Meet the 'Survivor 45' Cast! Critical Care Nurse Kellie Nalbandian Prides Herself on "Promoting Shared Vulnerability"
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Kellie Nalbandian found Survivor as an escape from an intense life on the frontlines during the pandemic. And the 30-year-old instantly fell in love with the game, a combination of her love of competition and her real-life experience of connecting with people in vulnerable situations. The critical care nurse feels she's got good vitals for the game, hoping the trustworthy perception of nurses will work to her advantage. But don't get it twisted; if anyone on the island needs medical care, she's on her 26-day break.
Read on for my interview with Kellie, and check in with Parade.com every day for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 45 premieres on September 27 with a 90-minute premiere on CBS.
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 45
Interview with Kellie from Survivor 45 cast
To start, tell me about yourself.
So my name is Kellie Nalbandian. I'm 29 years old. I'm a critical care nurse in New York City. And then I also attend Yale part-time, getting my Master's to become a nurse practitioner.
So, how long have you been in the medical profession? I would imagine it's been a wild few years for you, to say the least.
So, I actually became an EMT when I was 18 years old. And then, since then, I was kind of exploring, figuring out if I wanted to go to medical school or what. And then, I watched the nurses that I would come across in the emergency room. They were just the badasses running the show, so I went to nursing school. So it's been a long time.
But about a year into my nursing career, the pandemic hit. And that was in New York City. So obviously, it was definitely the most challenging and difficult thing I've ever had to do in my life. And, kind of funnily, that is the time when I discovered Survivor. One of my friends, who's also a nurse, we were hanging out; no one wants to come within 10 feet of us because we're infectious vectors, unfortunately. [Laughs.] What are we going to do? And we all needed a distraction during that time. And so it started off as that. She put on Heroes vs. Villains. And so, obviously, I was screwed. I was going to be obsessed. [Laughs.]
When it comes to the difference between a fan and a player, what made you decide to go from being a badass in the E.R. to hopefully a badass out here?
I've watched almost all the seasons in a span of two years. So, as I was going through them, this little thought in my head that probably started with the Black Widow Brigade. I watched that [and] I was like, "Oh my God, this looks like so much fun. [Laughs.] I really want to do this." And I'm super competitive. I don't really get a chance to be competitive as a nurse. I grew up playing sports. My whole family is super competitive. Board games, video games, anything. You name it, we're competitive. So I was super drawn to this because I think that that aspect of it is so fun, the competition and the adventure.
But my job is really real. It is people at their core. It's really vulnerable, whether COVID or not. Even in critical care right now, a huge part of my job is connecting with people in a hyper-vulnerable space. And so I think when I watch Survivor, people's stories and how they relate to each other and that whole kind of social experiment of everything also really appeals to me. So, it kind of feels right for me. I feel like I'm kind of tough but also vulnerable. And so is Survivor.
Give me one Survivor winner and one non-winner who you identify with the most.
There's been a lot of really great Kelly's who have played this game. But I think the one that I relate to the most is Kelley Wentworth. That scrappy, tenacious vibe is something that we both share. [Laughs.] I'm a huge fan of hers, like "Wentworth, does not count." Here's hoping I get something like that. And then a winner, I think I have to go with Parvati here. I know she's quite different from Wentworth. But I think Parvati represents the ability to be a woman and play aggressively and ruthlessly, but also be charming, be kind of soft, and be that person that people feel drawn towards. And that's something that I think I'm good at in my real life. I think people are drawn to me and are friends with me not because I'm the most charismatic or whatever, but I make them feel seen and heard. I'm really authentic and promoting shared vulnerability. And I think Parvati is really good at that. And in this game, you can shift that into persuasion and manipulation. She used sort of the guise of flirting. I'm a lesbian, so I will not be flirting with any men; I cannot stomach that. But we can do some friendship flirting. I'm also engaged, so… [Laughs.]
I was gonna say, don't put yourself in the doghouse! There was Natalie in the Black Widow Brigade, but you don't need to put yourself in that territory. [Laughs.]
No, I am not putting myself in the doghouse! First of all, she said I can do whatever I need to do to win. But, I mean, friendship flirting, it's the same thing. It's really just making people feel listened to and mirroring back who they are. Everyone wants to see themselves in somebody else. And especially in this environment, where it's super stressful and really chaotic, and something that I think I'm used to for my job.
What was your level of preparation, speaking to how intense your job is?
So it is really hard. I would come home from a 12-hour shift and be like, "Oh my God, I have to work out." And I'm on my feet literally all day. I'm a pretty strong; I've been working out. [Flexed her bicep, then laughs.] I do have to lug people who can't move in bed around, me and my other 120-pound friend who's also a nurse dragging people out of the bed. It's really hard to fit it in for me because I have school and work. But I actually applied originally in January of 2022. So it was sort of in the 43/44 cycle. And I just was a little too late. That's what I was told, I was kind of a noob, so I had to learn the ropes. And they reassured me that they would call me back and give me a shot for this round. So here I am.
So I've been thinking about this for quite a long time as something that is a distinct possibility for me. There hasn't been a day since I first got that call that I haven't thought about Survivor. I go home to Connecticut to go to Yale and stay with my parents, and I'm in the backyard making fire there. It's kind of hard to make fire in a New York City apartment. [Laughs.] So that was my fire-making station. And I've been doing a bunch of stuff. Something I really enjoyed doing was reading a lot of books. I read The 48 Laws of Power, How to Win Friends and Influence People. I read a lot of Ryan Holiday's books, which are based on stoicism, to sort of help me philosophically prepare for Survivor. And I've got to shift my gear a little bit. I'm excited to be devious and ruthless and things like that. But I don't do that as a nurse. So I think especially The 48 Laws of Power gets you into that kind of Machiavellian zone.
I'm glad you made that preparation. Because I know you have that competitive streak, and you're willing to let that show. But there is a difference between bringing that into the challenges and then getting to know someone and ending your life in the game. So it's good you're already figuring out that distinction.
Yeah. I'm ready for that, though. I'm excited.
So, how duplicitous do you plan on being in the game?
I don't want to be duplicitous for no reason; I think there needs to be a reason to lie. There's no reason to juggle 60 lies if it's not going to get you anywhere. So, I'm not looking to come out here and be lying right off the bat. But I'm absolutely willing to do whatever I have to do to get myself to the end. And I do want to believe that women in this new era can win and play a little bit more aggressively. I think it can be hard, and, as women, we feel like we need to shrink ourselves or play under the radar, whatever. And I don't really want to do that.
That being said, how do you think people are going to perceive you in this game?
Nurses are voted the most trustworthy profession in the U.S. every year. And I think when you think of nurses, people think of the school nurse who gives them ginger ale and sends them home with their mommy. [Laughs.] That could not be farther from the job that I do and that I've always done, like E.R. and critical care. So if people want to think that, that's to their peril. And I think people underestimate nurses. I definitely want to come out here and represent well, because being a nurse isn't just about being nice and empathetic and stuff like that. That's a huge part of the job that I love. And that's what drew me to nursing was it's people-focused.
But where I work and where I've worked, it requires a lot of intelligence. And I know I'm smart. I don't think everyone will necessarily get that right away. And it's also a physically demanding job. So it's one thing to be book smart or know a lot of things. But can you actually function in high stress is what makes us unique. I think nursing is kind of a disarming profession. And so I'm hoping that will help me kind of let everyone feel like I'm comforting them. And if they have a boo-boo, I can make it better. [Laughs.]
Yeah, that might be valuable. I mean, you saw what's been happening on 44. [Laughs.]
I know! So I'm like, "Bruce, I'm off duty, okay? So we're not having any injuries this year." [Laughs.] I genuinely hope no one gets injured. I need a break from nursing. [Laughs.] They have a great medical team.
Exactly. "I'm on my 26-day break." Well, how much do you plan on playing up that generosity? Because the perception you described can certainly be a double-edged sword where they can say, "Oh, you're such a nurturing person," and then say, "How dare you stab me in the back. I'm not going to give you a million dollars."
That's true. I mean, once you get to the end of the game, or as you're going towards it, it's reading if certain people on the jury gonna vote emotionally or if are they going to vote strategically. And that might impact how you play the game because you do need to play the game at the end towards the jury. But I think we really should be in a generation of Survivor players that are rewarding gameplay. Personally, if I'm going to go out, I'd rather go out with a frigging bang than just be walking out. So if I blindside somebody, hopefully, they're on the same page there. But I think that it's something that I can navigate because I know how to talk my way out of things. I think in final Tribal, I can do a little mix of flattery and apology, but still have it be sincere. I mean, that's a hard line to walk, but I'm gonna try. [Laughs.]
Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 45
What type of player are you looking for in an alliance?
You know, I don't want to go out with a huge set plan. Because the people who are out there, I have no idea who they're gonna be. So I think a lot of it is really, for lack of a better word, "vibes." Like, "Am I understanding them? Are we on the same frequency?" I definitely want to play with people who I have mutual respect for. And I think we're kind of in an interesting part of the new era where you have all these people who've won who aren't really traditional "threats." So, coming into this season, what even is a threat? I don't know. So, using that to sort of build bridges. I'm not afraid to work with people who are physically strong or are seen as intimidating. I think that could be beneficial for me, sort of as a shield, but hopefully in a more of a partnership-type way. But there's not really any excluding anyone. I really want my game to be about having options.
When it comes to perceptions, is there anyone at this time before the season that you're eyeballing as people you do or don't want to work with?
[Laughs.] No one's talking. So I definitely feel more inclined to go with people who do make eye contact, will smile, and things like that. And some people are a little bit more stone-faced and stoic and are kind of heads down following the rules. And that sort of sets a little bit of alarm bells off for me because I definitely want to, in my allies or anyone in the game, keep people around that I understand. I can connect with them, and they will be vulnerable with me so that I can understand who they are and think about how they might play the game, and think about how they might vote in the end.
So, I'm not ruling anybody out. But there's definitely a couple of people that I think could be fun. We'll see. I would like to play with women; I'm not gonna lie. I'm not in any camp. I think I can easily bro out with some dudes if I need to. [Laughs.] But it's hard coming off season 44, especially. You need to sort of look out for each other a little bit.
Let's say a boat shows up to your camp on Day 2, asking for one person to go on a journey. How would you approach the situation?
I thinkmy strategy for handling that is I want to see if anyone volunteers, shoots their hands up. Because to me, that's a red flag. And I think that's an easy target to paint on somebody, if they want to be like, "I want to go to the advantage island, me!" Whether they lose their vote, or they don't, then that puts a target on their back for me. So, I mean, of course, I want to find idols and advantages and things like that. That's so much fun. But the early game, it's very perilous. Losing your vote can impact you and your allies. Interestingly, a lot of people who lose their vote, actually their ally goes home, which is really concerning. So that might be a factor in who I'd want to send to the island, whether it's me or hopefully not somebody I'm working with.
What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
I just watched The Hunger Games before I came here. I kind of feel like this is the closest thing we have to a real Hunger Games. It better not. But maybe Katniss. She is such a queen. I mean, give me a bow and arrow. I don't think I know how to do archery, but maybe she could teach me if that comes up in a challenge. I think she's a super inspirational, powerful figure.
Next, check out our Survivor 45 interview with contestant Katurah Topps.
