen Brooks
College Student / Twitch StreamerYoung, energetic, overconfident. Gen Z to the bone. Talks fast, thinks faster, sometimes too clever for his own good. Underestimates older players. Grew up in Atlanta streaming video games. Dropped out of Georgia Tech after two years to pursue full-time streaming. Makes decent money but wants the big win.
In the gameVeteran
Petunia Mae Hargrove
Retired Truck DriverSalty, no-nonsense, unexpectedly hilarious. Drove 18-wheelers for 35 years. Seen everything, scared of nothing. The grandmother who could outcurse a sailor. Raised four kids alone after her husband died in a factory accident in '89. Drove trucks to feed them. Retired at 62. Now she fishes, gardens, and doesn't take shit from anyone.
In the gameProvider
Marcus Chen
ER NurseCalm under pressure, empathetic, quietly strategic. A first responder who thrives in chaos. People trust him instinctively but he keeps his cards close. Grew up in a big family in San Diego. Became an ER nurse because he likes being the person people count on in their worst moments. Lost his dad young — that taught him to never waste time.
In the gameConnector
Rosa Gutierrez
Hairstylist & Salon OwnerWarm, magnetic, a natural connector. The person everyone tells their secrets to. But she remembers everything and uses it. Socially dangerous. Grew up in South Phoenix. Started doing hair at 15 in her aunt's kitchen. Opened her own salon at 26. Knows everyone in her neighborhood and their business.
In the gameScholar
Trevor Walsh
High School History Teacher / Football CoachSarcastic, funny, older and wiser. Uses humor as both weapon and shield. Secretly the most well-read person out here. Born and raised in Ohio. Married young, divorced at 35. Two kids he sees every other weekend. Coaches football because it's the closest thing to competition he gets.
Opening tribe
Tide
Measured, resilient, and strongest when the current runs together.
08
In the gameChaos
Brad "Bucky" Hayes
Rodeo Cowboy / Bull RiderFearless, reckless, funny as hell. Grew up getting thrown off animals for fun. No filter, no fear, no plan. The chaos agent. Homeschooled on a ranch. Started riding bulls at 16. Won a regional championship at 19. Broke 14 bones. Has no backup plan for life.
In the gameHacker
Mindy Park
Software Engineer at a Tech StartupQuirky, analytical, socially awkward but endearing. Talks in analogies and pop culture references. Data-obsessed. The nerd who doesn't know she's charming. Korean-American. Valedictorian. MIT grad. Works at a Seattle startup. Has a cat named Compiler. Has never been camping in her life.
In the gameChef
Ezekiel Bekele
Ethiopian Restaurant OwnerCharismatic, generous, a born storyteller. Fills every room with energy. Feeds people because love is his love language. But underneath, he's watching. Came to America from Ethiopia at 12. His mother opened a restaurant in DC and he took it over. It's become a community hub. He knows everyone.
In the gameMatriarch
Nkechi "Mama N" Eze
Middle School PrincipalCommanding, nurturing, no-nonsense. Runs her school and her tribe the same way — with love and an iron fist. Can quiet a room with a look. Everyone calls her Mama N. Nigerian-American. Grew up in Newark when it was rough. Became a teacher, then a principal. Turned around three failing schools. Married 28 years, three grown kids.
In the gameExecutive
Grant Pemberton III
Venture CapitalistPolished, dominant, used to being in charge. Comes from old money. Treats every interaction like a negotiation. Respected and resented in equal measure. Third-generation wealth. Ivy League. Runs a mid-size VC fund. Has never wanted for anything material. Came on Survivor because he's bored of winning in boardrooms.
In the gameVixen
Savannah Hart
Former Model / Real Estate AgentGlamorous, shrewd, underestimated. Beautiful and she knows it, but she's been underestimated her whole life because of it. Plays the ditzy card while counting cards. Modeled in Milan in her 20s. Got out at 35 when the industry aged her out. Got a real estate license. Now sells $2M homes in Miami. Every bit as cutthroat as the VC bros.
In the gameProtector
Tommy Rourke
Wildland FirefighterRugged, quiet, tough. The strong silent type. Doesn't say much but when he does, people listen. Physical beast with a gentle soul. Grew up in rural Montana. Dad was a logger, mom was a teacher. Became a wildland firefighter at 19. Has seen teammates die. Lives alone with his dog Beau.
In the gameAdvocate
Victoria Ashworth
Trial LawyerSharp, articulate, relentless. Cross-examines everyone she meets. Can argue any position convincingly. Intimidating but fair. The lawyer through and through. Raised by a single mom in Chicago's South Side. Full scholarship to Northwestern Law. Made partner at 32. Specializes in civil rights cases. Has a tattoo of Lady Justice on her shoulder.