A new era of Survivor is officially ready to begin.
CBS has revealed the 21 new castaways competing on Survivor Season 51, which premieres Wednesday, September 23 with a special two-hour episode hosted by Jeff Probst.
The new season marks the beginning of what Survivor is calling its “Open Era,” and the name comes with a significant change to the game: every twist, hidden immunity idol and advantage from the show’s 26-year history could potentially return at any time and in any order.
That added uncertainty will greet an unusually large group of 21 new players ranging from 24 to 49 years old. This year’s cast includes a professional wrestler, federal prosecutor, medical student, sociology professor, baseball executive, voice actress, farmers and an airline gate agent.
As always, the castaways will compete in Fiji for the title of Sole Survivor and the $1 million prize.
What Is Survivor’s New “Open Era”?
After Survivor 50 celebrated the show’s history, Season 51 is changing the rules about which parts of that history can return.
CBS says the “Open Era” means any twist, idol or advantage previously used on Survivor can come back without warning.
That potentially gives longtime viewers another layer to the game. Players won’t necessarily be able to predict the season’s structure based on recent seasons because something that disappeared years ago could suddenly become relevant again.
For a show built around contestants trying to anticipate both their competitors and the game itself, that’s a pretty effective way to make 51 seasons of history part of the strategy.
Meet The Survivor 51 Cast
Here are all 21 players competing on Survivor 51.
Aaliyah Puglia
Age: 24
Hometown: Gloucester City, New Jersey
Current Residence: Providence, Rhode Island
Occupation: Chef
Alexis Levine
Age: 34
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Current Residence: Atlanta, Georgia
Occupation: Criminal defense attorney
An “Thien An” Nguyen
Age: 24
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Current Residence: Fort Worth, Texas
Occupation: Medical student
Ana Sani
Age: 34
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Current Residence: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation: Voice actress
Angelica “Jelly” Loblack
Age: 29
Hometown: Garland, Texas, and Midwest City, Oklahoma
Current Residence: Bloomington, Indiana
Occupation: Sociology professor
Brady Booker
Age: 27
Hometown: La Salle, Illinois
Current Residence: Knoxville, Tennessee
Occupation: Professional wrestler
Carter Krull
Age: 24
Hometown: Rock Rapids, Iowa
Current Residence: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Occupation: Livestock farmer
Cristian Chavez
Age: 26
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Current Residence: Salt Lake City, Utah
Occupation: Head of HR
Danny “Kilby” Kilby
Age: 30
Hometown: Mount Forest, Ontario, Canada
Current Residence: London, Ontario, Canada
Occupation: Game designer
Devin Way
Age: 33
Hometown: Lufkin, Texas
Current Residence: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Actor
Eric Macksoud
Age: 34
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Current Residence: Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Occupation: Mental health counselor
Jenna Doore
Age: 30
Hometown: Perrysburg, Ohio
Current Residence: Toledo, Ohio
Occupation: Wedding photographer
Kristin Flickinger
Age: 49
Hometown: Ketchum, Idaho
Current Residence: Santa Barbara, California
Occupation: Crisis management
Lewis Kelly
Age: 28
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Current Residence: Puerto Rico
Occupation: Farmer
Linnea Capobianco
Age: 25
Hometown: Kearny, New Jersey
Current Residence: Jersey City, New Jersey
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Maggie Nestor
Age: 40
Hometown: Middleway, West Virginia
Current Residence: Charles Town, West Virginia
Occupation: Farmer
Mike Pinsky
Age: 32
Hometown: New York City, New York
Current Residence: New York City, New York
Occupation: Baseball executive
Ori Jean-Charles
Age: 27
Hometown: Spring Valley, New York
Current Residence: Spring Valley, New York
Occupation: Personal trainer
Patt Cannaday
Age: 33
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Current Residence: Washington, D.C.
Occupation: Federal prosecutor
Rob Antonson
Age: 40
Hometown: Johnston, Rhode Island
Current Residence: Cumberland, Rhode Island
Occupation: Airline gate agent
Sharonda Cox
Age: 34
Hometown: Pompano Beach, Florida
Current Residence: Richmond, Kentucky
Occupation: OBGYN resident
CBS has also released individual portraits and a Season 51 cast photo for the new group.
When Does Survivor 51 Premiere?
Survivor 51 premieres Wednesday, September 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS with a special two-hour episode.
Beginning Wednesday, September 30, Survivor moves into its regular 90-minute 8–9:30 p.m. ET/PT timeslot.
The series will also stream on Paramount+. Paramount+ Premium subscribers can watch through their live local CBS feed and on demand, while Essential subscribers will have on-demand access beginning the day after an episode airs.
With 21 new players and decades of potential twists suddenly back on the table, Survivor 51 isn’t exactly easing quietly into its next chapter.
Meet the new castaways below and check out first-look photos of the 21 players competing on Survivor 51 as they prepare to enter the game and launch the show’s new “Open Era.”
Thomas Miller is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Seat42F, covering television, movies and streaming entertainment. He launched Seat42F in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades covering the entertainment industry.
