Meet the 'Survivor 46' Cast! Liz Wilcox is Looking for a "Silly Shield" in the Game

Liz Wilcox

Liz Wilcox is starting Survivor on empty. It's a purposeful choice for the 35-year-old, as she's trying to "empty the jug" and not go in with preconceived plans. That opens her up to relying on her gut, something that has guided her from living and blogging on an R.V. to becoming a single mom and marketing strategist. So when her seven-year-old dared her to be on Survivor, it's only natural she landed in Fiji within the year. But despite her plan for no plan, Liz's creative mind doesn't mean she's without ideas, including a search for a "silly shield."

Read on for my interview with Liz, and check in with Parade.com daily for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 46 premieres on February 28 with a two-hour premiere on CBS.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 46

Interview with Liz from Survivor 46

To start, give me your name, age, and occupation.
My name is Liz Wilcox. I own my own company, so I guess you can call me an entrepreneur. And I am 35 years old. I own a personal brand where I teach people email marketing. Email to treemail, baby!

[Laughs.] I have never heard about a business like that. But I feel like, now more than ever, that's such a necessity.
So when you go to a restaurant or retail, and they say, "Oh, enter your email," and then you promptly ignore all their emails? I teach companies how to get people like you and me to actually open up that email and purchase.

How did that end up coming about? Was that something you were always interested in?
No, I've always been a writer. So, technically, I still consider myself a writer by trade. But I actually started off as an R.V. travel blogger. [Laughs.] So I bought an R.V. I traveled around with my then-husband and my daughter for four years. And I got really successful, and people kept asking me, "How are you making money with a blog?" And I said, "Oh, I have an email list." And once enough people asked me that, I said, "Actually, I think I need to sell that business and go all in teaching people email marketing." Because it changed my life. That got me out of poverty. And to be able to do that for other people has been incredible. I have my dream job.

Well, let's go from poverty to Parvati. What brings you out to Survivor?
I have no idea. Is that a real answer? Honestly, I applied because my daughter kind of dared me. She's eight years old. I've always loved the show. I've always thought, "I think I could be on that show." I think I am a character. And about six months ago, I was watching with my daughter. And Jeff comes on the screen, and he's like, "All this could be yours now." And I said, "I think I could do really well on the show." And my daughter, who was seven at the time, she said, "Are you going to talk about it? Or are you going to do it?"

[Laughs.] From the mouths of babes.
Amen. And I said, "I'm going to do it. I'm really going to apply. I think I could get on." And she said, "Well, I'll believe it when you're on the show and we're watching you." Mama didn't raise no fool! I picked up my phone. I'm a business owner. I live and die by my calendar. And I just happened to have a 9:00 a.m. slot free, no calls. And so I booked myself, and I said, "Okay, I'm going to apply tomorrow." I applied. And Mike, I kid you not, within 10 minutes, someone had emailed me back. I filled out the application. And they called me three hours later. Ten days later, I was talking to Jeff. Acouple months later, I was in L.A. And now I'm sitting here talking to you.

So the length of a new era Survivor season was pretty much the time it took you to get onto Survivor.
It happened so fast. So when people are asking me, "Why are you here?" I'm like, "I don't quite know yet. For adventure, for fun. On a dare by a seven-year-old."

[Laughs.] Talk to me about your history with the show. You talk about applying after you watched a recent episode. But have you been a fan for a while?
Yeah, on and off. I always say that Survivor has come to me in really dark times. When I was a kid, when it first came out, I was really, I really struggled socially. And I was kind of a shut-in. I just sat in my room reading books, watching T.V. And I had this little black and white T.V. with the knobs and the antenna and everything. And I remember turning it on, and there was Survivor. And I'd seen commercials for it. There's Richard Hatch there. Sue, Kelly, there's Rudy. And I just loved it, and I watched a few seasons.

Then I got to high school, and who watches T.V. in high school? I got a job, I was working, all that. Fast forward a while, probably about ten years. I got pregnant. I gave birth in the middle of a snowstorm. And I said, "What am I going to do? I'm kind of depressed. I'm a little lonely." My husband was in the military; he was gone. And I started watching Survivor again; I said, "Oh, I used to love this show." And I got so into it, and I binged all seasons. I think it was 20 or 25 seasons at the time. And it brought me back to life. I thought, "Oh, I could be on that show one day. I'm just like so and so. I love Tyson. I love Russell. This and that." And then, when I got a divorce, it came back to me again. I settled down; I got out of the R.V. I had cable, and I said, "Survivor is on Wednesday nights. I want to watch Survivor." And I started watching with my daughter, and full circle, she dared me to be on the show. And here I am!

From your on-and-off viewing, can you give me a winner and a non-winner who you identify with the most?
Again, I'm not sure. I find myself to be so different. But I guess a winner, most recently Yam Yam. I'm very social. I like to tell jokes. Everything he was saying, I was like, "I would say that. Don't say that!" I always say, "I'm just here to look pretty and have fun." And that was something he said! And I'm like, "Gah!" So, I really do relate to him. And a non-winter I relate to, I love Tai. I was in shock when he didn't win. And I was also in shock when he wasn't in the conversation of "robbed goddess." [Laughs.]

He did get some Sia money out of it!
He did. And for me, Tai was able to convince everyone not to kill a chicken and eat a chicken when they were starving. I really relate to him being his authentic self in and outside of the game. Just being himself and just doing what his heart and his intuition said, despite what his brain or his tribemates or his allies might have said. And I also love that when he did make a mistake, he was emotional about it. He shared that. And so I really relate to Tai in that way.

Going back to your relatability to Yam Yam and how you similarly use your charm and humor, are you worried that people out here will see what just happened and use it as a reason to find you threatening?
Yes. I'm so worried. We've heard about meat shields. And I think it was Sophie who said, "Yul is my nerd shield" in Winners at War. I need a silly shield. I don't know if anyone's ever had a silly shield. You heard it here first. So I need a silly shield. I need someone who is going to be rambunctious and, like Mike just said about, "Oh, that person's just like Yam Yam. We just saw Yam Yam win. We got to vote them out." I think Carolyn and Yam Yam and even Carson, to an extent, were each other's. I was looking at it as silly shields. Oh, they're not that serious. Oh, yeah, they're strategic, but we can't take them seriously. I need some folks like that.

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Is there anything else you're looking for in an ally besides silliness?
Absolutely. You have to believe in yourself. We don't normally talk about this and don't see it on camera because it's so internal. But we all self sabotage when we don't believe in ourselves, when we get that self doubt there's something inside of us that is saying, "No, you can't do that. Don't say anything. Your intuition is wrong." So, I'm looking for an ally who clearly loves themselves and is just as competent as I am so we can get farther in the game. And I don't have to worry when somebody comes so that they are deterred because they have a strong sense of self.

That's so interesting. I don't think I've heard self-confidence couched in such a way. That's almost a different form of reliability, a reliability in yourself.
Absolutely. Going back to what I said about Tai, one of the reasons I believe he didn't win was he was so worried about tripping up with his English, which was his second language. And he kept saying throughout the game, "Oh, if I make it to [final] Tribal, if I can convince them, if I can find the words." And it was that lack of belief that he could just speak that, I think, tripped him up in the end. So, I'm looking for someone who is just as loud and proud of themselves as I am.

What's one life experience that has prepared you most for the game? I know you mentioned in your bio about leaving your husband and how tough of a situation that is. Do any others come to mind?
Yeah, I guess getting a divorce actually wasn't too difficult for me. Honestly, one of the things that I think has really prepared me, and that's really unique, is I have a lot of food allergies. I'm allergic to a few dozen things. I'm allergic to fruit. I'm allergic to chicken. If I eat eggs, I feel like I'm drunk. It's so weird. And it's incredibly rare. And it took me years to figure it out. But now I'm so clear-headed. That's why I'm gonna win. But anyway, I'm off the egg.

I imagine a bachelorette party where you go to a diner and say, "Bring all the eggs you have!"
[Laughs.] Sabotage her; bring the deviled eggs! But the food allergies for me the last few years they've developed. And I've had to learn to re-eat. I've had to learn what food scarcity is, to really fear food and wonder, "Where's my next meal coming from? Is this safe to eat? Should I get a buddy to look at this? Can you confirm with me?" When I go to a restaurant, I have to prepare in advance. I can't just go on the fly. And hopefully, none of my other contestants and castaways have had that food insecurity and scarcity. And I can't wait to watch them crumble. [Laughs.]

I can't wait for them to cry about how hungry they are, to look at something and know they can't eat it. AKA your Reward Challenge. That's my every single day. Even today, we're doing this interview; they gave me lunch. There are tomatoes in it. I'm allergic. I'm just eating lettuce today. And I don't think the average person has that experience with food. Food is a delight. It's a pleasure in life. And for me, it's a very scary thing. And on the island, it's a very scary thing. And so I'm already prepared in that way. I can't wait to see these people crumble, honestly. [Laughs.]

Have they told you what you should or shouldn't be eating when you're out on the island?
They have. And I've done some research myself. I can eat fish. And so I'm trying to come up with really creative ways to go fishing if I don't win the fishing reward. And so I actually packed a long-sleeved shirt that I know is a little big on me. And I can tie the sleeves together over the neck hole and hopefully cast a net that way and hopefully get a tribemate to go shoo the fish into the net. Because I'm fittin' to eat! [Laughs.]

Well, that's an interesting win/win for you as well. Because you can help be a provider and get food, but you aren't necessarily always taking a share, so more can go to your tribe members.
Yeah, I don't have to open one coconut because I'm allergic. So I'm not going to be wasting any energy on trying to get coconuts. I'm not going to have to deal with that frustration of, "Oh my gosh, I'm so hungry. I can't get this open. Can you help me?" I'm gonna be like, "Well, I'm just gonna go to the water well. Let's pray we win the challenge. I'm gonna go fishing." There are certain berries I can eat. And the last thing I'll say about the food, it's kind of ironic. As a kid, I was deathly afraid of worms. Like, I would start screaming and crying. It was a genuine fear, like someone would be afraid of heights. It was wild. I've come a long way. But I think my weirdness still shines, which might be why I'm on the show. But I was definitely afraid of them. But now I'm really gonna have to overcome that fear. I'm not deathly afraid anymore. They just kind of gross me out. But earthworms are a great source of protein out there. So you're gonna see me squealing and screaming. But I'm gonna eat them because I'm gonna have to.

What do you think you'll be perceived as, besides the person to give the worms to?
[Laughs.] I don't know, I think they'll perceive me as a social player, someone who's fun. Hopefully not too smart. I actually have a Master's Degree in leadership. That's the only thing I'm not going to tell people. I know that I'm never going to blend in. I was born to stand out. But I want to stand out in a good way. Oh, she's really friendly. She's personable. She's trying to get along. She's helpful to the tribe. She's not the strongest, but she's not the weakest. So, hopefully, I'll be able to assimilate myself rather than blend in. I think that's how people will perceive me, hopefully until it's too late.

Is there anyone you're picking up good vibes from at Ponderosa in the preseason?
There's one girl. She reminds me of my best friend. She's got braids, really dark skin. And she is going to be my silly shield. I already got a silly shield if she is on my tribe because she seems even more rambunctious and friendly. I caught her vibe very quickly. But then I realized other people were catching her vibe. And I was like, "Oh, wait, this is a situation where I wanted to be her friend. But now I need to keep my enemy closer." Because, honestly, I think she's the one to beat.

Wow, what a call to make from the beginning. On the other side, is there anyone you're picking up some not-so-good vibes from?
There are a few people that I just haven't been able to read. That have been, in a good way, head down, listening to their little music on their tape player or whatever. And I just can't get a read on them. So, honestly, those are the people I kind of want to go to first. Interacting with them, I think I'll be able to get a good read. Honestly, that's what's so hard. There's no one that I'm like, "Oh, I don't like you." There's no one like that. I think it's gonna be a great cast. Really fun.

Anyone in particular from the ones with their heads down?
Yeah, there's a guy. He's got two earrings. And a little bit of a Jerry Seinfeld mullet. He is rocking it better than me, honestly. And I can't get a read on him. But he just seems really focused. And going back to what I said about having an ally who is concentrated and doesn't self-sabotage, I feel like that guy might be it. I just have to get a read to know for sure.

What's been your preparation to come out for Survivor?
I have done the opposite of what everybody else is doing. I feel like survivors come out here, and they've crammed everything. "Oh, I did this puzzle. I did fire until I bled. I worked out; I gained 30 pounds. I did this and that." And when plans go to shit, they don't know what to do. "Oh my gosh, I thought I was going to get that puzzle. I thought we would win. I didn't know we would go to Tribal this often. I thought I could make friends." And they don't know what to do, and they're in scramble mode the whole time.

And so, for me, I've been picturing it like a jug. And I've been trying to empty the jug. So that when I get there, I'm completely open to what is happening. Of course, I have a little bit of an agenda. I don't want to be the first boot. But I don't have an agenda where it's like, "Oh yeah. First night, I'm going out. I'm hunting for an idol. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. Anybody that looks like x, I'm going to go look out for." For me, it's more of just trying to empty myself so that the right parts can fit in during the game.

Do you feel "emptying the jug" is a product of the new era, where you just can't exactly predict what to expect to come your way?
I feel like in the new era, because you can't predict, people overcompensate for that. And it's like, "I gain this much weight. I did this, I did that." And then they're just anxious the whole time. And when you're anxious, you can't hear the voice within. We always hear it at Tribal Council: "Is this my head? Or is it my intuition? Am I scared, or is this my gut? I can't tell." And I think that's because they've crammed so much in before the game, there's no room left for the truth.

Speaking to your decision-making process, how do you typically make an important choice in your life?
So, if we talk about, is the glass half empty or half full? I always say, "I don't know, but I'm drinking it."

[Laughs.] As long as it doesn't have eggs in it.
As long as it's not chicken broth or watermelon juice or something, I'm gonna drink it. I love that. Thanks, Mike. So for me, I am a very quick decision-maker. I asked my husband to marry me. When he said, "I don't know if this is working," I left 48 hours later. I started my business the day after I had the idea. I sold the business within a month of thinking I was going to sell it. I applied; I got on. I'm sure there's a process. But I mainly really follow my intuition. Try to follow my gut. And the less is happening up here [Points to head.], the more I can hear it down here [Points to gut.]. And I'm hoping that's how I'm gonna play the game.

Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 46

Well, let me empty your jug a bit more before you go out to play. Let's say a boat shows up at your camp on Day 2, asking one person to go on a journey. How would you approach the situation?
This is something that I've been thinking about. If I feel that I am assimilated into the tribe, I would probably let someone else go so that I can stay back. I can hear the accusations. Are they telling the truth? Are they not? If I feel like I'm closer to the bottom, or I'm getting a bad read of other people, I'm rigging that rock draw, and I'm getting my ass on the boat because I need a lifeline.

How much, in general, do you plan on incorporating advantages into your game? Is that something you're hungry for, even if your hunger might be a bit different than others out here?
Yeah! Oh my gosh. Idols, advantages, got 'em shaking in their pantages. That's my motto. [Laughs.] You like that one?

[Laughs.] I think that's gonna be in a different dictionary than "silly shield" and "empty the jug."
The Lizisms! The Survivor Lizisms.

I feel like they should bring back the weird phrases for immunity idols just for you.
Oh, yeah! I could write all the treemail. I would be great at it.

I mean, that's your job!
Yeah. So I've been doing a lot of visualizations and things like that. And one of the things I've been telling myself is, "Bonuses, advantages, and wins just naturally draw to me." So, of course, I'm going to be out there looking for advantages, pushing my tribe to win those Reward Challenges. And really just looking at everything as an advantage, trying to find a positive spin for anything. Just like I said about the food allergies. In real life, it sucks. But how can I turn it into an advantage in the game? Oh, well, I'm used to starving, so here we go. I can't wait to see you crumble like a cookie, baby.

And not just the rewards the game intentionally gives you, but the other rewards. I loved when Rocksroy went to Edge of Extinction or whatever the heck they're calling it. He saw that as such an advantage. Where Erika was crying, "This is my worst fear." I love the juxtaposition of it that Rocksroy was like, "This is an advantage. I get my head out of the game for a couple of days. So I'm gonna go back in clear-headed. I'm gonna go blind one day. Look at this view. I don't have to listen to them whine and complain. I don't have to manage nobody." He saw it as an advantage. So that's the mindset that I'm going in as far as intentional rewards and advantages and whatever Survivor hands me.

What's your hottest Survivor take?
I love the Final Four fire-making.

Okay, Jeff's ears are perked up!
He's like, "I knew I picked her for a reason!" I love it. I agree with Jeff. I think it gives that person who probably is the best player that one final shot at making it to the end. Because if the other players are smart, they are going to band together, and they're going to vote your ass out. So this gives you one final shot at that immunity, at placing yourself in the final Tribal. So I really love it.

I remember watching Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers. And I loved Ben. That's another hot take. I think he's one of the best winners to ever win. I love everything he does. That was the most exciting season for me because he started at the top, "King Ben." And then it was like, "Actually, you suck, and we don't like you." And then for him to win it at the end. I was almost in tears. I was like, "Oh no, he needs this for his family. He's a veteran." And, of course, I'm on the couch like, "Ben, no!" And then, that Final Four came with the firemaking. It blew my mind. So I don't care who you are, what you say. That's great television. And it's a great opportunity for the player who is a great player to have one final shot. And who doesn't like that?

What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
I would bring Will Smith. I will bring the Fresh Prince himself. In my business, they call me the "Fresh Princess of Email." I'm a huge Will Smith fan. And some of his stories about his life just really inspire me. He tells this amazing story about, as a child, his dad knocked down a wall in a building and they had to rebuild it. And he told his dad, "This is impossible. You knock down the wall, it's just not there anymore." And his dad picked up a brick, and he said, "Son, you don't build a wall. You just lay one brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. And soon, you'll have a wall." Ever since I heard that story as a little girl, every day I just wake up, and it's like, "How can I just lay this one brick?" And that's how I'm gonna play Survivor. And so, if I could bring him in to give me some pep talks, maybe a little bit more of that story to hear it in person, oh my gosh, it would be over for everybody else.

Next, check out our interview with Survivor 46 contestant Hunter McKnight.