‘Survivor: Game Changers’ full cast list and twist revealed

The full cast list for Survivor: Game Changers has finally been officially revealed. Twenty returning players will be doing battle for the title of Sole Survivor and the million-dollar prize that comes with it.

Host Jeff Probst had previously announced eight of the competing players — Sandra Diaz-Twine, Tony Vlachos, Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, Ciera Easton, Tai Trang, Caleb Reynolds, and Michaela Bradshaw — at the end of the Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X reunion show, but now we have the complete set. Sandra and Tony will not be the only previous winners to appear, as Tocantins champ J.T. Thomas will also be on the island. Meanwhile, Michaela is not the only Millennial who returned to the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji just a few short weeks after her first outing to film back-to-back seasons, as Zeke Smith also pulled double duty, bringing his mustache and wonderfully tacky shirt collection with him.

Rounding out the cast are Andrea Boehlke, Malcolm Freberg, and Jeff Varner (all appearing for the third time), as well as two-timers Aubry Bracco, Brad Culpepper, Sierra Dawn-Thomas, Hali Ford, Sarah Lacina, Troyzan Robertson, and Debbie Wanner. (Cirie and Ozzy now join Boston Rob Mariano and Rupert Boneham as the only players to compete on four different seasons.)

Probst told EW on location during filming the thinking behind the Game Changers twist: “The last few years we’ve had so many new players that were good players, and the game has continued to escalate in terms of the level of gameplay that it suddenly became apparent that we actually have a lot of great game players,” says Probst. “And so we’ve had this abundance of players now, and we felt like we had enough where we could go old school with a guy like Varner and Sandra and Cirie, and also go as recently as Millennials vs. Gen X with somebody like Zeke or Michaela. It just felt right. And I love the name. I thought the name was a really good brand. It brings up questions. Some people are going to say, ‘All of these people didn’t make game changing moves.’ No, they didn’t. But they were willing to make a move that might change the game. And if you’ve ever played Survivor, you know the difference.”

Probst also spilled secrets about a big change when it comes to hidden immunity idols this season, one that could throw even veteran players for a loop. “Given that it is Game Changers, we’re going to change the game constantly. So when it comes to idols, there will be no consistency,” says the host. “Usually there’s a theme. You have to find them in a certain way or work a certain amount of effort to get it. Not this time. One might drop in your lap, one might be at Tribal, one might be at the bottom of the well, one might be at a challenge. It depends how often idols get played for how far down the list we’ll get. Because if idols are held until the end, then we won’t see anything and we’ll use them next year. But if things go well and people start playing their idols — which I think will happen — it could be a really fun and crazy adventure to watch them and what they have to do to get them.”

The good news for these contestants is that this particular adventure should not see the extreme weather of Millennials vs. Gen X (which was filmed on the same beaches), since Game Changers was filmed in June and July of 2016, traditionally the driest months of the year.

See the full cast list and tribe photos below, and our exclusive video of each of the 20 contestants explaining why they will win Survivor: Game Changers above. Also, make sure to check out our cast photo gallery. Plus, for more pre-game coverage than you can possibly handle, follow me on Twitter @DaltonRoss, and for exclusive on-location photos, follow me on Instagram @thedaltonross.

“Mana” Tribe

Michaela BradshawAge: 25
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Previously Played On: Season 33: Millennials vs Gen X – Finished 14th

Aubry BraccoAge: 30
Hometown: Cambridge, Mass.
Previously Played On: Season 32: Brains vs Brawn vs Beauty – Runner Up

Sandra Diaz-TwineAge: 41
Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.
Previously Played On: Season 7: Pearl Islands – Winner
Season 20: Heroes vs. Villains – Winner

Ciera EastinAge: 27
Hometown: Salem, Oregon
Previously Played On: Season 31: 2nd Chances – Finished 10th
Season 27: Blood vs. Water – Finished 5th & Jury Member

Malcolm FrebergAge: 29
Hometown: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Previously Played On: Season 25: Philippines – Finished 4th & Jury Member
Season 26: Caramoan – Finished 9th & Jury Member

Hali FordAge: 26
Hometown: San Francisco
Previously Played On: Season 30: White, Blue, No Collar – Finished 11th & Jury Member

Caleb ReynoldsAge: 28
Hometown: Hopkinsville, Ky.
Previously Played On: Season 32: Brain vs. Brawn vs. Beauty – Medically Evacuated

Troyzan RobertsonAge: 54
Hometown: Miami
Previously Played On: Season 24: One World – Finished 8th & Jury Member

Jeff VarnerAge: 50
Hometown: High Point, N.C.
Previously Played On: Season 2: Australia – Finished 10th out of 16 & Non-Jury
Season 31: 2nd Chances – Finished 17th

Tony VlachosAge: 42
Hometown: Jersey City, N.J.
Previously Played On: Season 28: Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty – Winner

“Nuku” Tribe

Andrea BoehlkeAge: 27
Hometown: New York
Previously Played On: Season 22: Redemption Island – Finished 5th & Jury Member
Season 26: Caramoan – Finished 7th & Jury Member

Brad CulpepperAge: 47
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
Previously Played On: Season 27: Blood vs. Water – Finished 15th out of 20

Sierra Dawn-ThomasAge: 29
Hometown: Roy, Utah
Previously Played On: Season 30: White, Blue, No Collar – Finished 5th & Jury Member

Cirie FieldsAge: 45
Hometown: Norwalk, Conn.
Previously Played On: Season 12: Panama – Finished 4th & Jury member
Season 16: Micronesia – Finished 3rd & Jury member
Season 20: Heroes vs. Villains – Finished 17th

Sarah LacinaAge: 32
Hometown: Marion, Iowa
Previously Played On: Season 28: Brains vs Brawn vs Beauty – Finished 11th & Jury Member

Oscar “Ozzy” LusthAge: 34
Hometown: Venice, Calif.
Previously Played On: Season 13: Cook Islands – Runner-up
Season 16: Micronesia – Finished 9th & Jury Member
Season 23: South Pacific – Finished 4th & Jury Member

Zeke SmithAge: 28
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y
Previously Played On: Season 33: Millennials vs Gen X – Finished 9th & Jury Member

James “J.T” ThomasAge: 31
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Previously Played On: Season 18: Tocantins – Winner
Season 20: Heroes vs. Villains – Finished 10th

Tai TrangAge: 52
Hometown: San Francisco
Previously Played On: Season 32: Brain vs. Brawn vs. Beauty – 2nd Runner-up

Debbie WannerAge: 51
Hometown: Reading, Penn.
Previously Played On: Season 32: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty – Finished 9th

Survivor: Game Changers premieres Wednesday, March 8 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.