When Survivor‘s blockbuster first season hit the airwaves in 2000, the game of what it meant to be a celebrity was officially changed. Now, rather than gaining notoriety for a box office smash or a number one album, people could become stars just for being themselves, showing their best and worst in the pursuit of a life-changing amount of money. With the CBS reality series’ immediate popularity, at least a handful of the show’s 700+ contestants have gone on to become notable names in their respective fields. But, across 25 years of Survivor, we’ve also had a fair amount of famous faces arrive on the island, leaving behind their cushy lives in pursuit of a million dollars more.
A celebrity season of Survivor may not be on the horizon anytime soon. But here are 25 stars that you may not have known were on the show.
Survivor celebrity contestants
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Elisabeth Hasselback — Source: Courtesy of CBS
For over a decade, Elisabeth Hasselbeck was one of the most notable names on daytime TV. Elisabeth spent a decade at The View, as her conservative talking points caused plenty of conflict on the panel, most memorably a headline-making argument with Rosie O’Donnell in 2007 over the war in Iraq. She left the ABC panel series in 2013, serving as one of the hosts on the FOX News morning show Fox & Friends until 2015. But before Elisabeth Hasselbeck came Elisabeth Filarski, as the then 23-year-old was one of the fan-favorites of Survivor: The Australian Outback. To date, Season 2 is the most-watched season of Survivor, as almost 30 million people tuned in every week to see the newest “America’s Sweetheart” survive the loss of her entire tribe (as well as hair loss from malnutrition), finishing in fourth place.
Gary Hogeboom
Gary Hogeboom — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Arguably the first piece of Survivor celebrity casting, Gary Hogeboom made a name for himself in the NFL, playing quarterback for four teams across eleven seasons. When he appeared on Survivor‘s eleventh season in Guatemala, he chose to go undercover, as Gary Hogeboom became “Gary Hawkins,” the landscaper. While his real background was clocked by the eventual winner of the season, she became one of his closest allies, getting voted out in seventh place. Gary also holds the honor of being the first of many Survivor contestants to play the “hidden immunity idol,” a new twist at the time that gave a player the power to nullify any votes that were cast against them.
Dan Barry
Dan Barry
Dan Barry has a truly out-of-this-world career, as he had a storied run with NASA from 1992 to 2005. Across three space flights, he spent a combined 734 hours in orbit, clocking in at over 30 days. Unfortunately for Dan, he has not nearly as long of a stay when he competed on Survivor: Exile Island in 2006. He made it all the way to Day 15 before he was sadly the first cast out of his alliance, finishing in eleventh place.
Ashley Massaro
Ashley Massaro — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Ashley Massaro won the WWE Raw Diva Search in 2005, earning a $250,000 cash prize and, most crucially, a one-year contract with the WWE. She parlayed that into a three-year career with the wrestling company, including several appearances at WrestleMania and even a Playboy cover shoot. Ashley then stepped into the ring of Tribal Council on Survivor: China in 2007, where her struggles with the elements and conflict with her tribe’s leader got her voted out of the tribe second, placing fifteenth overall. On May 16, 2019, Ashley died by suicide at the age of 39.
Jean-Robert Bellande
Jean-Robert Bellande — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Considering all the bluffing and mental warfare, it was only a matter of time before a professional poker player made their way onto Survivor. And the first one finally pushed his chips in China with Jean-Robert Bellande. Jean-Robert has made it to the final table at three different World Series of Poker tournaments, winning his first bracelet in 2018 at the $1,500 Limit Hold’em – Shootout event. Known for his aggressive table behavior, the “bad boy of poker” (even if he was sans Harley) drew eyes in China, as he decided to purposely do nothing around camp in the first half of the game. Unfortunately, his strategy backfired, as the other castaways had gotten so fed up with his behavior that his own alliance turned on him, voting him out in ninth place.
Crystal Cox
Crystal Cox — Source: Courtesy of CBS
When Crystal Cox arrived on Survivor: Gabon, she promised that she had the “brains, brawn, beauty and blazing speed” to win this game. And she had plenty to speak about with the latter, as the sprinter had won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the 4×400 relay. Unfortunately, one of the most notable athletes coming into a Survivor season failed to be athletic at all, as the runner was part of a running bit where she consistently failed at challenges. Despite her physical struggles, Crystal provided some of the best soundbites of the season and ran the game for a brief portion of time before finishing in sixth. Following her time on Survivor, Crystal admitted to doping during the Olympics, getting her gold medal stripped in 2012.
Ken Hoang
Ken Hoang — Source: Courtesy of CBS
In 2008, Ken Hoang was considered the “King of Smash.” The gamer had gained notoriety through the tournament circuit on Super Smash Bros. Melee, widely considered one of the game’s most dominant players throughout the 2000s. Ken put his controller down and picked up a buff, heading to Gabon as part of Survivor‘s seventeenth season. Despite being part of an all-time disaster tribe, he was able to eventually take control of the game, becoming one of the season’s biggest power players. His momentum stopped short of Day 39, however, as he was told “game over” and voted out in fifth place.
Taj Johnston-George
Taj Johnson-George — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Taj Johnston-George spent ten years from 1988 to 1998 as a part of the trio SWV. The three became one of the most successful R&B groups of the ’90s, the voices behind hits like “Weak,” “Right Here (Human Nature Remix),” “I’m So into You” and “You’re the One.” Taj then went on to marry former Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George, and was recruited for Survivor when casting was seeking out an “NFL wife.” But Taj showcased the music she could make solo while competing on Season 18, finding an idol and being a key part of the underdog alliance that defied the odds and made it to the end of the game. Unfortunately, she ended her game with yet another trio’s time getting cut short, as she was voted out in fourth place.
Related: Meet the Full Cast of ‘Survivor 50’
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson — Source: Courtesy of CBS
With no offense to the people who came before and after him on this list, Jimmy Johnson is indisputably the biggest celebrity to play Survivor through its first 25 years. He spent almost a decade in the NFL as a coach, most notably leading the Dallas Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1992 and 1993. Jimmy also made football history as the first coach to win both a college national championship and a Super Bowl. His achievements got him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, and he served as one of the featured panelists on Fox NFL Sunday before his retirement last year.
But Jimmy Johnson didn’t just sit around watching game film all day, as it turns out, he was a massive Survivor fan. The oldest contestant of the season, he was the elder of the “older” tribe that made up half of Survivor: Nicaragua‘s cast. Jimmy was eliminated third after admitting the elements were taking a toll on him, asking to be voted out. Months later, at the show’s reunion in Los Angeles, he would admit how the experience was much more grueling than he could have ever imagined, calling it “the most stressful time I’ve ever gone through in my life.”
Chase Rice
Chase Rice — Source: Courtesy of CBS
When Chase Rice arrived in Nicaragua, he was a pit crew member for a pro racecar circuit. And while he was playing his strategically tumultuous game, he never took his eyes off the million-dollar prize to help make his dream come true: Becoming a country music singer. Despite being in a power position for the entirety of the season, Chase lost out on the win by one vote. But, during the reunion, he was able to play one of his original songs, officially beginning his transition from reality TV contestant to musician. Since then, Chase has become a country superstar, putting out seven albums, multiple platinum hit songs and reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. In 2020, Chase made a return to reality TV, making a dramatic cameo on The Bachelor when he performed a concert for, coincidentally, his ex-girlfriend Victoria Fuller.
Steve Wright
Steve Wright — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Steve Wright played offensive tackle across ten seasons and three different NFL teams. Coincidentally, during his year playing for the Dallas Cowboys, he ended up blocking for another future Survivor contestant in quarterback Gary Hogeboom. Following his retirement from the NFL, Steve founded the company Cloudburst, which was the first to provide sideline mist cooling for major sporting events. Steve played on Survivor‘s 22nd season, where he was part of the ill-fated Zapatera tribe that got decimated by the majority led by legendary player “Boston” Rob Mariano. He finished as the third jury member, after losing a Redemption Island duel on Day 31.
Matt Elrod
Matt Elrod — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Survivor Season 22 added a game-changing twist to the franchise in Redemption Island, which had voted-out contestants not immediately leaving the game, but going to a separate location and competing against one another for a chance to return to the action. And there’s perhaps no contestant in the show’s history who knows Redemption Island as much as Matt Elrod. After Boston Rob blindsided Matt in the second episode, he strung together a series of wins, eventually coming back into the game at the merge. Unfortunately, his position as possible swing vote caused Rob to do the unthinkable, sending Matt back to Redemption Island only two days later. Despite having a literal crisis of faith, Matt made it all the way to the finale, going out in seventh place.
While Matt was one of the biggest characters on our screens during Redemption Island, when he chose to pursue an acting career, he chose a different identity. Adopting the moniker of “Wyatt Nash,” he has had starring appearances in Riverdale, Pretty Little Liars, Dear White People and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Jeff Kent
Jeff Kent — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Jeff Kent spent 17 seasons playing second base in the major leagues. Across his six teams, he was the National League’s MVP in 2000, and was made an all-star five times. Despite retiring from baseball 17 years, he still holds the MLB record for most home runs hit by a second baseman. Less than five years after ending his career, Jeff joined the cast of Survivor‘s 25th season, choosing to keep his athletic history a secret. He eventually finished in tenth place, and is responsible for some of the most iconic Final Words in the show’s history, equating the million-dollar prize to “six hundred grand by the time Obama takes it.”
Lisa Whelchel
Lisa Whelchel — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Lisa Whelchel started her show business career as a member of the Mickey Mouse Club. She jumped right out of that into The Facts of Life, playing the role of preppy Blair on the hit Diff’rent Strokes spinoff from 1979 to 1988. In addition to being an actress, Lisa is also an accomplished singer, as she was nominated for a Grammy in 1984 for Best Inspirational Performance. Lisa came onto Survivor: Philippines as a fan, and struggled initially while keeping her acting resumé under wraps. She was able to fully recover, though, being part of the “fulcrum” that determined the balance of the latter half of the season. Lisa made it all the way to the Final Three of the season, where she finished as runner-up. And the Facts of Life fans came out for her in the fan favorite voting, giving her a $100,000 popularity prize.
Julia Landauer
Julia Landauer — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Julia Landauer has firmly been in the driver’s seat of her racing career. Over the years, she’s driven for Bill McAnally Racing and Sunrise Ford Racing, as well as NASCAR in the Xfinity Series and the K&N Pro Series West. In 2016, Julia became the highest-finishing female driver ever in the season-long points tally, finishing fourth overall. Unfortunately, Julia’s run on Survivor: Caramoan was much less memorable, as she was one of the quieter members of the “Fans” tribe. She went on to finish in thirteenth place, in a performance that eventual winner John Cochran would liken to vanilla.
Garrett Adelstein
Garrett Adelstein — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Poker player Garrett Adelstein stepped up to the proverbial table of Survivor: Cagayan with plenty of swagger. He was the physically strongest on the disaster Brains tribe, was comfortably in a leadership position and even had an idol that he found on the first day. What’s more, when J’Tia Hart not only lost the challenge for them, but dumped out the tribe’s rice in retribution, she seemed primed to go. But Garrett’s arrogance and controlling tendencies were beginning to rub the women the wrong way. And so they set up a turn to sell Garrett down the river, making his run a flop.
Starting in 2017, Garrett began appearing regularly on live poker shows, most notably the reboot of Poker After Dark. But he was thrown into the spotlight in a very different way in 2022 while appearing on a live-stream game. After losing a hand to Robbi Jade Lew, he was thrown off by her suspicious behavior and proceeded to accuse her of cheating. The controversy prompted an entire uproar on social media and an investigation into both sides of the matter.
Cliff Robinson
Cliff Robinson — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Cliff Robinson played 18 seasons in the NBA, spending the majority of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers. He received the highly coveted Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1993 and was chosen as an all-star in 1994. When Survivor themed its 28th season by dividing its tribes into brains, brawn and beauty, “Uncle Cliffy” was a natural pick for the Brawn tribe. And his reputation preceded him, with fellow contestant Woo Hwang even saying he had his basketball card. Unfortunately, it was not in the cards for Cliff to go far, as he was blindsided by his own tribe in the season’s fifth episode. Cliff died on August 29, 2020, at the age of 53 from lymphoma.
Related: Everything to Know About ‘Survivor 49’
John Rocker
John Rocker — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Across his six seasons in baseball, John Rocker is considered one of the most controversial players in MLB history. The relief pitcher threw out plenty of bombs during his career, especially with some particularly disparaging remarks towards both the Mets and the citizens of New York. John was so bombastic that he allegedly served as the main inspiration for Kenny Powers, the lead character in the HBO series Eastbound and Down. John appeared on Survivor‘s 29th season, competing in the “Blood vs. Water” format alongside then-girlfriend Julie McGee. Of course, it wasn’t long before he drew negative attention, getting into an argument with the eventual season winner, Natalie Anderson, during a challenge. John was voted out third, getting blindsided with an idol in his pocket.
Scot Pollard
Scot Pollard — Source: Courtesy of CBS
Across Scot Pollard‘s 11-year NBA career, he played for five teams, most prominently the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers. In every season except his first, he went to the NBA playoffs, and went to the finals in 2007 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Scot finally got his championship in 2008 as part of the Boston Celtics, retiring from basketball shortly thereafter. He was also known for his eye-popping hairstyles, rocking a mohawk, a ponytail and a man bun over his decade on the court. Once again, Survivor did a “brains vs. brawn vs. beauty” theme for Season 32 and, once again, they cast a former NBA star. Scot was regarded as one of the biggest villains of the season due to his domineering behavior of some of his tribe members and the sabotage he and his allies committed after being on the bottom of the tribe. He was eventually voted out in eighth place after one of his tightest allies decided not to gift him a “super idol” that would allow him to stay in the game.
Mari Takahashi
Mari Takahashi — Source: Robert Voets / CBS
Mari Takahashi has built an identity for herself as an internet celebrity under the pseudonym “AtomicMari.” Part of the incredibly popular gaming channel Smosh, she currently sports over 100,000 subscribers on YouTube. Mari competed on Survivor as part of the Millennial tribe in the age-divided Season 33. Considering her love of games, fans were shocked to see her become the first person voted out of her tribe, and second overall, deemed as too threatening due to her intelligence.
John Hennigan
John Hennigan — Source: Robert Voets / CBS
Over his two-decade career, John Hennigan has gone by many names: John Morrison, Johnny Blaze, Johnny Mundo, Johnny Nitro, the Mayor of Slamtown. The “George Bushie of Tushie’s” time in office at WWE began in 2002, when he competed on and won the third season of the reality series Tough Enough. He was promoted to the Smackdown! roster in 2005, and won the WWE Tag Team Championship in his very first appearance. John left the WWE initially in 2011, after making several bids for a championship belt, though he returned from 2019 to 2021 alongside The Miz. Physically speaking, John was one of the biggest textbook “Goliaths” on the titular tribe in Survivor: David vs. Goliath. And much like the Biblical giant, he was taken down by the Davids, who joined together in an impressive use of advantages and complex strategy to clothesline him in twelfth place.
Mike White
Mike White — Source: Robert Voets / CBS
Before 2018, Mike White had plenty of experience on-screen, as the writer, actor and filmmaker was responsible for such celebrated movies and shows as School of Rock and Enlightened. He was also no stranger to reality TV, having competed on two seasons of The Amazing Race alongside his dad Mel White. But Mike was a massive fan of Survivor, to the point where he was even in Jeff Probst’s ear about whether certain twists would be used in specific seasons.
Eventually, he was able to make his dream come true, becoming one of the titular “Goliaths” in Survivor‘s 37th season. In what many fans consider one of the best seasons of all time, Mike was a standout character and strategist, whether he was navigating the constantly-shifting dynamics, bearing witness to some of the most iconic moments in the show’s history, or simply sitting back, sipping a glass of wine and judging his tribemates. Mike made it all the way to the Final Three, where he finished in second place.
Of course, anyone who has been tuned into the world of television in the past five years knows what happened next. Partially inspired by his cutthroat experience in the picturesque islands of Fiji, Mike created The White Lotus for HBO. The ensemble drama has been one of the most acclaimed shows of the 2020s, as he has written and directed every episode of the series, winning three Emmys in the process. Mike has even invited some of his Survivor cast members to cameo on The White Lotus, showing up in bit parts as guests and staff of his trademark havoc-filled hotels. And it turns out he’ll be making a return appearance to the island, recently announced to be on the 24-person cast of the upcoming Survivor 50.
Related: Read our post-finale interview with Mike White
Ron Clark
Ron Clark — Source: Robert Voets / CBS
Ron Clark is an absolute game-changer in the world of education. The teacher’s unorthodox methods, most notably standing on desks and teaching through rap, have been innovations for contemporaries everywhere. After making waves in North Carolina and New York, he went on to found the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, wrote four books and even had a movie made about his life starring Matthew Perry. Ron appeared on Survivor: Edge of Extinction in 2019, bringing his trademark zest, critical thinking and plenty of dance moves. Having to navigate a tumultuous game, he was voted out on Day 31, finishing in eighth place.
Ronnie Bardah
Ronnie Bardah — Source: Robert Voets / CBS
In 2012, Ronnie Bardah won the $2,500 Limit Hold’em Six Handed at the World Series of Poker. The bracelet came in the middle of what would be a record run for the poker star, as he finished five years in a row “in the money,” i.e., placing high enough where he was able to make more than his buy-in. Ronnie came to Survivor: Island of the Idols looking for that million-dollar cashout, only to get taken out in the very first hand due to his aggressive gameplay.
Related: Read our post-elimination interview with Ronnie Bardah
Elizabeth Beisel
Elizabeth Beisel — Source: Robert Voets / CBS
Swimmer Elizabeth Beisel competed in backstroke and individual medley events across three different Olympic years. In 2012, she hit the peak of her career, winning a silver and a bronze medal at the London Games. After retiring from the sport, Elizabeth has become a coach at the SPIRE Institute and Academy, and has also provided commentary for swimming events at the 2021 and 2024 Olympics. Elizabeth entered the pool of castaways for Survivor Season 39, where she was sent out of the game in ninth place after an idol play nullified the majority of the votes. During her time on the jury, Elizabeth met fellow contestant Jack Nichting. Following the season, the two got together and were subsequently engaged in 2023 and married in 2024.
Jon Lovett
Jon Lovett — Source: Robert Voets / CBS
The past eight seasons, branded the “New Era” of Survivor, have skewed away from recruiting castaways, instead leaning into bringing on more dyed-in-the-wool “superfans.” But Survivor 47 had one celebrity who was smack-dab in the middle of the Venn diagram: Jon Lovett. After working as a speechwriter for both Hilary Clinton and President Barack Obama, Jon moved to TV, writing for The Newsroom and co-creating the NBC political sitcom 1600 Penn. But he is most well-known for co-founding the “Crooked Media” podcast network, and serving as the host of the legendary podcasts Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It. Jon stepped out from behind the mic to join the cast of Survivor, having been a fan since its early days. However, his tribe chose to say “leave it” to Lovett, as he was the first voted out of the game.
Related: Read our post-elimination interview with Jon Lovett
About the author
Mike Bloom has the great fortune of having parlayed decades of nerdom in movie and TV watching into almost a decade of writing and talking about it! Since joining Parade in 2017, Mike has largely covered reality television, becoming one of the go-to journalists for Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, The Challenge, and more.
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