There’s been a lot of excitement in the Traitors universe this week as a rumored cast list for the U.S. version’s second season dropped and then an official roster was shared by Peacock a few days later.
Survivor fans were especially hyped when they saw three legends of the game linked to the reality competition show. Specifically, Sandra Diaz-Twice, Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, and Parvati Shallow were part of X user @Gamervev’s proposed cast.
On September 21, Peacock revealed on X that two of the names were correct. And sorry, Boston Rob fans, the Redemption Island winner wasn’t included.
Sandra and Parvati, two icons of the CBS staple who reside on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore, will join 19 other reality television stars and celebrities as they embark on a game fueled by deception, backstabbing, and social capital.
Among their competition is Big Brother 10 winner and season 14 runner-up Dan Gheesling, perhaps the greatest player to grace the house. MTV The Challenge’s most winningest champion ever, John “Johnny Bananas” Devenanzio, will also exercise his conniving abilities alongside his counterpart, Chris “CT” Tamburello.
Big Brother star Janelle Pierzina is back to write another chapter in her reality TV legacy. And in a curveball, former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will lay down the boxing gloves and embark on the cut-throat social experiment.
The Traitors US Season 2 has yet to receive a premiere date. But, quench your thirst by checking out the full cast list below:
- John “Johnny Bananas” Devenanzio: The Challenge, The Real World: Key West, and House of Villains
- Chris “CT” Tamburello: The Challenge and The Real World: Paris
- Trishelle Cannatella: The Challenge and The Real World: Las Vegas
- Janelle Pierzina: Big Brother 6, 7, 14, and 22, and The Amazing Race 31
- Dan Gheesling: Big Brother 10 and 14
- Sandra Diaz-Twine: Survivor 6, 20, 34, and 40, and Australian Survivor
- Parvati Shallow: Survivor 13, 16, 20, and 40
- Mercedes “MJ” Javid Feight: Shahs of Sunset
- Peter Weber: The Bachelor 24 and The Bachelorette 15
- Larsa Pippen: The Real Housewives of Miami
- Tamra Judge: The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip
- Phaedra Parks: The Real Housewives of Alabama
- Shereé Whitfield: The Real Housewives of Atlanta
- Carsten “Bergie” Bergersen: Love Island USA 5
- Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu: Love Island UK 8
- Maksim Chmerkovskiy: Dancing With the Stars
- Peppermint: RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Kevin Kreider: Bling Empire and The Ugly Model
- Marcus Jordan: Former basketball player and NBA legend Michael Jordan’s son
- Deontay Wilder: Professional boxer and former heavyweight champion
- John Bercow: U.K. parliament
A brief look into Rob, Parvati and Sandra’s illustrious Survivor careers
Rob, Sandra, and Parvati are unquestionably three of the biggest fan favorites in the Survivor community. They’ve all summited the proverbial mountain to capture $1 million, and Sandra’s done it twice. Let’s take a quick look into their respective Survivor careers.
Sandra broke onto the reality competition scene years before Parvati, and she also won her first marooning. She appeared on season 7’s Pearl Islands and cashed out as a millionaire in 2003. Fans then had to wait seven years for Sandra’s return on season 20, and she didn’t disappoint.
She became the first contestant to win two seasons of Survivor after beating out Parvati and Russell Hantz during the Heroes vs. Villain’s live finale in 2010. Sandra has played three times since then, but she hasn’t been able to replicate the success she had in her first two outings.
She came back for season 34’s Game Changers and was the sixth castaway ousted, signifying the first time host Jeff Probst snuffed her torch. After living on the island as a mentor alongside Boston Rob during season 39, Sandra returned for season 40’s Winners at War in 2020 She was the eighth former winner voted out.
Most recently, Sandra appeared on the Australian version of Survivor as part of their Blood vs. Water season last year alongside her daughter, Nina. They both went out pre-merge, however.
Parvati and Sandra have played two seasons together — Heroes vs. Villains and Winners at War.
Parvati made her Survivor debut on season 13’s Cook Islands in 2006 and placed sixth. In her next game, season 16’s Micronesia (better known as Fans vs. Favorites), Parvati joined the pool of Survivor winners after outlasting the likes of Cirie Fields, the future Traitors US season 1 winner.
Then we got Parvati and Sandra on the same beach as part of the “Villains” tribe in season 20. And even though they didn’t see eye to eye, they ended up in the final three together before Sandra took home the grand prize six votes to three — Russell got zero.
Unlike Sandra, Parvati elected to withgo surviving with only the bare essentials while others tried to manipulate her until the winner-only season. But like Sandra (and Boston Rob), Parvati’s game ended before the merge. In what was a devastating two-hour episode, Parvati and Sandra were both sent to the “Edge of Extinction” on day 16. The champion-of-champions season was the last time fans watched Parvati wheel and deal on reality television.
And then there’s Boston Rob. Some view him as the greatest player of all time, but most regard him as the face of the franchise. He’s appeared on more seasons of CBS’s flagship series than anybody. In his five maroonings, Rob earned the $1 million check once while making it to the final Tribal Council on another occasion.
Boston Rob was around before Parvati and Sandra. He was a part of season 4’s Marquesas and was eliminated right before the jury opened up. But it was his second stint when Boston Rob made a name for himself. He dominated season 8’s All-Stars by backstabbing and controlling the individual portion of the game while only participating in Tribal Council once pre-merge.
He placed second behind his future wife, Amber Brkich, and earned the title of the biggest villain we’d seen on Survivor up to that point.
So, that’s why it was fitting that Boston Rob’s grand return was for Heroes vs. Villains. But, Parvati’s Villain’s alliance took him out at their third Tribal Council. Not to be deterred by the early exit, Rob bounced back in a big way by winning season 22.
He maintained a stranglehold on the rest of the Redemption Island cast en route to what many consider as the most dominant showing in the franchise’s history. It’d be years before we saw Rob on our television screens. As mentioned, Boston Rob and Sandra were on season 39 but as mentors, not players.
“The Robfather” then battled 19 other Survivor champions in Winners at War. But, his fire went out right before Parvati and Sandra’s. Although he was close to earning his way back into the game during the first battle-back game (as part of the Edge of Extinction twist), Tyson Apostol edged the challenge and sent Rob back to the desolate island.
So, it’s an understatement to say Boston Rob missing out on The Traitors Season 2 is disappointing. But, with the two other icons heading to Peacock, there’s still more than enough excitement for Survivor fans to experience.
Until then, The Traitors Canada is set to premiere on October 2.