In a game like “Survivor,” where jury management is the key difference between winning the title of “Sole Survivor” (and the $1 million grand prize) and walking away empty handed, a “tragic backstory” can go a long way towards convincing the members of the jury that a player is more “deserving” than their competitors.
While fans have seen plenty of tear-jerking admissions from castaways in the past – like “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X” winner Adam Klein revealing that his mother was battling terminal cancer while he was filming the season – the trend of “Survivor” players entering the game with so-called “tragic backstories” has become even more common in the “new era.”
On the most recent episode of “Survivor 49,” castaway Savannah Louie became the latest player to open up about her off-screen struggles after the blindside elimination of her ally Nate Moore left her feeling socially isolated from the rest of her tribe for the first time this season.
Savannah Louie Shares Tear-Jerking Backstory on ‘Survivor 49’
During the November 12 episode, Louie opened up to fellow castaway Steven Ramm about how the isolation reminded her of a similar situation that occurred during her former job as a reporter that, in her words, changed her life forever.
CBSWhile working as a reporter in Atlanta, Savannah detailed how her co-workers would often ice her out of off-camera conversations and talk badly about her in her vicinity, believing that she had “replaced” one of their beloved former members.
“I went through that for 2 years,” she said. “I was under contract; I literally could not leave. It was so stressful that it must have messed up all my hormones. My body was basically in flux. I stopped getting a period. I can’t have kids naturally. It was so stressful it literally impacted the rest of my life.”
While there’s no denying the “tragic” nature of Savannah’s backstory, the castaway’s vulnerable moment has since kickstarted a discussion surrounding whether or not CBS specifically seeks out players with “sob stories” when casting new seasons of “Survivor.”
Jeff Probst Addresses Casting Players with ‘Tragic’ Histories
Following Savannah’s admission, longtime “Survivor” host Jeff Probst opened up about the topic on his “On Fire” podcast after producer Jay Wolff asked him: “How often do you learn these things in real time with us, versus knowing about these critical traumas from your casting process?”
“It’s a bit of both,” Probst revealed. “Our casting process goes very deep, and as a result, it can get very personal. And sometimes family situations or trauma from middle school or work situations like this that might be inspiring or challenging will come up.”
CBS/GettyWhile the host admitted that he’s oftentimes aware of player’s so-called “tragic backstories” during the casting process, he added, “I just want to be clear that our interest in those stories is only in helping us understand who you are and how you might react in certain situations…We never expect a player to share anything they aren’t comfortable sharing. It is always up to the player, and it varies player to player as to how they want to handle it.”
That being said, Probst revealed that there are some instances where he’s just as surprised by players’ real-time in-game confessions as the audience. He added that viewers will see such a situation later this season.
“It does come out in real time,” he teased. “And we do discuss it. And it’s incredibly powerful and very healing for the player.”
A similar situation happened earlier this year on “Survivor 48,” when castaway Eva Erickson brought the longtime host to tears for the first time in series history after emotionally revealing that she was autistic. While Probst had been aware of Erickson’s diagnosis prior to filming, her mid-game reveal was as surprising for the host as it was for the audience.
‘Your Story is Yours to Share or Not Share,’ Says Probst
In the end, however, Probst made it clear that CBS and “Survivor” never cast anyone on the show based solely on their “tragic backstory.”
“The key to all of this for fans and future players is trusting that we don’t put people on the show simply because they have a great story, and we hope they will share it,” he confirmed. “Your story is yours to share or not share.”
“Survivor 49” returns to CBS this Wednesday, November 19 at 8:00pm ET.
