'Survivor: South Pacific': Meet the Contestants
CBS has revealed 16 of the 18 castaways for Season 23, while the names of the last two, who are former contestants returning to seek redemption, will be disclosed later this week.
"Survivor 2011: South Pacific" contestants
August 22, 2011
CBS today announced 16 of 18 castaways who will compete against each other on "Survivor: South Pacific," when the Emmy Award-winning series returns for its 23rd season with a special 90-minute edition, Wednesday, September 14 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on CBS. Two of the 18 castaways, to be revealed later this week, are former castaways who will return to seek redemption.
The 18 castaways will be divided into two Tribes of nine: the Savaii Tribe and the Upolu Tribe, named after the two islands of Samoa. The tribes are comprised of individuals from all different backgrounds with the same ultimate goal: to be the Sole Survivor. While 16 of the contestants are new to the competition, two are former castaways who will be given another chance to compete for the million dollar prize.
The "Redemption Island" twist returnsin "Survivor: South Pacific" in which castaways who have been eliminated from the game will have an opportunity to return for a chance to win the million dollar prize. Each week at Tribal Council, when a castaway is voted off, they will be sent to live alone on Redemption Island and, in order to stay in the game, will need to compete in a duel against the next person eliminated at Tribal Council. The winner of each duel earns the right to continue fighting for an opportunity to return to the game and the chance to compete for the title of Sole Survivor; and the loser is sent home.
The "Survivor: South Pacific" contestants are:
SAVAII TRIBE
Mark Caruso (48 years old)
Current Residence: Forest Hills, N.Y.
Occupation: Retired NYPD Detective
John Cochran (24)
Current Residence: Washington D.C.
Occupation: Harvard Law Student
Whitney Duncan (27)
Current Residence: Nashville, Tenn.
Occupation: Country Music Singer
Dawn Meehan (41)
Current Residence: South Jordan, Utah
Occupation: English Professor
Jim Rice (35)
Current Residence: Denver
Occupation: Medical Marijuana Dispenser
Semhar Tadesse (24)
Current Residence: Los Angeles
Occupation: Spoken Word Artist
Keith Tollefson (26)
Current Residence: Edina, Minn.
Occupation: Water Treatment Tech
Elyse Umemoto (27)
Current Residence: Las Vegas
Occupation: Dance Team Manager
UPOLU TRIBE
Sophie Clarke (22)
Current Residence: Willsboro, N.Y.
Occupation: Medical Student
Albert Destrade (26)
Current Residence: Plantation, Fla.
Occupation: Baseball/Dating Coach
Brandon Hantz (19)
Current Residence: Katy, Texas
Occupation: Oil Tanker Crewman
Edna Ma (35)
Current Residence: Los Angeles
Occupation: Anesthesiologist
Christine Shields Markoski (39)
Current Residence: Merrick, N.Y.
Occupation: Teacher
Rick Nelson (51)
Current Residence: Aurora, Utah
Occupation: Rancher
Stacey Powell (44)
Current Residence: Dallas
Occupation: Mortician
Mikayla Wingle (22)
Current Residence: Tampa, Fla.
Occupation: Lingerie Football Player
"Survivor: South Pacific" is hosted by Emmy Award-winning host Jeff Probst and produced by SEG, Inc. Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst and David Burris are executive producers and Leisa Francis is co-executive producer.
The 18 castaways will be divided into two Tribes of nine: the Savaii Tribe and the Upolu Tribe, named after the two islands of Samoa. The tribes are comprised of individuals from all different backgrounds with the same ultimate goal: to be the Sole Survivor. While 16 of the contestants are new to the competition, two are former castaways who will be given another chance to compete for the million dollar prize.
The "Redemption Island" twist returnsin "Survivor: South Pacific" in which castaways who have been eliminated from the game will have an opportunity to return for a chance to win the million dollar prize. Each week at Tribal Council, when a castaway is voted off, they will be sent to live alone on Redemption Island and, in order to stay in the game, will need to compete in a duel against the next person eliminated at Tribal Council. The winner of each duel earns the right to continue fighting for an opportunity to return to the game and the chance to compete for the title of Sole Survivor; and the loser is sent home.
The "Survivor: South Pacific" contestants are:
SAVAII TRIBE
Mark Caruso (48 years old)
Current Residence: Forest Hills, N.Y.
Occupation: Retired NYPD Detective
John Cochran (24)
Current Residence: Washington D.C.
Occupation: Harvard Law Student
Whitney Duncan (27)
Current Residence: Nashville, Tenn.
Occupation: Country Music Singer
Dawn Meehan (41)
Current Residence: South Jordan, Utah
Occupation: English Professor
Jim Rice (35)
Current Residence: Denver
Occupation: Medical Marijuana Dispenser
Semhar Tadesse (24)
Current Residence: Los Angeles
Occupation: Spoken Word Artist
Keith Tollefson (26)
Current Residence: Edina, Minn.
Occupation: Water Treatment Tech
Elyse Umemoto (27)
Current Residence: Las Vegas
Occupation: Dance Team Manager
UPOLU TRIBE
Sophie Clarke (22)
Current Residence: Willsboro, N.Y.
Occupation: Medical Student
Albert Destrade (26)
Current Residence: Plantation, Fla.
Occupation: Baseball/Dating Coach
Brandon Hantz (19)
Current Residence: Katy, Texas
Occupation: Oil Tanker Crewman
Edna Ma (35)
Current Residence: Los Angeles
Occupation: Anesthesiologist
Christine Shields Markoski (39)
Current Residence: Merrick, N.Y.
Occupation: Teacher
Rick Nelson (51)
Current Residence: Aurora, Utah
Occupation: Rancher
Stacey Powell (44)
Current Residence: Dallas
Occupation: Mortician
Mikayla Wingle (22)
Current Residence: Tampa, Fla.
Occupation: Lingerie Football Player
"Survivor: South Pacific" is hosted by Emmy Award-winning host Jeff Probst and produced by SEG, Inc. Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst and David Burris are executive producers and Leisa Francis is co-executive producer.
Season 24