The highly-anticipated premiere of “Survivor”s milestone 50th season is just over a week away!
Set to debut to CBS viewers nationwide on Wednesday, February 25 at 8:00pm ET, the golden anniversary installment will make history with its unprecedented three-hour premiere episode, during which the record-breaking cast – composed of 24 returning players from throughout the entirety of “Survivor”s 26-year history – will be separated into their starting tribes.
Per “New Era” tradition, this season’s cast will start the race towards the $1 million grand prize competing, not as individual castaways, but as three distinct tribes known as Cila, Kalo and Vatu, respectively.
Thanks to pre-season press from publications like Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter and PEOPLE, who were on-location in Fiji during the first few days of filming, we now have enough information to make some informed predictions about how this season’s tribal dynamics could affect the early days of the competition.
Without further ado, here’s a closer look at the castaways, pre-season connections, and potential conflicts that could befall the Cila Tribe on “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.”
Meet the Castaways on ‘Survivor 50’s Cila Tribe
CBSAge: 46
Hometown: Vacaville, California
Current Residence: West Sacramento, California
Current Occupation: Fire Captain
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor 48” (2nd)
CBSAge: 31
Hometown: Walnut Creek, California
Current Residence: Atlanta, Georgia
Current Occupation: Marketing Specialist
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor 49” (Winner)
CBSAge: 39
Hometown: Baltimore, Mayrland
Current Residence: Tallahassee, Florida
Current Occupation: Robotics Professor
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (7th)
CBSAge: 55
Hometown: Jersey City, New Jersey
Current Residence: Jersey City, New Jersey
Current Occupation: Registered Nurse
Previous “Survivor” Seasons: “Survivor: Panama” (4th), “Survivor: Micronesia” (3rd), “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” (17th), “Survivor: Game Changers” (6th)
CBSAge: 43
Hometown: Guanajuato City, Mexico
Current Residence: Guanajuato City, Mexico
Current Occupation: Restaurant/Music Venue Owner
Previous “Survivor” Seasons: “Survivor: Cook Islands” (2nd), “Survivor: Micronesia” (9th), “Survivor: South Pacific” (4th), “Survivor: Game Changers” (12th)
CBSAge: 30
Hometown: McKinney, Texas
Current Residence: Laurel, Maryland
Current Occupation: Investment Analyst
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor 45” (7th)
CBSAge: 41
Hometown: Blacksburg, Virginia
Current Residence: Macon, Georgia
Current Occupation: Director of Communications at Middle Georgia State University
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor: Edge of Extinction” (4th)
CBSAge: 47
Hometown: Franklin, New Hampshire
Current Residence: Woodland, California
Current Occupation: Realtor
Previous “Survivor” Seasons: “Survivor: Borneo” (8th), “Survivor: All-Stars” (3rd)
Pre-Existing Connections & Alliances on the Cila Tribe
CBSOf the eight returning players on the Cila Tribe – wearing orange buffs – only two castaways have played “Survivor” together in the past, with Cirie Fields and Ozzy Lusth competing together on both “Survivor: Micronesia” and “Survivor: Game Changers.”
While the duo haven’t always worked as allies, especially considering that Cirie’s Black Widow Brigade alliance was responsible for Ozzy’s “Micronesia” elimination, they will more than likely partner up in the early days of the game considering their heightened threat level. Especially considering that, alongside “Survivor: Borneo” star Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, they are the only castaways on the Cila Tribe to have played “Survivor” more than once.
Other potential alliances could form between New Era players like Joe Hunter, Emily Flippen and Savannah Louie, leaving Middle-Era players Christian Hubicki and Rick Devens as potential first targets or swing votes in an Old School vs. New Era showdown of Cila find themselves attending Tribal Council before a tribe swap reconfigures alliances.
Rick and Savannah, both former Georgia-based news casters, could similarly form an alliance based on their occupations, though the connection could just as easily materialize as a rivalry instead.
Potential Conflicts & Rivalries on the Cila Tribe
CBSThanks to a pre-season interview with Parade’s Mike Bloom, wherein the “Survivor 50” cast categorized each of their 23 competitors as either a “Friend” or a “Foe” heading into the milestone season, we know that the vast majority of the Cila Tribe already have their sights set on taking out recent “Survivor 49” champion Savannah Louie if given the chance.
While Savannah wasn’t required to disclose her winner status to her fellow competitors who, by the time Season 50 began filming last summer, hadn’t seen a single second of her debut season, she was quickly identified as a potential threat by every one on her tribe except for Jenna and Rick Devens.
Cirie, a well-established “Survivor” strategist widely considered one of the greatest players to never win the game, could similarly find herself in hot water as she enters what will be her fifth series appearance, with tribemates like Savannah, Emily, Rick and Jenna labelling her as a “Foe.”
Which Cila Tribe Castaways are Most Likely to Make the Merge?
Of the entire Cila Tribe, only Christian Hubicki, Ozzy Lusth and Jenna Lewis were categorized across the board as a “Friend” before filming began.
While a game like “Survivor” can change on a dime, the responses bode well for Christian and Ozzy, especially when paired with their puzzle-solving skills and physical challenge prowess, respectively.
Jenna, too, can be expected to survive beyond at least the first Tribal Council ceremony the Cila Tribe attends, assuming they lose a challenge before an inevitable tribe swap.
Based on the entirety of pre-season press for “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans,” we’d speculate that Savannah Louie is the most likely Cila Tribe member to be eliminated first, while Jenna Lewis-Doughtery is best situated to make to the Merge, barring any unforeseeable twists or blindsides.
Be sure to catch the historic three-hour premiere episode of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” when it hits CBS screen nationwide on Wednesday, February 25 at 8:00pm ET.
