A former member of a Grammy-award winning group, a professional MMA fighter and several reality TV stars enter a room together. That’s what just happened on “Big Brother 28.”
Fourteen houseguests on “Big Brother 28” introduced themselves on Tuesday’s “Big Brother: Broveal,” and two more were confirmed later that day. Those 16 contestants, plus another houseguest to be revealed on Friday, will now spend the next few months attempting to win $750,000 by making alliances, winning challenges and backstabbing one another.
Fans may have received their first look at the cast of “Big Brother 28,” but these houseguests’ introductory videos were just a first impression. If they were instead told to provide as much information as possible, fans would have learned that this season’s time-travel-themed house will be filled by Division I athletes, history makers and some very famous connections.
Angela Murray
- Angela competed on “Big Brother 26” in 2024, where she finished in sixth place.
- Angela hosted the Power of Veto Challenge during Week 8 of “Big Brother 27.” This makes “Big Brother 28” the third consecutive season she will have appeared in.
- Angela competed on “The Amazing Race: European Adventure” with her daughter, Lexi.
Ashley Trail
CBS- Ashley told Mike Bloom of “Parade” that out of every former houseguest, she identifies with Rachel Reilly and Britney Haynes the most.
- She and her family have watched “Big Brother” and the live feeds ever since she was young.
- Ashley grew up in Alton, Ill., before moving to Chicago.
Barrett Pfeiffer
- Barrett co-hosts the “Our Reality” podcast, which covers “Big Brother,” “Survivor” and “The Traitors,” among other shows.
- Barrett broke the news that Raven Walton would appear on “Big Brother 19.”
- Barrett graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 2020 and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Media.
Chuk Anyanwu
- Chuk earned bachelor’s degrees from both University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University.
- Chuk is a first generation immigrant.
- Chuk’s favorite former houseguest is Corey Brooks from “Big Brother 18,” who hails from Chuk’s hometown of Dallas.
Drew Campbell
- Drew competed on the first season of “Beast Games,” and was eliminated in the show’s second episode.
- At 22 years old, Drew is this season’s youngest houseguest.
- Drew graduated from California State University San Marcos earlier this year.
Haley Thogmartin
- Haley graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 2019.
- Haley pitched for SEMO’s softball team during all four of her years as a student there. She led her team in ERA (Earned Run Average) in 2018 and served as a team captain.
- While at SEMO, Haley majored in both human environmental studies and child development.
Jason De Puy
- Jason, aka “Salina EsTitties,” finished in sixth place on Season 15 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
- This is not Jason’s first reality TV appearance in 2026; he competed on Season 11 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars.”
- Jason considers “Big Brother 16” houseguest Frankie Grande as his “best friend.”
Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk
- Kamu has a record of 12-7-0 (12 wins, seven losses, no draws), and he fights at the featherweight level.
- Kamu won his UFC debut in June 2021, which he accepted on only a week’s notice.
- Kamu’s nickname is “The Jawaiian,” which appears to reference his Jamaican heritage and his birth in Hawaii.
LaTrice Verrett
- LaTrice was a member of Sounds of Blackness, a vocal and choral ensemble group with three Grammys.
- Two of her uncles, Robert “Kool” Bell and Ronald Bell, were founding members of Kool & the Gang, a band best known for their 1980 single “Celebration.”
- At 57 years old, LaTrice is this season’s oldest houseguest.
Lyric Medeiros
- Lyric became the youngest person in the history of Hawaii to pass the bar exam when she was 23.
- In 2022, Lyric graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame after only three years. While at Notre Dame, Lyric served as a sideline reporter for her school’s football and basketball teams.
- Lyric, who auditioned for Season 21 of “American Idol” in 2023, is the daughter of pop star Glenn Medeiros, whose cover of George Benson’s “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You,” peaked at No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1987.
Mallory Aurichio
- Mallory graduated from West Virginia University in May 2025, where she studied aerospace engineering.
- As a freshman in college, Mallory won a $1,500 scholarship after winning first place in a video competition held by West Virginia University’s Statler College.
- In 2021, Mallory said that her biggest dream was to work for NASA.
Melody Morris
- Melody graduated from Arizona State University in 2024 with a degree in sports journalism. She also studied Political Science and Communication at the University of Colorado Denver.
- Melody enjoys stand-up comedy and began performing in 2023.
- Melody became a fan of Duke University’s basketball team during the Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum’s freshman season.
Rick Devens
- Rick finished in fourth place on “Survivor: Edge of Extinction,” and seventh place on “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.”
- Rick holds the “Survivor” record for most hidden immunity idols found on a single season with four.
- Rick spent over a decade as a news anchor in Macon, Ga., and he is currently the Director of Communications for Middle Georgia State University.
Rome Seymour
- Rome has competed on the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour.
- Rome graduated from Ferris State University, and was a member of his school’s tennis team.
- Rome’s true first name is Jack.
Taylor Brown
- Taylor earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University in 2021, and her master’s degree from the University of Georgia in 2024.
- Taylor was a member of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Sorority, as well as a Presidential Ambassador, during her time at Florida A&M.
- Taylor is the third houseguest to have attended an HBCU since 2021, alongside Tiffany Mitchell (Clark Atlanta University) and Mecole “Meme” Hayes (Texas Southern University).
Yash Patel
- Yash graduated magna cum laude from Penn State University in 2024, and he made the Dean’s List in all seven of his semesters there.
- Yash is fluent in both English and Gujarati, and speaks some Spanish.
- Yash and his family competed on FOX’s “The Quiz With Balls” in 2025.
With only a BA in English, I would definitely be intimidated by the brainiacs of Big Brother 28. They’re some truly intelligent individuals. I think the other contestants are going to feel like turnips. If they don’t, they are straight up narcissists. That’s the only way you wouldn’t feel like a moron up against brains like that.