Inside the Survivor Casting Process: Here’s How to Apply (and Prove You Have What it Takes!)

Before drawing lovers, Survived Hopefuls must “outwit, outplay and outlast” each other during a rigorous selection process.

The competitive reality series, which premiered in 2000, unites a tribe of unlikely castaways as they compete in a series of mental and physical challenges while vying for the ultimate prize of $1 million. And like any ex Survived player will admit, the only thing crueler than a blind side at tribal council is the drawn-out process of becoming a contestant on a CBS reality show.

If you are a Survived superfan, you may be familiar with some of the more obscure in-shows Survived guidelines and the infamous tape audition process. However, in order to land the role, candidates must also complete several rounds of interviews, paperwork, health screenings and face-to-face meetings with the host himself, Jeff Probst.

Where to watch every season Survived

Thousands of applications come in every year, but according to Probst, in order to stand out, aspiring contestants must demonstrate drive, self-awareness and authenticity.

“Sometimes people apply and even though they say and do all the right things, you can see that there’s just no incentive. And if we don’t feel the real need to be on this show, then we know it’s not the right time for you,” said the presenter Entertainment Weekly in 2023

Do you think you have what it takes to become the next “Sole Survivor”? Here is everything you need to know about Survived casting process.

What are the requirements to get cast Survived?

Danny Massa, Josh Wilder, Frannie Marin and Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt in the 44th season of ‘Survivor’.

Robert Voets/CBS/Getty

In order to have the right to Survived, applicants must hold a valid United States or Canadian passport since filming takes place in Fiji and be at least 16 years old. However, there are age exceptions — those living in Alabama, Nebraska or Wyoming must be 19 or older, while residents of Mississippi and Washington, DC must be 21 or older, according to CBS requirements.

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All applicants must also pass a background check. Semifinalists are required to fill out medical history documents and undergo physical and psychological examinations and testing, according to CBS.

Furthermore, the network strictly enforces that “candidates who are selected as contestants cannot be candidates for public office until after the initial airing of all programs in which they appear.”

How hard it is to get a role Survived?

Jeff Probst, Lindsay Dolashewich, Maryanne Oketch, Romeo Escobar, Tori Meehan, Rocksroy Bailey, Drea Wheeler, Hai Giang, Mike Turner, Omar Zaheer and Jonathan Young in ‘Survivor’ season 42.

Robert Voets/CBS/Getty

During the 2022 casting cycle. Survived the producers received more than 16,000 audition tapes. Twenty-four lucky ones advanced to the final in-person casting, and of those, only 18 went on to compete in Season 45. Suffice it to say, Survived is one of the most popular reality TV competitions.

If you think you have what it takes to become the next “Sole Survivor”, you can apply to become a contestant through the online application portal. The entire process, which includes answering basic personal questions and uploading your latest photo, must be completed in one go. Most importantly, candidates should also submit an audition tape stating which type Survived player they will be and how their real-life experiences will help them win the game.

“It’s just the easiest way for the casting team to see their personality and the things they want us to know about them,” the production team told PEOPLE in 2023. “Then if there’s interest on our end, one of our casting producers reaches out to them and begin the official process.”

Since the casting team receives thousands of applications each year, Survived applicants must submit a new application (including a new audition tape) each year.

How are they Survived chosen contestants?

Jeff Probst in the 41st season of ‘Survivor’.

Robert Voets/CBS/Getty

The Survived the casting team, led by Jesse Tannenbaum, is busy screening potential new contestants throughout the year, with serious applicants getting a phone call in the fall.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tannenbaum explained that the team begins selecting candidates by conducting multiple interviews with a small number of strong candidates. During this process, candidates often work on their audition tapes as well.

“Sometimes we give them advice like it’s okay to be vulnerable and open and tell us who you are,” Tannenbaum explained. “So the producers will work with them to create a great audition video.”

After the casting team makes their selections, Tannenbaum sends those re-recorded audition tapes to Probst and the show’s producers, who select 30 semifinalists they’d like to meet. During this round, potential contestants speak with the casting department, show producers and executives. Physical and psychological examinations are then performed.

From there, 24 people are invited to the final round of casting in Los Angeles, where they sit down for even more interviews. Of these, only 18 were selected for the competition.

“If a player is going to panic, this is the stage where that happens,” Probst said Entertainment Weekly. “The pressure is on when there’s a room full of CBS producers and executives. And that’s by design. If you drop the ball at this stage, you’re probably not going to make the series this season.”

Any tips for getting cast Survived?

Lindsay Carmine and Karla Cruz Godoy in the 43rd season of ‘Survivor’.

Robert Voets/CBS/Getty

“Actually make an audition video,” Tannenbuam advised prospects Survived contestants in the 2021 casting tips video.

“You’d be surprised how many countless TikTok videos we get, or just a 15-second video of someone exercising or shooting a gun. That doesn’t help you,” he revealed. “We are looking for authenticity. We are looking for someone in whom we can invest emotionally.”

Tannenbaum also suggested “shooting from the hip,” rather than relying on a script. “You want to be who you are, unfiltered, uncensored, unapologetically who you are. If you curse, you curse. It’s fine,” he said, repeating that “this is not a job interview.”

Talking to Business Insiderthree times Survived competitor Malcolm Freberg emphasized that “being a storyteller is all that matters.”

“It’s not about what you say at all. It’s how you say it,” he explained. Freberg recalled “walking around the house with Four Lok” for his audition tape.

Meanwhile, season 42 contestant Tori Stanley took six years to make it onto the reality competition series. Her biggest tip? “The most important thing when it comes to auditioning for Survived if you want to be on the show, you can’t quit,” she said in an advice video for 2023 actors.

It does Survived contestants get paid?

Romeo Escobar, Mike Turner and Maryanne Oketch in the 42nd season of ‘Survivor’.

Robert Voets/CBS/Getty

Not only does the winner of each season receive the title of “Sole Survivor,” but they also receive a $1 million prize. Traditionally, the runner-up receives $100,000, while the third-place finisher walks away with $85,000. In addition, all contestants on the jury are paid — although these amounts are not publicly disclosed.

Survived contestants have also earned more than $100,000 without ever reaching a match or jury thanks to the generosity of a certain superfan. Singer-songwriter Sia is a self-proclaimed fan of the show and surprised her favorite contestants with prize money from 2016 to 2024. The “Sia Award” ranged from $14,000 to $100,000, and was sometimes awarded to multiple players in a given season.

“He gets a lot of joy out of watching Survived players embark on such a personal and often vulnerable life adventure. And she’s been incredibly happy in her career and wants to share some of that wealth with others,” Probst said Entertainment Weekly Sia’s generosity in 2022.

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Source: HIS Education