Survivor Season 26 Cast

Today was a great day. This morning I was surprised by the announcement of the Season 26 cast of Survivor! I am so incredibly excited! There are 33 days until the premiere (Feb. 13), for anyone else who's counting.

Season 26 is the 2nd installment of Fans vs. Favorites. The 1st was 10 seasons ago (Season 16: Micronesia), in 2008.The premise is simple, as stated in the title: favorite players (sometimes debatable as to how "favorite" they actually are) return to play versus first time players who boast to be great fans of the show. There will be 10 players on each tribe.

I will be writing another post with some of my thoughts, so stay tuned for that.

Let's meet the cast, shall we?
Update: 1/13/13: Click on the Survivor's name to watch their intro video.


The Favorites: The Bikal Tribe (purple)

	Name: Andrea Boehlke Age: 23 Occupation: Entertainment Host and Writer Hometown: New York, NY Original Season: Season 22: Redemption Island Previous Finish: 5th place Memorable Moment: Only woman to ever return from Redemption Island. Fun Fact: Listed a unicorn that could fly as one of the things she would like to bring with her to the island. She is hoping that all of the crazy people target each other.
	Name: Brenda Lowe Age: 30 Occupation: Paddleboard Company Owner Hometown: Miami, FL Original Season: Season 21: Nicaragua Previous Finish: 10th place Memorable Moment: First player to win the Medallion of Power. Fun Fact: She thinks she'll win because she's outdoorsy and has a positive attitude.
	Name: Corinne Kaplan Age: 33 Occupation: Pharmaceutical Sales Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Original Season: Season 17: Gabon Previous Finish: 7th place Memorable Moment: Her very brutal speech directed at Sugar at the final Tribal Council. Fun Fact: She claims she doesn't have any insecurities and from her experience things the game is riddled with them. She plans to break them down and eat them alive.
	Name: Dawn Meehan Age: 42 Occupation: English Professor Hometown: South Jordan, UT Original Season: Season 23: South Pacific Previous Finish: 10th place Memorable Moment: Winning immunity over Stacey during a very tough weight-holding endurance challenge. Fun Fact:She is coming back to Survivor for the challenge to see what she's made of.
	Name: Francesca Hogi Age: 38 Occupation: Attorney Hometown: Brooklyn, NY Original Season: Season 22: Redemption Island Previous Finish: 18th (last) Memorable Moment: Made a threatening statement to the returning players on the first day, in front of both tribes. She was then voted out first. Fun Fact:She is the first player to return to the game after being the first person voted out. She is back for the money and redemption. She thinks she'll win because she's tenacious and is not afraid of snakes and spiders.
	Name: Brandon Hantz Age: 21 Occupation: Chemical Disposal Hometown: Katy, TX Original Season: Season 23: South Pacific Previous Finish: 6th place Memorable Moments: Voted out immediately after giving up his immunity idol to Albert. Also had a crisis of conscience when trying to hide his true identity (close relative of the uber-villain Russell Hantz). Fun Fact: He thinks he'll win because he almost won last time and and won' t make the same mistakes again. When asked which Survivor he is most like, he said "Brandon Hantz from Survivor South Pacific--he's so cute!
	Name: Erik Reichenbach Age: 27 Occupation: Comic Book Artist Hometown: Santa Clarita, CA Original Season: Season 16: Fans Vs. Favorites Previous Finish: 5th place Memorable Moment: Voted out immediately after giving up his immunity idol to Natalie. Fun Fact: Erik was on Fans vs. Favorites in Season 16 as a Fan, and is now playing as a Favorite. He is 1 of 2 of the returning players who was not in one of the last 5 seasons. He thinks he is most like Ozzy because he is great at challenges too,.
	Name: John Cochran "Cochran" Age: 25 Occupation: Harvard Law Student Hometown: Washington, DC Original Season: Season 23: South Pacific Previous Finish: 8th place Memorable Moment: After being taken under the protective wings of Coach, he was persuaded to change to the Upolu alliance and voted out his old Savaii tribe members. He was then the first person voted out when all of the Savvaii tribe was gone. Fun Fact: When seeing who else was returning for this season, he was worried that this was going to be "Dunce Island" where they all have to wear dunce hats because many (if not all) of the returning players made a stupid move that caused their demise. When asked which Survivors he is like, he said "I have the humor of Rob Cesternino, the intelligence of Yul Kwon and the candor of Jonathan Penner.
	Name: Malcolm Freberg Age: 25 Occupation: Bartender Hometown: Hermosa Beach, CA Original Season: Season 25: Philippines Previous Finish: 4th place Memorable Moment: He was 1 challenge away from winning the $1 million. After securing his place in the final 4 by winning multiple immunities, as well as finding a hidden immunity, he lost the final challenge and was then voted out in the next Tribal Council. Had he made it to the final 3, the consensus from the jury was that he would have been the winner. Fun Fact: Is proud to say that even though he spent more than a month on an island with Abi-Maria Gomes, that he is still considered legally sane. He also says in his bio that if he could choose something to bring with him to the island it would be the hidden immunity idol that he did not use last season. It's "an early advantage, seems obvious."
	Name: Phillip Sheppard Age: 54 Occupation: CEO of Enter Software Sales Hometown: Santa Monica, CA Original Season: Season 22: Redemption Island Previous Finish: 2nd place Memorable Moment: He put his dirty underwear in with someone else's clothes that were almost clean. She got very upset, but he could not understand why it was a problem...the boiling water would kill anything that might have been on them. Also, had many delusional rants and actions that caused the other survivors to question everything he told them. He thought the spirit of his grandfather came to him in a dream and also wore a feather on his head during a Tribal Council. He considered himself "The Specialist". Fun Fact: Claims to be the most like Boston Rob, Andrea and Cochran. (I think he misread the question as "Which Survivors do you like the most.")

The Fans: The Gota Tribe (orange)

	Name:Alexandra "Allie" Pohovitz Age: 25 Occupation: Bartender/Nanny Hometown: Oceanside, NY Fun Fact: Her pet peeves are dirty people and people who can't keep their stories straight. She doesn't mind if you lie to her, but "keep track of your lies, you fool."
	Name:Hope Driskill Age: 23 Occupation: Pre-law Student; Miss Missouri 2011 Hometown: Jefferson City, MO Fun Fact: Thinks she is most like Andrea and Brenda, who just so happen to also be playing this season. She wants to win the money to help to pay for school and to keep life exciting.
	Name:Julia Landauer Age: 21 Occupation: Racecar Driver/Student Hometown: Stanford, CA Fun Fact: Thinks she can win because "I'm competitive, strategic, amicable, physically fit and do what I have to in order to get ahead. I'm extremely focused and have an amazing ability to concentrate."
	Name:Laura Alexander Age: 23 Occupation: Administrative Officer Hometown: Washington, DC Fun Fact: She wanted to be on Survivor because she is completely obsessed with it and wants to win the $1 million. She also grew up in the same town as Amber who won Survivor: All Stars.
	Name:Sherri Biethman Age: 41 Occupation: Fast Food Franchisee Hometown: Boise, ID Fun Fact: Loves Survivor so much that she named her son after Colby Donaldson from Survivor: Australian Outback. She thinks she will win because she is lovable and is a natural leader, and even when she votes everyone out, they will still like her and vote for her in the end..
	Name:Edward "Eddie" Fox Age: 23 Occupation: Firefighter/EMT Hometown: East Brunswick, NJ Fun Fact: He wants to play the game like Boston Rob. When he wins, he wants to pay off school loans, buy a house and then open a bar that also offers healthcare for dogs.
	Name:Matt Bischoff Age: 38 Occupation: Brand Manager of Two BMX Brands Hometown: Cincinatti, OH Fun Fact: He doesn't want to be judged by his looks. His inspiration is a man who grew the longest beard: 17.5' long! It's no big surprise that he claims to be the most like Rupert. He thinks he will be successful because he will do well in challenges, is a team player, will make people laugh and lift their spirits.
	Name:Michael Snow Age: 44 Occupation: Event Planner Hometown: New York, NY Fun Fact: Lists one of his hobbies as knitting and would like to bring yarn and knitting needles to the island.He thinks he will be able to build strong relationships long enough with his tribemates until he has to break them and vote them out.
	Name: Reynold Toepfer Age: 30 Occupation: Sales Hometown: San Francisco, CA Fun Fact: He says he's a charmer who dazzles people. He says he will be great at challenges. He lived in Australia for awhile and has experience spear fishing.
	Name: Shamar Thomas Age: 27 Occupation: Iraq War Veteran Hometown: Brooklyn, NY Fun Fact: He gained national fame in the YouTube video: "One Marine vs. Thirty Cops." He says his time in Iraq has given him the confidence to face anything. He also says that he is most like Rupert..

Photos and bios from cbs.com/shows/survivor /cast and xfinity.comcast.net