On Sept. 27,Survivorwill air the season premiere of its landmark 45th season on CBS.
I also love the game and am a competitor through and through.
I worked hard for years to build myself up and lived the entire introversion-extroversion spectrum.
The cast of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
Also, banana-flavored candy.
But I still eat them.
I’m going to be Sole Survivor.
Austin Li Coon of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
I’m adaptable, creative, and have the tools to pull off an individual immunity run.
First and foremost, I want my family to be set.
My parents left their familiarity behind in Cuba so that I can fulfill my dreams.
Dee Valladares of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
Finally, I want that immigrant kid watching the show to know that the mind is powerful beyond measure.
This will help me in the strategic/social aspect of the game.Which previous player do you identify with the most?
I feel like I will play the game like Tony.
Brandon Donlon of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
In a game where deceit is inevitable, staying true to their word will get us further along.
No one gets to the end by themselves anyway.
Also, someone who is having fun!
Emily Flippen of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
We’re all stuck together on an island, why not have fun?
Technically, in my head, I did graduate because I shook the [school] president’s hand.
Six months into waiting for my diploma, I found out I failed a class by one letter grade.
Brando Meyer of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
Surprise, mom!Who in your life is your biggest inspiration and why?My dad.
He is my perfect example of not needing materialistic items to be happy.
It changed me for the better before I ever stepped foot in Fiji.
Hannah Rose of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
Who do you think you will play most like?I wake up every day wishing I wasMike White.
He played one of the most impressiveSurvivorgames ever, balancing his insane social savviness while oozing likability.
I am so anxious during my day-to-day life.I can imagine it’ll be 10 times worse here.
Bruce Perreault of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
My friends and family all have their unique ways of calming me down.
People who message me “hi” when they need something from me.
I feel like I give off big tabletop game energy.
J. Maya of “Survivor 45'.Robert Voets/CBS
I’d rather get a root canal than play Settlers of Catan.
Genuinely.Who in your life is your biggest inspiration and why?Every teacher I’ve ever had.
Pay teachers more!Why will you be the Sole Survivor?I want it more.
Drew Basile of “Survivor 45'.Robert Voets/CBS
Nobody wants this as bad as I do.
I take that as the complement that it is.
Chewing, snoring, arrogance, being overly serious, being overly jokey.
Julie Alley of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
(Trust me, it’s a solid humblebrag in the world of finance!
I take after him in a lot of ways.
Which is exactly why they’ll never see me coming!
Jake O’Kane of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
This could be physical challenge strength or connections with people.
Also if they are someone I would be proud of as a winner.
He’s a 94-year-old beast that helped spur my love for baseball and also loves to garden.
Katurah Topps of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
He grew up in Japanese internment camps, and always reminds me to keep pushing my hardest.
And I can do it while being as real as possible, and bring comedic relief!
This is something that I need a chance to play.
Kaleb Gebrewold of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
I lost that chance and now have it back.
The construct of this game is a microcosm of our everyday life.
I have been through the foster care system.
Kellie Nalbandian of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
Who do you think you will play most like?Still my boy, Jeremy Collins.
His values and sense of family mirror mine.
I’ll play the game like Jeremy, like Jesse from [season] 43, like Gabler.
Sifu Alsup of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
I cannot conform to just one player or style.
This gave me practical sales experience that I think a lot of people my age don’t have.
Very authentic, leaning into my quirks.
Kendra McQuarrie of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
autocorrect.What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?Winning a trivia national championship in 2019.
She is a pillar of strength and has always pushed me to go beyond my limits.
I’m also a good strategist and a potent speaker.
Sean Edwards of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
My hope is these attributes counterbalance for a weak physical game and help me clinch the title.
I watched Survivors get a second chance at the game.
Creating a new life for myself and my kids.
Sabiyah Broderick of ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
I passed the bar exam and graduated law school within a week of my daughter graduating high school.
Who do you think you will play most like?I most identify with Cirie.
She got off the couch.
She took a risk and played the game.
I want to play like her.
Jogging with my black lab Leo.Pet Peeves:Hair left in hairbrushes.
Just like that no questions only confidence.
She went back nursing school when she was 45 and is still a research nurse at 78.
I want to inspire them to be their own hero.
I graduated law school while working two jobs, and I forged a healthier lifestyle, losing 80 lbs.
I’m a people person with the intelligence to use my social skills to navigate through the game.
Who do you think you will play most like?
Natalie and Spencer, for their never-quit attitudes.
But overall, I think I’ll be a new player entirely.What will you value in an alliance partner?
Loyalty so unrelenting that it’s illogical.
(Think Laurel’s loyalty to Wendell.
Successfully switching my life from just “surviving” to actually “thriving.
“What is something we would never know from looking at you?
Oh, and I’m almost color blind.Who in your life is your biggest inspiration and why?
Katurah, the child.
I ran this business throughout university to pay for school.
It’s a mission I’m passionate about.
So why not go for what you want full tilt?
I think that spirit of perseverance and true humanity is woven throughout this game.
I became an EMT at 18.
These experiences taught me to be rational, perceptive and emotionally intelligent in sustained stress and chaos.
That combination will help me greatly in the game.Which previous player do you identify with the most?
Who do you think you will play most like?
I totally relate to Kelley Wentworth’s tenacious, scrappy vibe.
I’d like to play with people that I not only trust but also understand their motives.
I’m also proud of being my nursing school valedictorian and getting into Yale for grad school.
I am a little nerdy.
Ilovestrategy board games and video games.Who in your life is your biggest inspiration and why?
My fiance, Gabrielle.
There’s no one I can’t bond with!
I think I will surprise people.
I want to test myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Being a martial artist my whole life.
[I] started Yang-style tai chi when I was six.
It’s taught me so much about mental toughness.Which previous player do you identify with the most?
Who do you think you will play most like?
Him and I are equally as crazy!
He was brave enough to fight for our country in the Vietnam war.
He taught me Tai Chi.Why will you be the Sole Survivor?Because I will be undeniably myself.
I will be unwavering in my pursuit.
I am willing to suffer, I am willing to do whatever it takes.
Walking the Camino Primitivo in Spain by myself definitely prepared me for this game!
Who do you think you will play most like?
But the first player I really connected with isCarolyn from season 44!
Like her, I am not afraid to be myself and let my freak flag fly.
I would love to find two people to go all the way to the end with!
Completing the Camino de Santiago!What is something we would never know from looking at you?
That I talk exactly like Drew Barrymore.Who in your life is your biggest inspiration and why?
I will be thesoulsurvivor because I’ve got moxie!
My unwavering optimism, courage and gut instincts will guide the way tosoulSurvivor.
For me,Survivorrepresents my chance to reclaim a lot of lost time and missed opportunities.
Who do you think you will play most like?I identify the most with Zeke Smith.
He was always authentic and true to himself.
Then, when those relationships no longer served their game play, they voted them out.
I know that sounds harsh, but that’s the game!
I am going to bring that value into the game.
My favorite thing to do is eat his food while spending quality time with him and watchingSurvivorseasons.
Almost everyone thinks I am younger than I really am.
So, people are always surprised to learn that I am so accomplished in my education and career.
She is nonverbal, aggressive, and self-injurious, and cannot live independently.
These skills will help me to build alliances naturally and easily.
I’m ready to claim the $1 million now.
Who do you think you will play most like?
I love Cirie’s heart and strategic mind.
She’s a legend in this game.
I hope I can carry the same legacy of grace.What will you value in an alliance partner?
I need adaptability and a level of secrecy.
An “I can’t” attitude.What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
I’m a truck driver.
I have four brothers (no sisters).
I’m a Marine.Who in your life is your biggest inspiration and why?
My dad is an immigrant from Jamaica, born into poverty and now teaches engineering and has three degrees.
My mom raised five kids and battled isolation from her own family at times.
She never gives up and never accepts the minimum effort.Why will you be the Sole Survivor?
I have been preparing unconsciously for this show my whole life.
It is my destiny to be the Sole Survivor.
