31 Celebrities Who’ve Competed on Survivor

Survivor is known as one of the toughest tests on television — and plenty of celebrities have signed up for the challenge.

Dozens of stars have competed on the hit CBS show since it premiered in 2000, from actors to athletes to influencers and more. Both White Lotus creator Mike White and The Facts of Life actress Lisa Whelchel made it all the way to the final tribal council before ultimately losing.

Whelchel has gone on to admit that she felt her fame was an albatross in the game.

“I didn’t want to volunteer information about my TV career because people always assumed I was rich, and I was concerned this would come into play and prevent the jury from voting for me to win the game and the million dollars,” she said in a March 2026 Substack post. “Even though I had lost all the money I made as an actress years ago.”

Now, season 50 — which is currently airing — includes more celebrities than ever, but not as players.

“We knew some of Survivor’s biggest fans happen to be celebrities, so we thought sprinkling a few of them in with their own unique twists felt like a fun way to make the game even more unpredictable!” host Jeff Probst told Variety in January 2026.

That’s manifested as Billie Eilish getting her own “Boomerang” idol, Zac Brown offering up a challenge reward, Jimmy Fallon serving up his own twist and MrBeast doubling the prize money to $2 million.

Here are 31 of the past celebrities who have competed on Survivor.

01of 31

Mike White

Mike White.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Before appearing on Survivor: David Vs. Goliath and ending as the runner-up at final tribal, White was already a successful filmmaker, having created School of Rock.

By the time he returned for Survivor 50, he had launched the Emmy-winning HBO series The White Lotus.

02of 31

Brad Culpepper

Brad Culpepper.Timothy Kuratek/CBS via Getty

Brad Culpepper had already built a successful career in the NFL before competing on Survivor: Blood vs. Water with his wife, Monica Culpepper. A defensive tackle, he played nine seasons in the league with the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears.

He came in 15th place on season 27, and later returned for Survivor: Game Changers, where he was the runner-up.

03of 31

Lisa Whelchel

Lisa Whelchel.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Whelchel appeared on Survivor: Philippines, where she made it all the way to the end and finished as a runner-up.

Long before competing on the show, Whelchel was best known as a television star, playing the wealthy and often snobbish Blair Warner on the hit NBC sitcom The Facts of Life from 1979 to 1988.

04of 31

Taj Johnson-George

Taj Johnson-George.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Taj Johnson-George competed on Survivor: Tocantins, where her strong social game and alliance with Stephen Fishbach helped her reach the final four, ultimately finishing in fourth place.

Before appearing on the reality show, Johnson-George was a pop and R&B singer, best known as a member of the 1990s group SWV (Sisters With Voices). She is also married to former NFL running back Eddie George.

05of 31

Crystal Cox

Crystal Cox.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Crystal Cox appeared on Survivor: Gabon and finished in sixth place.

Before competing on Survivor, Cox was a famed track and field athlete, representing the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics, where she won a gold medal. However, she was later stripped of the prize in 2012 after she admitted to using anabolic steroids, per the Associated Press.

06of 31

Danny McCray

Danny McCray.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Danny McCray competed on Survivor 41, where the former NFL player quickly became known for his strength in challenges and loyal alliance with Deshawn Radden. He finished in sixth place.

Before appearing on Survivor, McCray played professional football as a safety, spending several seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. After the show, he continued his reality TV run, going on to appear on The Challenge: USA and The Challenge: World Championship.

07of 31

Jonathan Penner

Jonathan Penner.Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive via Getty

Jonathan Penner is a writer and actor who became one of Survivor’s most memorable contestants across his three appearances. He first competed on Survivor: Cook Islands, where he finished in seventh place, before returning for Survivor: Micronesia and getting medically evacuated. He later came back for Survivor: Philippines, reaching seventh again.

Before the show, Penner has had a long career in Hollywood as an actor and screenwriter, appearing in shows like Seinfeld and The Nanny and writing films including The Bye Bye Man.

He also became an outspoken advocate for ALS research after his wife, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stacy Title, was diagnosed with the disease. She died in January 2021.

08of 31

Gary Hogeboom

Gary Hogeboom.Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive/Getty

Gary Hogeboom appeared on Survivor: Guatemala, competing under the alias “Gary Hawkins.”

Before coming in seventh on Survivor — and making history when he became the first person to find and play a hidden immunity idol — Hogeboom had a career as an NFL quarterback, playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Phoenix (now Arizona) Cardinals and Washington Redskins (now Commanders) during the 1980s.

09of 31

Noelle Lambert

Noelle Lambert.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Noelle Lambert competed on Survivor 43 and was voted out in eighth place.

Before that, Lambert was already an accomplished Paralympian, competing for Team USA in track and field after losing her leg in a moped accident.

10of 31

Scot Pollard

Scot Pollard.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Scot Pollard competed on Survivor: Kaôh Rōng, where the former NBA player was voted out in eighth place.

Before the show, Pollard spent 11 seasons playing pro basketball for the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics. He was part of the 2008 Celtics team that won the NBA Finals alongside Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

11of 31

Grant Mattos

Grant Matthos.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Grant Mattos competed on Survivor: Redemption Island, where he formed a strong alliance with “Boston” Rob Mariano and finished in eighth place.

Before appearing on Survivor, Mattos played professional football as a wide receiver in the NFL, spending time with the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers.

12of 31

Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Elisabeth Hasselbeck.Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive/Getty

Elisabeth Hasselbeck first gained national attention as a contestant on season 2 of Survivor, where she finished in fourth place and became one of the season’s biggest personalities.

After the show, she launched a successful career in television, becoming a co-host on ABC’s The View from 2003 to 2013, where she won a Daytime Emmy Award. She later joined Fox & Friends as a co-host.

13of 31

Elizabeth Beisel

Elizabeth Beisel.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Elizabeth Beisel competed on Survivor: Island of the Idols, where she made it to ninth place. There, she also met her husband, fellow contestant Jack Nichting.

Before the show, Beisel was already an accomplished Olympic swimmer, winning silver and bronze medals at the 2012 London Olympics. She also represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

14of 31

Whitney Duncan

Whitney Duncan.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Whitney Duncan competed on Survivor: South Pacific, where she reached the jury phase of the game and ultimately finished in ninth place.

Before appearing on Survivor, Duncan was already an established country music singer with her hit song “When I Said I Would.” She later competed on The Amazing Race with her now-husband Keith Tollefson, whom she met on her season of Survivor.

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15of 31

Jeff Kent

Jeff Kent.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Jeff Kent competed on Survivor: Philippines, where the former baseball star kept his identity mostly under wraps before being voted out and finishing in tenth place.

Before Survivor, Kent had a 17-year MLB career, primarily as a second baseman for the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers. He won the 2000 National League MVP, was a five-time MLB All-Star and helped lead the Giants to the 2002 World Series.

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16of 31

Brandon Cottom

Brandon Cottom.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Brandon Cottom appeared on Survivor 44, where his physical strength made him a valuable tribe member early in the game and a threat later on, so he finished in 10th place.

Prior to competing on Survivor, Cottom played professional football for the Seattle Seahawks.

17of 31

Steve Wright

Steve Wright.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Steve Wright competed on Survivor: Redemption Island, where he finished in 10th place.

Before appearing on the show, Wright had a long career as an NFL offensive tackle, playing with the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles (now Las Vegas) Raiders.

18of 31

Daniel Barry

Dan Barry.Bennett Raglin/WireImage

Daniel Barry appeared on Survivor: Panama, where the former astronaut finished in 11th place.

Prior to Survivor, Barry had a long career with NASA, flying on three Space Shuttle missions and even conducting spacewalks during his time in orbit.

19of 31

John Hennigan

John Hennigan.David M. Russell/CBS via Getty

John Hennigan competed on Survivor: David vs. Goliath, where he reached the jury phase before finishing in 12th place.

Before appearing on Survivor, Hennigan was already well known as a professional wrestler, performing for WWE under the name John Morrison.

20of 31

Julia Landauer

Julia Landauer.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Julia Landauer appeared on Survivor: Caramoan, where she was the youngest contestant of the season and ultimately finished in 13th place.

Before Survivor, Landauer already had a career as a racecar driver, competing in stock car racing and later becoming a NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver. She has gone on to win races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and become an advocate for women in motorsports.

21of 31

Cliff Robinson

Cliff Robinson.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Cliff Robinson competed on Survivor: Cagayan, where his size and physical ability got him voted out early in 14th place.

Prior to Survivor, Robinson enjoyed a long NBA career, playing 18 seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons. He was named an NBA All-Star in 1994 and won the 1993 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.

Robinson died at age 53 from lymphoma on Aug. 29, 2020.

22of 31

Ashley Massaro

Ashley Massaro.Frederick M. Brown/Getty

Ashley Massaro appeared on Survivor: China, where she was an early elimination and finished in 15th place.

Before joining Survivor, Massaro was already a professional wrestler and model, rising to prominence in WWE after winning the 2005 WWE Raw Diva Search.

23of 31

Alan Ball

Alan Ball.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Alan Ball competed on Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, where he was voted out in 15th place.

Before appearing on Survivor, Ball played in the NFL as a cornerback, spending several seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans.

24of 31

Tom Laidlaw

Tom Laidlaw.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Tom Laidlaw competed on Survivor: Island of the Idols and finished in 16th place. He was also the first Canadian to compete on the show.

Before that, he played 15 seasons in the NHL as a defenseman, most notably serving as captain of the New York Rangers in the 1980s.

25of 31

John Rocker

John Rocker.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

John Rocker appeared on Survivor: San Juan del Sur alongside then-girlfriend Julie McGee, but he was voted out early and finished in 16th place.

Before Survivor, Rocker was known as an MLB relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, where he helped the team reach the 1999 World Series.

26of 31

Mari Takahashi

Mari Takahashi.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Mari Takahashi appeared on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X, where she was one of the first contestants voted out, finishing in 19th place out of 20 players.

Before joining the show, she was widely known online as a professional gamer and a longtime member of YouTube’s Smosh Games.

27of 31

Katrina “Trina” Radke

Katrina Radke.Timothy Kuratek/CBS via Getty

Katrina “Trina” Radke competed on Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, where she was the first person voted out, finishing in 18th place.

Before appearing on the show, she was an Olympic swimmer, representing the United States at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. She later became a motivational speaker.

28of 31

Jimmy Johnson

Jimmy Johnson.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Jimmy Johnson competed on Survivor: Nicaragua, where the legendary football coach was one of the earliest contestants voted out, finishing in 18th place.

Long before, Johnson built a Hall of Fame career by winning a national championship as head coach of the University of Miami in 1987 and later leading the Dallas Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in the 1990s.

After retiring from coaching, he became an NFL analyst for Fox Sports. He retired from the network in 2025.

29of 31

David Samson

David Samson.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

David Samson appeared on Survivor: Cagayan, where he was the first contestant voted out.

Samson was widely known as the president of the Miami Marlins, a role he held from 2002 to 2017. After leaving baseball management, he transitioned into media as a sports business commentator and podcast host.

30of 31

Jon Lovett

Jon Lovett.Survivor/Instagram

Jon Lovett competed on Survivor 47, where the podcast host and political writer was kicked off early in 18th place.

Lovett is a former speechwriter for President Barack Obama and the co-founder of the media company Crooked Media, where he hosts the political podcasts Lovett or Leave It and Pod Save America.

31of 31

Chase Rice

Chase Rice.Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty

Chase Rice competed on Survivor: Nicaragua, where he finished as the runner-up.