Survivor's Biggest Villains and Fan Favorites (2024)

Over the years, Survivor has had many memorable players — from beloved fan-favorites to notorious villains.The reality series follows a group of contestants divided up into tribes as they are left to fend for themselves on a deserted island for nearly one month. Throughout the game, players are voted out, and a select group becomes the jury that votes on a winner and awards the sole Survivor the $1 million cash prize.Rob Mariano, most commonly known as Boston Rob, charmed his fellow castaways and fans with his charisma and leadership skills. The contractor was the first contestant to play five times and appeared in six seasons but only won once. However, he was the runner-up in his second appearance on the reality TV series, losing to his eventual wife, Amber Brkich. The pair tied the knot in 2005 and have welcomed four daughters since.With every hero on the show, a villain also emerges. Russell Hantz became one of the most infamous bad guys in the series. The Louisiana native was known for his ruthless gameplay and ability to unapologetically lie and manipulate his fellow contestants.Russell was one of the first players to adopt the strategy of searching for a hidden immunity idol without using any clues. He went on to play three times and was a runner-up in Survivor: Samoa and finished third in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. Despite never winning the game, he is one of the few players to make the finals in multiple appearances.Keep scrolling to see some of Survivor's most iconic players:

Q’s assertive personality rubbed other players the wrong way, but he truly became a villain after winning an Applebee’s dinner during a reward challenge. He opted not to bring Liz on the reward with him, despite her barely having eaten the entire game due to her allergies, and her tradition of eating Applebee’s with her daughter while watching Survivor. Despite being the constant tribe target, Q somehow managed to stick around, serving as the perfect smokescreen to eliminate other threats.

Maria has a complicated Survivor legacy. The fifth-place finisher on Survivor 46 won the admiration of her tribemates with her physical and strategic chops, despite being the oldest player on the season. But she also stabbed her best friend in the game, Charlie, in the back in the final vote, voting for Kenzi to win instead. Kenzi won the season 5-3. To make matters worse, had she voted for Charlie and forced a tie, third-place finisher Ben would have cast the deciding vote and he has said he would have made Charlie the winner. She literally cost her best friend $1 million.

Liz will be best remembered for her famous — or infamous — outburst at Q during the Applebee’s reward, but she brought so much more to the season. As a player with a number of allergies, she ate almost nothing the entire game, with her diet made even more unbearable by the tribe failing to earn rice in the famed rice negotiation. She was also known for never holding back, speaking her mind to the cameras and her tribemates alike, showcasing brutal honesty and airing her frustrations whenever needed.

The financial analyst got off to a rocky start in the season 45 premiere. During the marooning, Emily called out returning player Bruce Perrault for having an advantage over the newcomers. Life at the Lulu camp for Emily also wasn’t easy at first, as she came off as calculating to her tribemates. Emily began to change her demeanor after she formed a bond with Kaleb Gebrewold. The change in attitude helped Emily become the last Lulu standing before becoming the fifth member of the jury.

The Canada native charmed his way around the beach and won the hearts of the audience, but his likable personality became a threat to his tribemates. At the “mergeatory” vote, the salesman made history when his Shot in the Dark made him immune and he negated 11 votes. Kaleb’s luck didn’t last long, as he was voted out the following week and became the first member of the jury.

Bruce became the first player to return in the new era of Survivor. In season 44, Bruce suffered a head injury on the first day and was medically evacuated from the game. He returned the following season and made it to the jury. While his dad-like mentality ruffled the feathers of several of his castmates, he was ultimately beloved by viewers.

The Survivor 45 winner played a dominant game that was respected by fans. She formed a four-person alliance early on and ultimately started a showmance with Austin Li Coon. While Dee came off as loveable and sweet, she showed no mercy with her strategy. Her most notorious move was when she blindsided Austin by voting out his right-hand man, Drew Basile, without giving him a heads-up.

Survivor host Jeff Probst told TVLine in December 2022 that Jesse Lopez's blindside of fellow castaway Cody Assenmacher was “one of the most powerful Survivor moves of all time because it was so personal.”

Jesse Lopez, who aligned with Cody on day one, shocked viewers when he betrayed his friend at the end of the season. The PhD student managed to blindside the salesman with a sneaky, secret idol play and stole his friend's immunity idol bracelet prior to voting him off the island. While many viewers labeled the California native as a “ruthless villain,” Jesse told TVLine that he simply saw himself as a “trickster.”

The Washington, D.C. resident made her debut on season 41 of the CBS series in 2021, using her soft demeanor to pull strings and manipulate her fellow castaways.

Shan’s method of attack was to make friends with contestants only to betray them, often convincing her tribemates to give her their advantages only to vote them out of the game once they handed them over.

The pastor fully embraced her role as season 41’s “villain,” even humming her own self-proclaimed anthem when she was up to something sneaky, dubbing it her “Shanthem.”

While she didn’t take home the win, Shan — who suffers from multiple sclerosis — had no regrets after returning home from the island. (She did not disclose her condition until after the game.)

“My only regret playing Survivor Season 41 was that my mom wasn’t alive to see it. Other than that, this was a dream come true,” she wrote via Instagram in November 2021. “I loved playing this game. As an MS warrior I kicked so much ass y’all! Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable disease and no one but God and me will ever know just how terrified I was of competing. I was so worried about flaring up and having to be medically evacuated, or being unable to walk, or see or move just because my immune system felt like acting up. But I went to Fiji anyway, because I never want to live my life in fear.”

Rob Mariano, commonly known as "Boston Rob," was the franchise's first four-time contestant, competing on Survivor: Marquesas (2001), Survivor: All-Stars (2004), Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010) and Survivor: Redemption Island (2011), the latter of which he won. Mariano was best known for his charismatic gameplay and intelligent leadership. On All-Stars, he famously teamed up with Amber Brkich, who would go on to win the season and, eventually, marry Mariano. The couple later competed on The Amazing Race. Boston Rob returned as a mentor for Survivor: Island of the Idols in 2019. He also played again the following year for Winners at War.

Russell Hantz is widely regarded as Survivor's most infamous villain. He has played the game three times to date. He was the runner-up on on Survivor: Samoa (2009), finished in third place on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010) and was eliminated second on Survivor: Redemption Island (2011). Hantz played a ruthless game from the start and was notorious for locating multiple Hidden Immunity Idols, despite not having any clues to assist him. His nephew Brandon Hantz competed on Survivor: South Pacific and Survivor: Caramoan.

Rupert Boneham became the franchise's second four-time contestant. Known for his bushy beard and tie-dye shirt, he competed on Survivor: Pearl Islands (2003), Survivor: All-Stars (2004), Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010) and Survivor: Blood vs. Water (2013). On Blood vs. Water, he competed with his wife, Laura Boneham.

Jon Dalton, better known by fans as "Jonny Fairplay," instantly earned the "villain" title on Survivor: Pearl Islands (2003). Dalton and his friend Dan, who was visiting the camp as part of a reward challenge, lied to his fellow castaways and claimed that Dalton's grandmother had died in an attempt to create sympathy. Dalton returned for Survivor: Micronesia (2008) but was the first contestant eliminated that season.

Many viewers fell in love with Joe Anglim for his physical strength and likable personality when he played on back-to-back seasons Survivor: Worlds Apart and Survivor: Cambodia (both 2015). Considered by his fellow castaways to be a challenge threat, he was eliminated in eighth place on Cambodia. He returned in 2019 forSurvivor: Edge of Extinction.

Rudy Boesch is remembered by many fans for his reluctant friendship with villain Richard Hatch. The former Navy Seal finished in third place on Survivor: Borneo (2000) and returned for Survivor: All-Stars (2004).Boesch was 72 years old the first time he played, making him the oldest person to compete. He died in 2019 at the age of 91.

Spencer Bledsoe was the underdog on Survivor: Cagayan (2014), but his alliance with Tony Vlachos helped him finish in fourth place and made him one of the most popular contestants of the season. He returned for Survivor: Cambodia (2015), where he found himself in a position of power and tied with Tasha Fox as the runner-up behind Jeremy Collins.

Self-proclaimed superfan John Cochran's dreams came true when he got the opportunity to compete on the show twice: Survivor: South Pacific (2011) and Survivor: Caramoan (2013). Though he initially lacked the necessary social skills to thrive in the game, he showed dominance on Caramoan and was ultimately crowned the winner by a unanimous vote.

Richard Hatch was the first castaway to win the title of Sole Survivor when he competed on the inaugural season, Survivor: Borneo, in 2000. He was best known for his frequent nudity, superior fishing skills and creating the CBS franchise's first-ever alliance, which quickly became a template for how future contestants played the game. Hatch returned for Survivor: All-Stars in 2003, but finished in 14th place.

Kass McQuillen was disliked by many of her fellow castaways due to her aggressive and unpredictable gameplay on Survivor: Cagayan (2014). Though she wasn't the most popular among the tribe, she finished in third place. McQuillen returned for Survivor: Cambodia (2015) and played a stronger social game, though she finished in 13th place.

Ozzy Lusth is considered one of the biggest physical threats in the series' history with his athleticism and impressive endurance. He was the runner-up on Survivor: Cook Islands (2006) and also played on Survivor: Micronesia (2008) and Survivor: South Pacific (2011). He returned for Survivor: Game Changers(2017).

Despite being a self-proclaimed "couch potato," Cirie Fields has become a vital member of the Survivor community. She competed on Survivor: Panama (2006), Survivor: Micronesia (2008), Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010) and returned for Survivor: Game Changers(2017). In 2023, she went on to compete on Peaco*ck’s The Traitors and ultimately won.

Adam Klein, a beloved Survivor superfan, surprised viewers when he and his alliance managed to vote out most of his biggest threats. With his strong strategic and social wit, he won Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X (2016) in a unanimous victory. His mother, Susie Klein, was also a huge fan of the show and found out that her son won the game shortly before she died of lung cancer.

Parvati Shallow played the game three times, appearing on Survivor: Cook Islands (2006), Survivor: Micronesia (2008) and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010). Her charismatic, flirtatious and often manipulative character led her to win the million-dollar prize on Micronesia and finish as the runner-up on Heroes vs. Villains.

Tasha Fox formed a power alliance with fan favorite Spencer Bledsoe and villain Kass McQuillen on Survivor: Cagayan (2014). She famously won three Individual Immunity Challenges in a row before finishing in sixth place. She returned for Survivor: Cambodia (2015), where she played a stronger social game and finished as co-runner-up.

Though James Clement was arguably one of the strongest contestants in Survivor history, he was faced with several dilemmas during his three stints, including being blindsided with two Hidden Immunity Idols on Survivor: China (2007) and getting injured on Survivor: Micronesia (2008) and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010).

Benjamin Wade, known by most as "Coach," gained notoriety for the unorthodox ways in which he played the game, particularly in his first two appearances, Survivor: Tocantins (2009) and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010). In 2011, he returned for Survivor: South Pacific and appeared to have learned from his previous mistakes, earning the trust of his fellow contestants. He finished as the runner-up on South Pacific, losing to Sophie Clarke.

Malcom Freberg is one of the more recent fan favorites. He competed on Survivor: Philippines (2012) and Survivor: Caramoan (2013) and returned for a third time on Survivor: Game Changers(2017). Viewers know Freberg as a strong, charming competitor who finds Immunity Idols with ease.

Jerri Manthey also appeared on the franchise three times: Survivor: The Australian Outback (2001), Survivor: All-Stars (2004) and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010). Many viewers branded her a villainess during her first two attempts, but she became more likable on Heroes vs. Villains, where she finished in fourth place.

Tony Vlachos impressed viewers when he took home the title of Sole Survivor with his first effort on the franchise on Survivor: Cagayan (2014). The Jersey City police officer famously used his sharp wit to engineer blindsides and returned for Survivor: Game Changers(2017).Vlachos became the second two-time winner after he won Winners at War in 2019.

Tai Trang's sense of humor and love for nature won the hearts of his fellow castaways on Survivor: Kaôh Rōng (2016), though many lost their trust in him after he declined to form a super idol — a special Immunity Idol that can be used after the votes have been read — and betrayed his pal Scot Pollard. He finished in third place on Kaôh Rōng and returned for Survivor: Game Changers(2017).

Many of Abi-Maria Gomes' peers deemed her unaware and volatile on both Survivor: Philippines (2012) and Survivor: Cambodia (2015). She infamously picked fights with her fellow tribe mates, including Woo Hwang and Michael Skupin.

Ciera Eastin earned "villain" status when she became the first and only contestant to vote out her own loved one, her mom Laura Morett, on Survivor: Blood vs. Water (2013). She infamously created a rift when she flipped from the majority alliance and many of her fellow contestants considered her to be a threat. She later played on Survivor: Cambodia (2015) and returned forSurvivor: Game Changers, where she was voted out first.

Sandra Diaz-Twinewas the first two-time winner inSurvivor history, winning Survivor: Pearl Islands (2003) and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010). She returned for a third attempt at the crown on Survivor: Game Changers(2017), butSarah Lacina ended up winning. Diaz-Twine returned in 2019, alongside Boston Rob, to mentor the players on Survivor: Island of the Idols. She also returned to play in the following season, Winners at War.

J.T. Thomas' southern charm and athleticism helped him become the first contestant to ever play a "perfect game" on Survivor: Tocantins (2009), meaning he didn't receive a single vote against him throughout the entire season and earned all of the jury votes in the final Tribal Council to win the game. He returned for Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (2010) but fell victim to an infamous blunder when he gave his Hidden Immunity Idol to villain Russell Hantz and was, therefore, blindsided. He returned for Survivor: Game Changers(2017).

Survivor host Jeff Probst once called Rob Cesternino "the smartest player to never win." He competed on Survivor: The Amazon (2003), where he finished in third place, and Survivor: All-Stars (2004).

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