‘Survivor 48’ players cast season 50 of the show (exclusive)

Folks, we finally have your cast for the highly-anticipated Survivor 50! At least, we have what the cast would be if selected by the current players of Survivor 48. That’s because we asked each of those contestants before filming began to tell us the one person that absolutely, positively needed to be cast for season 50.

Never you mind that these selections are highly un-enforceable. This is their cast and this is final! At least it is if we can get Jeff Probst to agree to it. Regardless, see who the Survivor 48 players cast on their dream Survivor 50, and see if you agree.

Shauhin Davari

Okay, this is going to sound maybe a little crazy, and it’s a winner, but I really want to see Fabio play again. Just because early Fabio, he was such a lovable goofball, and I want to see Fabio 10 to 15 years later. I want to see grown-up Fabio and see what happened to him, and see a grown-up Fabio come out here and play Survivor all over again. Even though he’s a winner, I’d love to see him play and all of a sudden see a strategic Fabio. That’d be so cool.

Mary Zheng

I want to put Emily, the finance girl, on Survivor 50. It’s because I feel like she just started hitting her stride and I saw her make a complete 180 and be very strategic, but in a way that seemed caring, which I feel like is a deadly combo. And I feel like she didn’t get enough time to really work her magic.

Thomas Krottinger

I want to see Kathy Vavrick-O’Brien. She’s a hoot and a half. I think that she got a raw deal in All-Stars, and now she is older and wiser. She is a firecracker, and I want her back on 50. I want old-school players, too. Do you know what I mean? I want it to be a good mix. It was so sad to see all the old schoolers go quickly in Winners at War. But if I could only pick one, it would be Kathy. I just loved her. When she didn’t win Marquesas, I was so upset. And then coming back for All-Stars, I was like, “oh my God, I’ll get Kathy back!” And then it didn’t go the way I wanted for her. She was the part of my beginning of Survivor that really stuck out for me. Love her.

Sai Hughley

I’m going to have to go with Drea. She was pretty kickass, and I think that not enough people talk about her when she created a Survivor pocketbook. I was like, no f—ing way! There’s absolutely no way! And she would’ve taken it all the way. I wholeheartedly think she would’ve won it because she addressed some really serious issues, but it didn’t make you feel guilty for her talking about it. There was never a point throughout when she was talking about the whole race category for me, where I was like, “Oh, man. Not you bringing race into it.”

I didn’t feel that way. I feel like she addressed it and she moved on. I think it was easier for me to accept the way that she presented that information because I know how kick-ass she was in the game. I knew how hard she was working that had nothing to do with race. I would love to see her on another season. She’s badass. I was like, “Oh my God. I’m so glad I’m not on your season!”

Joe Hunter

The one player I can honestly tell you that I think needs to come back — and I don’t know that everyone will gig with this — but broken toe Rupert. The reason why I say that is he’s such an old soul. He broke his toe in Heroes vs. Villains and he continued through it. In the current game, in the current climate with the current generation, I feel he would add the perfect volatility while settling the crowd and get a huge following of that kind of generation of working hard. Stay quiet, stay humble, that grit. I think that there’d be a huge portion that wouldn’t see him coming and that he would add an extra pizazz, an enticement to 50 that you couldn’t not watch.

Stephanie Berger

Oh, I think it’s Kellie Nalbandian. They’ve got to get her back because she wants it so bad. You can feel the want of it emanating off of her. And that’s somebody who I was rooting for. I feel like we were all really rooting for her. She’s a New Yorker, we love a New Yorker. That’s my pick for somebody who I think wants it desperately and I think would come out here and play a really different game the second time around while still maintaining a core of what she did in her game.

David Kinne

Okay, this is hard for me because I haven’t seen a lot of Survivor. I’m not a super fan. Honestly, when I applied, I had maybe seen two seasons, so I don’t know very many players. But who I would love to see on season 50 is Jonathan Young, just so I can kick his ass when I’m there.

Charity Nelms

I want Russell back. I love Russell. He has a bad rap. I think I would’ve voted for him. I think he is incredibly entertaining. He is a great competitor. I was glued to the TV. I also love Tony. I don’t know if they called him this on the show, but my husband and I always called him Tony the Rat. I would love to see him again.

And then my all-time favorite player who I would love to see back — but I’m going to be so real, I don’t even know if she’s still alive — is Jane from Nicaragua. Everybody goes “Jane?” And I’m like, “How do you not love Jane?” She lived on a farm, her husband passed away, she’s taking care of everything. And she was fiercely beating out these bodybuilder men in purely physical competitions. I love her. She is my inspiration. She’s farm strong. She was incredible.

Kevin Leung

I would put on Christian Hubicki from season 37, David vs. Goliath. When I watched him play ,and he had the Mayor of Slamtown, and he did a filibuster during a challenge for many hours — that actually was one of the main inspirations when I was like, “Wow, someone who’s quirky and nerdy and he’s just him and he’s so authentic.” He showed everyone that you don’t have to be this gigantic physical brawn. You can be yourself, you can be witty, and you can utilize your strengths.

I had so much inspiration watching that season, David Vs. Goliath, because I really did feel like a David. And nowadays, I still feel like a David, even when my friends are like, “You’re so buff right now.” So when I see Christian, I say he’s the representation of me as an 11-year-old. I would love to see him play again and I would love to see him filibuster again.

Eva Erickson

Kaleb. Because I think that he was such a great character, and he got totally screwed. I wanted to see him go so much further. When he played that idol and everybody had voted for him, I was like, “Oh my God, this guy’s going through, he’s killing it.” And then he got out the next round. It was just so sad. I think that he has so much potential and it would be great to watch him again.

Kyle Fraser

People are going to think this is an unoriginal answer. I’m not going with anybody in the new era, even though I’m pretty sure it’ll probably be mostly new-era people. It’s Cirie, and not because of the stereotypical reasons. Obviously, she’s a good player, but I think she truly embodies this game. She has these talents that are far beyond her just coming out here and coming into herself.

She was bound to be good at this game regardless, but she excelled to a degree that no one, even herself, thought she would. I think she embodies this game and she needs one more shot at getting the million. And I think that she could, even despite people knowing how good of a player she is. I think that she would literally clean house no matter what and makes it to the merge no matter what. I think she gets close to the final three, seven out of 10 times.

Bianca Roses

This is kind of an odd answer because this person isn’t one of the people I looked up to growing up or someone that I’m obsessed with. But Ian from Palau, season 10. I’ve got to see him play this game again. I just feel like he’s such a kind soul and I just need to see him play this game as an older, different person. And he killed it. He crushed it. He got so far. I just feel like he’d be a really good OG that hasn’t been back a hundred times.

Mitch Guerra

I think the player that has to come back for season 50 is Austin. I thought he played a great game the whole way through. He played with people the whole way and he stuck to his guns. He is a great representation of the past few seasons.

Kamilla Karthigesu

Coach. I love him. There’s no one like him. The closest thing we’ve had in recent years is Q. My three favorite Survivor players are Coach, Phillip Shepperd, and Q.

Justin Pioppi

I’m going between two names. It’s really, really hard. I would say Kim and Tyson. I think Tyson’s really unique mix of athleticism and wit and charisma and being able to just talk with people. That that’s something that’s really, really hard to replicate, and he’s really mastered it. Obviously, he’s been out here so many times, he knows this game better than anybody. The second would be Kim Spadlin. She needs another chance. Obviously her first game was masterful, flawless. And then the second game, she even said it and was like, “I gave up my chance for a little bit of peanut butter.” She already won once but deserves another chance at it.

Chrissy Sarnowsky

Carolyn, because she’s freaking awesome. I mean a lot like me — unfiltered and unapologetic for the way she is. Probably grew up rough. She was addicted to something or other, overcame it. I could just see she was street smart, a little ditzy, which I loved, and she had great gameplay. I think what killed her was her speech at the end. You could see her shoulders. I don’t know what sunk out of her. And I was screaming at the TV. “No, speak your truth!”

Cedrek McFadden

Cirie Fields. I want to be her friend and hopefully she’s seeing this and we will have a connection. I just think she is all that’s right in the desire to enter this game — to be at home, to look at the screen and to say, “You know what? Maybe I can do that.” And it’s getting over that fear or having the courage to just try. I think that’s so important for not only someone who’s of a certain age, but someone who’s never had this experience. And even just the compassion that she has with her castmates or whoever she’s interacting with, I just think she can teach us a lot. And she listens more than she talks.

Star Toomey

I’m stuck between Tiffany from 46, Jelinsky, and Maryanne. I want to bring Maryanne back because I love her, but also, I might get starstruck and then forget I’m even playing the game. So we have to just take her out from that. We’ll just do the elimination. Tiffany is cool, but I think I just liked Tiffany because I liked her energy. So bring back Jelinsky! We need several minutes, man. Justice for Jelinsky! Bring him back on 50 because that man was funny. Every time I think about several, I think about Jelinsky. So bring him back.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free daily newsletter to get breaking news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.