Meet the 'Survivor 44' Cast! Claire Rafson is Relying on Her Experience as the "Odd One Out"

The 25-year-old tech investor hopes her young bubbly exterior masks her incredibly strategic mind.

Survivor “megafan” Claire Rafson has gone from watching the show through a keyhole in her parents’ door to hopefully having the keys to making her a million dollars richer. The tech investor and venture capitalist knows her small stature and unique background make her stick out like a sore thumb, both on and off the island. But the 25-year-old plans to use her social skills and harmless perception will get her to keep calm and carry on to Day 26.

Read on for my interview with Claire, and make sure to check in with Parade.com every day for interviews with this season’s contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 44 premieres on March 1 with a special two-hour premiere on CBS.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 44

Interview with Claire from Survivor 44

Why are you here on Survivor?
It’s been my lifelong dream. I’ve been watching since I was four years old, so about 21 years now. And it’s something that has meant so much to me, and I’ve always wanted to give it a try. And I finally got the courage to apply this year. And I’m so happy I’m here. I’m also just obviously here to win the million, and I will take nothing less.

What’s your history with watching Survivor?
So like I said, I am a mega fan. I’ve been watching since I was four years old. I think my most clear memory of Survivor was that I used to have to watch through the keyhole of my parents’ bedroom door because I was too young, and it was on too late and too scary. (Laughs.) But when a contestant I won’t name fell into the fire, I was so scared that I burst into my parents’ room and blew my cover. And my parents, from that moment on, let me watch with them every week in bed with them. And from then on, for the past 21 years, I’ve just been a die-hard fan. I’ve seen every season a couple of times. This year, I started going to some of those Survivor meetups. So I would say I’m a huge fan. I joke that, other than my parents, Survivor basically has been the most consistent thing in my life. (Laughs.) And I just really, really love it.

Give me one Survivor winner and one non-winner who you identify with the most.
That’s such a hard question. I see myself as somebody who identifies with little pieces of a bunch of different people. But I’d say right now, I feel I’m one of the winners I identify with the most is Natalie Anderson. I just absolutely loved her game. I love her attitude. I love how kind of petty she is, but in a really smart way. She was so strategic; she figured out the numbers and wasn’t afraid to make a move at the right time, whether that was pretending like she got the vote wrong just to get rid of somebody she wanted to get rid of or waiting eight weeks to get out somebody and avenge her ally. I think she’s just so iconic. And I think I would play kind of similar with my head and my heart.

With a non-winner, it’s so hard. I feel weird even comparing myself to anyone. (Laughs.) But I want to say Courtney Yates. I just absolutely think she’s an iconic queen. Just her sass, honesty, and ability to get by doing the bare minimum. (Laughs.) It really does remind me of myself. I think I might be a little bit nicer. Watching China, I was like, “I feel this girl and her energy.” (Laughs.) I’m also incredibly tiny and don’t see myself being super useful in challenges. So I think that also makes me feel like her.

What’s your favorite moment in Survivor history?
I think this is a bit of a cop-out because it’s many moments. I think my all-time favorite moment was just Cook Islands, basically. I loved the Aitu Four just dominating. And specifically, my favorite moment was every time they sent Candice to Exile Island. (Laughs.) I thought it was the most fun, exciting underdog story watching them come back and also watching them do it in a really fun and petty way, sending her to Exile so many times.

What’s one life experience you feel has prepared you most for the game?
I think it’s hard, so I’m going to cheat on this one. I think for me, just living has been that life experience. (Laughs.) So for reference, I’m this loud as hell 5’2” queer Black Jewish girl. And so for my entire life, everywhere I’ve been, I’ve been the odd one out, and I’ve stuck out like a sore thumb. So whether it was like in preschool, in college, or now in corporate America, I have been living this game of Survivor for myself, where I’ve socially and strategically had to be this odd one out and find a way to get people on my side to do the things that I want to do to be really smart and intentional about reaching my goals. And so far, it’s worked out pretty well! (Laughs.) But I feel like, honestly, just being so different in this world that can be kind of homogenous where I am has really prepared me to meet 17 random strangers and make them like me enough that they’ll keep me around until I stab them in the back.

What excites you the most about the new era of Survivor?
I don’t know if the new era excites me as much as it absolutely terrifies me. Being such a fan of the game, I feel like I knew Survivor up until season 40. I had studied it; I’d seen every twist and turn. And so the new era is insane to me because it’s something that I haven’t studied and don’t know well. So I think I’m both frightened but super excited by the idea that we’re going to kind of chart our own path and our own course. The fact that things are going to be new and exciting and different than what I’ve just been seeing on TV my whole life. I can’t wait.

What do you think people will perceive you as?
This is what’s kind of happened my whole life. With my tribemates, I think they’re gonna perceive me as this fun-loving kind of chill, goofy young girl. I’ve been walking around Ponderosa all pregame in all pink with my hair in my cute little bun, just smiling and living my life. So I think people will view me as just a nice harmless young small girl, which is exactly what I want them to see. I think the audience will start to realize sooner rather than later that there’s like a bit more going on upstairs. (Laughs.) That I am a little bit more than I put out there when it comes to being pretty strategic, pretty thoughtful, and, I like to think, kind of smart. (Laughs.)

What type of player are you looking for in an alliance?
Above all else, I’m looking for total trustworthiness—trust, trust, trust. I don’t even care what they look like or who they are as long as we trust each other and I know what to expect about them and how we can play together. I think a really great alliance that I’d be looking for is honestly a couple of people who might think that they’re smarter or better at the game than me and might perceive me as less of a threat that they can just kind of bring along. I love to be the one in the background pulling the strings and feeding them ideas while they execute my devious plans. And then, when it comes down to it, people that I know that I can either beat at the end, or who I can stab in the back before they stab me.

How eager will you be to look for advantages in the game?
(Laughs.) I will be incredibly, incredibly eager to look for advantages. But that being said, one of my big goals and something that I’ve been trying to practice is just breathing and taking a step back. Because I know that the target you can get painted on yourself for being the eager one who goes out and looks. And although it’s a 26-day sprint, you need to know when to peak. And for me, somebody who’s like, “I’m weak, I’m small, I’m going to be an early target if we want to keep the tribe strong,” I really need to play it cool and make sure that people trust me and think that I’m somebody that they can work with long term. So I’m hoping to be able to quell that superfan desire to Day 1 go look for an idol. (Laughs.)

What is the one thing you told yourself you wouldn’t do in this game?
I’ve told myself a few things. But to be honest, I’m really open to doing just about anything if it means surviving another day and getting closer to the million. There are a couple of lines I won’t cross. I don’t want to betray my loved ones and my family at home. But, to be honest, as long as I come home feeling good about myself, and my friends and family still like me, everything’s on the table.

What’s the best advice you received before coming out to play?
The best and most consistent advice I got from all of my friends and family was just to chill out. (Laughs.) And I think, for me, that’s really what I need to do. I’m a super fan. I’m somebody who’s a lot in my head. I’m very, very strategic and a bit controlling at times. And so, for me, my biggest threat is going to be myself and the situations I put myself into by thinking too much. So I think the best advice I got was really just breathe, calm down, take it day by day, and just like experience this experience. I really want to be present. And I think that was really good advice.

What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
Thinking about it, I’m gonna be really stressed, tired, and in need of a really good hug and a good pep talk. And I don’t know why, but the first people that come to mind are either Beyonce or Michelle Obama. (Laughs.) I think either, or it would be great. I just want a really good long hug from a kind of maternal figure, somebody who will give me that pep talk to get me through the rest of the game.

Next, check out our interview with Survivor 44 contestant Matthew Grinstead-Mayle.