Meet the 'Survivor 43' Cast! Pediatric Nurse Lindsay Carmine Calls Herself the "Underdog of the Season"

The 42-year-old pediatric nurse from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, after a lifetime of giving to others, is ready to play her favorite game for herself.

Lindsay Carmine has lived a life of service, whether working as a nurse or supporting her family through both triumph and tragedy. But one thing's clear: She's playing Survivor for herself. The 42-year-old is capitalizing on a dream that spans over two decades, but sees herself as the underdog due to her age and perceived Southern hospitality. But make no mistake, she's ready for the frontlines of this game.

Read on for my interview with Lindsay, and make sure to check in with Parade.com every day for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 43 premieres on September 21 with a special two-hour premiere on CBS. 

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 43

Interview with Lindsay from Survivor 43

Why are you here on Survivor?
That's a loaded question. I have been applying to play Survivor since I was 20 years old, 22 years ago. But probably, seven years ago, I started really actively applying after I watched my mom suffer from breast cancer. Then I had two life-threatening miscarriages. And I was ready to do something for myself. I had supported my husband through law school and establishing his career, and I had two children, and I got my career off the ground. And I'm the type of person where I just love giving to others. I have a servant's heart, so I'm constantly doing stuff for other people. And it was time for me to finally just do something for myself.

What's your history with watching Survivor?
So I'm unapologetically a super fan. I have been watching since season one, episode one. My mom sat me down at the very first episode of season one, and she said, "Lindsay, I've got something to show you. There is this game that is perfect for you." And I sat down and watched it, and my family and I have been watching ever since. I knew deep down in the soul and core of my body that I would be playing Survivor someday. I didn't know when it would happen, but I knew that it would. I am part of all of the patron groups, and I have a Wigler's Wombats hat. I'm in three Survivor fantasy pools. I eat, breathe, and sleep Survivor. So I'm really excited to be here.

Give me one Survivor winner and one non-winner you identify with the most.
The one winner that I think I identify with the most would definitely be Natalie Anderson. Not only is she a wonderful social player, and she's very strategic, but she's a challenge beast. I mean, she has a lot of grit and determination. And like her, I'm the type of person where I rise to every challenge, and I never give up.

[For somebody that did not win], Cirie. I mean, and I'm not even necessarily sure that that I identify with her, and I see a lot of similarities between the two of us, aside from the fact that we're both nurses and we have children. But there's nothing that makes me happier than when Cirie Fields comes on my television screen.

What's your favorite moment in Survivor history?
I'm a huge fan of the Black Widow Brigade. So I would say anything that involves a blindside with them. I also just recently finished Winners at War, and I loved when Denise received an immunity idol from Sandra and then used it against her to vote her out of the game. It was so badass is what it is. And I love that it was Denise. One of my biggest fears and playing Survivor is that I am one of the oldest out here, and historically, women my age make it to the end, and they just don't win. And so when you think about somebody that's over 40 that has last won the game, it's been Denise. And I would love to be the next person to do that.

What's one life experience you feel has prepared you most for the game?
I am a registered nurse, and I have been working on the frontline of this pandemic for the past two years. I would definitely say it's one of the hardest, most challenging things I have ever been through. And I've realized that if I can go through that, I can handle anything.

What excites you the most about the new era of Survivor?
I think the thing that excites me most about this new era of Survivor is the pace. I've been watching since season one, episode one. And so I've been able to watch the game change organically. Some of these players that I'm going to be going up against, they're young, and so they've had a lot of catching up to do. But I'm excited to see if I can handle this high-paced, really fast way of playing the game. There are also a lot more advantages and twists. And I want to see if I've got what it takes to handle it.

What do you think people will perceive you as?
I definitely think I'm going to be the underdog of the season. I was born and raised in the South. So I definitely have a lot of southern hospitality. But I spent a lot of years living in Philly. And if you know anything about anyone that's from Philly, it is that we don't take [expletive] from anybody. So I think people are going to be really surprised with how much I'm willing to backstab.

How eager will you be to look for advantages in the game?
I'm not going to be actively looking for advantages to the point where it is going to be detrimental to my game. While I think advantages are important to have, I think it's also important to know where the advantages are. Advantages are only as good as the person who's playing them correctly. So if one comes my way, then I'm going to be excited. But I'm not willing to sacrifice my spot in the game in order to find them.

What is the one thing you told yourself you wouldn't do in this game?
One thing that I said I would not do in this game is intentionally hurt somebody's feelings. I'm extremely sensitive, and I try to be hyper-aware of other people's feelings. I know that this is a game and that the whole point of it is to be the last man standing. But I'm not going to personally attack anybody. 

Next, check out our interview with Survivor 43 contestant Karla Cruz Godoy.