"I started to think about, 'What is the best player? What is the definition of best?'" he explains. "Best can mean a lot of things. Best can be who actually played the game well, who was physical, who was good for the show, who was entertaining? And then as I started thinking about it, I was like, 'If someone is all those things, then we would probably make an action figure of them.'"
You read that correctly — action figures. Despite how many Survivor castaways have become household names over the past 25 years, only one or two have actually been made into toys. But, considering how much returning player seasons – including the highly-anticipated Survivor 50 – have fans fantastizing about staple characters across the show's history interacting, the feeling is comparable to childhood daydreams of playing with action figures in the sandbox. Van Wagenen says, in his very particular scenario, the first wave of Survivor action figures would, of course, be all the winners we have had so far. Our conversation, then, was about the second line of toys, 25 players who, through their gameplay, their entertainment and their personal journeys, had a story epic enough to be shrunk down to the best 6" gift you can get that special Survivor fan in your life. And our incredibly unique thought experiment also operates under a unique set of rules. Van Wagenen only wanted to consider players that he saw since he began his Survivor career on the original Fiji season back in 2007. That means that anyone who played predominantly in Seasons 1 through 13, including standouts like Colby Donaldson, Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien and Rob Cesternino, were not taken into consideration. Also, at the time of our interview, Survivor 47 and 48 had not yet aired. So the cutoff ranges from Seasons 14 through 46.Without further ado, here are Matt Van Wagenen's top 25 non-winning Survivor players – in action figure form.
Related: Meet the Full Cast of 'Survivor 50'
Cirie Fields (Panama – Exile Island, Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites, Heroes vs. Villains, Game Changers, 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Cirie Fields"If I'm going with that premise, I think the first one I have to think of is just who I consider my queen, which is Cirie Fields," Van Wagenen says. Indeed, if you were kicking off a list of notable non-winners, it makes sense to start with who many argue is the greatest Survivor player to never win. Despite never taking home the million – or making it to a Final Tribal Council – Cirie is an absolute titan in the game, to the point where she is returning for a history-making sixth season on the island in the upcoming Survivor 50."Cirie, amazing, amazing player. And if I were to have an action figure, I think she would be the first one that I'd be buying at the toy store. Such a great, great sense of the game, but also great for the show. It is crazy to me that she hasn't won. I mean, she's come so close. But she's just amazing. I just love her. I think she's fantastic. I love her personally. I love her on the show. I think she's just a tremendous force out there." Just the thought of the Traitors winner and Big Brother alum coming in a package with the infamous couch she got up from to begin her reality TV journey in 2006 has us giggling as energetically as her infamous laugh. Throw in an alternative outfit to become the true "gangster in an Oprah suit" that she touted in her confessionals, and we're off to a great start.
Benjamin "Coach" Wade (Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, South Pacific & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Benjamin 'Coach' WadeCourtesy of CBS
"If you're gonna do an action figure, how can you not have Coach Ben Wade?" Van Wagenen asks of the engimatic "Dragon Slayer." And indeed, the larger-than-life elements that he has brought to three seasons of Survivor give the metaphoric toy buyer plenty of opportunities for customization, as well as a soundchip full of eagle screeches and Marcus Aurelius quotes. "Do you want the Exile Island monastic Coach with his shirt off and the walking stick? Or do you want original OG coach with the feather in his hair? It could have a kung fu grip!" "I love Coach," he continues. "Coach is an icon of Survivor. Especially when he went back in South Pacific, he played a tremendous game. He definitely could have won. I mean, I respect Sophie [Clarke]100%. But Coach is just fantastic."
Carolyn Wiger (44)
Carolyn WigerRobert Voets/CBS
After picking two multi-season returnees – who will both be appearing on 50 – Van Wagenen took me to the "new era" of Survivor. And, months before we found out she would be donning a cloak in The Traitors turret as one of its breakout stars, he talked about arguably one of the show's most popular characters of the last four years, Season 44 finalist Carolyn Wiger."How do you not do a Carolyn action figure? I mean, she could also have the bird's nest with the X on it. You could wind her up and she could jump around. Truthfully, I think Carolyn is one of the new era's most underrated players. I think some people didn't take her seriously because of the way she presents. And the truth is, she had an incredible mind for the game. She really understood what was going on. She made moves; she was creative. I thought she played a tremendous game. And she's really one of my favorite players to ever step on the beach."Van Wagenen is not alone in that sentiment. Even when speaking with multiple players in the preseason, many of them have cited Carolyn as one of the reasons why they felt they could apply, as they got to watch someone truly succeed in so many ways, not in spite of their quirky personality, but because of it. "Since her season in casting, we've had a lot of people talk about, 'Carolyn inspired me. She showed me that it's okay to just be myself. And I think that's a wonderful thing for people who are coming in to play the game. Because that's what we want. We want people to be themselves. And she was 100% authentic."
Quintavius "Q" Burdette (46 & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Q BurdetteRobert Voets / CBS
Next up for Van Wagenen was another new era shoo-in, Q Burdette. And, with the energy befitting of someone who once called himself the number two real estate agent in the country, he proceeds to pitch all of the things a Q action figure would come with. Chief among them, of course would be the hoodie turned fanny pack turned makeshift underwear: The "Q Skirt." "You don't even have to pay extra for it!" he says. "He comes with it. He's always wearing it. It's part of the uniform.""I loved watching Q play," he continues. "He was a madman out there. I mean, I've never seen someone so erratic and creative and energetic. He was just shot out of a cannon. And then for him to be the smoke screen for all those votes, and then end up getting voted out with an idol in his pocket, I mean, it was unreal to me. That was fantastic television. And I just loved his presence on that season. I think when you look back at that season, he's one of the people that really defined that season completely.When I talked with Van Wagenen, even though it was a year before Survivor 50 would start filming, he clearly had the possibility of Q returning on the brain. "I always wonder, could he have won at the end? With some of the things that had happened, with telling everybody, 'Vote me out,' could he have won in the end? I don't know. He had such a big turn and did so many things. I think he had a shot. And I'd be curious, how he would play again? He's one of those people you wonder, 'How does he come in a second time?'"
Mike White (David vs. Goliath & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Mike WhiteRobert Voets / CBS
He then addresses the Emmy winner directly, saying, "Here's the other thing I wanna say, Mike White. Just on the off chance that I could get a cameo in White Lotus 4..." Now, a year later, Van Wagenen will get the chance to make that ask in person, as Mike is one of the 24 contestants coming back for the upcoming Survivor 50.
Angelina Keeley (David vs. Goliath & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Angelina KeeleyCourtesy of CBS
"You would have to pay extra for that," he reveals. "She doesn't come with Natalie's jacket. That's something that you have to purchase. Maybe it's an aftermarket thing." Sounds like something she may need to negotiate once the action figure gets made! Luckily, Angelina should be up for the task."I loved Angelina. Maybe she could have the bag of rice that she was trying to negotiate. Maybe she could have the 1000-foot ladder. I mean, there's a lot of things with her. It was funny, when she first started the game, I didn't know what to make of her, to be totally honest. And then about three or four episodes in, I was like, 'I am fascinated with her.' And she, again, is one of those people who really put her stamp on the season, and really one of my favorite people to watch play. She's one of my favorite people inside and outside the game."
Jonathan Young (42 & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Jonathan YoungRobert Voets/CBS Entertainment
"Specifically talking action figure, how can you ignore Jonathan Young?" he says. "I mean, he would be twice the size of all the other of all the other players. Big, giant muscles busting through shirts that he made himself. He's basically the Hulk. So, how do you not include Jonathan? He was someone who, honestly, I've never seen someone in challenges just be so physically dominant. We've never seen that before. And then what's crazy is usually that type of person is gone first or second after the merge. But he kept going and kept going. We kept waiting for that, that time when, 'Okay, well, we got to get rid of the physical threat.' And he kept going. He really played a good game. He was a joy to watch. He made every challenge he participated in interesting."
Related: 25 Celebrities You Never Knew Were on ‘Survivor’
Ozzy Lusth (Cook Islands, Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites, South Pacific, Game Changers & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Ozzy Lusth"Ozzy is one of these people who just had this weird uncanny ability to perform in Survivor challenges. His first season was actually the season right before I came on. But then watching him play on Season 16, fantastic season. He was fantastic. He was raw; he was open. I mean, that version of Ozzy was just fantastic."Ozzy's impressive physical game and provider skills have made him a massive fan favorite. And while his strategy may not be masterful, he's had the chance to win not one, but two seasons, were it not for the Final Three twist in Cook Islands and a final challenge loss in South Pacific. Ozzy will be returning for his fifth season in Survivor 50, as the unstoppable challenge force may be meeting an immovable object in Jonathan.
"He's really just like Jonathan, but in a different way," Van Wagenen compares. "Jonathan was so much brute force, where Ozzy had so much finesse. I mean, it was like watching a pro surfer on a wave. Watching him out there, physically, was a thing to marvel at. You know, I think some people question his final Tribal performance and sometimes some of the strategic things that he did. But, as I said, I'm not going off of who was probably the closest to winning. I'm going off of who I enjoyed watching play Survivor."
Shan Smith (41)
Shan SmithRobert Voets / CBS
"And little behind the scenes [here]," he goes on to reveal. "The casting process is really rigorous. And during the COVID seasons, we weren't meeting people in person. It was all done with Zoom. And so when we finally met her in person, she was actually kind of introverted and a little bit shy. And she seemed a little bit unsure of herself. And then as soon as she hit the beach, she was a monster out there. A huge, huge presence. And she was fantastic."
Malcolm Freberg (Philippines, Caramoan – Fans vs. Favorites & Game Changers)
Malcolm FrebergRobert Voets / CBS
"This is an all-around, well-rounded pick," Van Wagenen says. "When you think Survivor, you think players like Malcolm. Malcolm is just a classic Survivor player. Good at basically everything, except for keeping his hands steady. He keeps his hands steady, and he wins his first time out. I mean, he comes from a tribe that's basically decimated. He makes it there, right to the end, and came so close."And watching him play, I think even though everyone really appreciates how good he is socially, I think he's actually underestimated how good he is socially, not to mention all the physical things and strategic things as well. I mean, really smart guy, really athletic. Just an all-around great Survivor player."
Kelley Wentworth (San Juan Del Sur, Cambodia – Second Chance & Edge of Extinction)
Kelley WentworthRobert Voets / CBS
"When we ask for people to return, it doesn't necessarily have to do with how far they get in the game," Van Wagenen says about the casting process. "Sometimes we see something. It's because they played hard. Because we saw that these are people who give it their all, and we go, 'You know what? They didn't go far, but let's bring them back and see how they do.' And I think Kelley Wentworth is a perfect example of that type of person. She went out fifth. And we could have said, 'Okay, she didn't get very far. Let's not bring her.' But we saw that she had fire, that she knew how to play the game. And so we gave her another shot.And it was a shot that arguably created a Survivor legend. Kelley embodied Survivor: Second Chance, as she made good on her return trip. She fought from the bottom, had a record-setting idol play, and made it all the way to the Final Four. It was lauded enough to earn her another appearance in Edge of Extinction. And Van Wagenen says giving that second chance to Kelley not only changed the course of her Survivor career, but many others as well.
"I think a lot of players look up to her when they're thinking about, 'Hey, I want to play Survivor," he reveals. "I can't tell you how many people, when we go into casting, will say, 'I want to play like Kelley Wentworth.' I think that she's one of these Survivor icons. If you're going to do action figures, you've got to do Kelley Wentworth.
Domenick Abbate (Ghost Island)
Domenick AbbateRobert Voets / CBS
As Van Wagenen established, the first wave of these metaphoric action figures would contain all of the previous Survivor winners. That includes Wendell Holland, who won Ghost Island in the closest final vote in the show's history, with the jury tied in their initial consensus. And so, naturally, there has to be something minted for his Day 1 partner-in-crime, and the person who nearly took home the win instead, Domenick Abbate."Tuthfully, if you're really looking at it, he's the best player to never win the game," Van Wagenen figures. "He's got to be in the conversation, because it's the only tie vote we've ever had. You just can't argue that. And actually, watching him play was funny. He had his back against the wall at the very beginning, came on strong. That's always one of my favorite stories is someone who fumbled, who stumbles out of the gate, but then comes on strong at the end."
Aubry Bracco (Kaôh Rōng, Game Changers, Edge of Extinction & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Aubry BraccoWhile Domenick stumbled out of the gate, only to finish with dominance and panache as the runner-up, four seasons earlier, Aubry Braccowas doing the exact same. It's still with some controversy that the Brain is not part of the first release of action figures, as her loss to Michele Fitzgerald in Kaôh Rōng is still considered one of the most disputed endings in the show's history. But it's her high-level gameplay and quirky confessionals that have coming back for now four seasons, as well as in action figure form."One of my absolute favorite players," Van Wagenen says. "Aubry is just a fantastic player. I love her. Her energy in her interviews were fantastic. And she had such a nose for the game, I mean, and I always go back to Day 2, her crying in the shelter with mango smeared on her face. And then to see her just gain strength as the season went on. And a lot of people think that she should have won that season. I always think the jury gets it right. But she definitely has an argument."
Christian Hubicki (David vs. Goliath, 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Christian HubickiRobert Voets / CBS
When it comes to the possibilities withChristian Hubicki as an action figure, the limit does not exist. The David vs. Goliath standout could come with his own slide puzzle, ready to solve in the blink of an eye. If you pull his string, he can talk for six hours straight, as he did during one iconic Immunity Challenge win. He could play hide and seek with you, conducting a "breadth-first search" of the backyard. And yes, folks, he does indeed play in the sand."I mean, come on!" Van Wagenen exclaims when he gets to the fan favorite. "I mean, just when we met him in casting, it was one of those people that we knew within 30 seconds he was going to be on the show. And he delivered. He was better than we could have even anticipated. So fun to watch, so strong out there. He's the type of person you want to see play all the time." And, evidently, we will again as Christian makes his highly anticipated return in Survivor 50.
Amanda Kimmel (China, Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites & Heroes vs. Villains)
Amanda KimmelCourtesy of CBS
Related: Everything to Know About 'Survivor 49'
Davie Rickenbacker (David vs. Goliath)
Davie RickenbackerRobert Voets / CBS
"I really love him," Van Wagenen says. "He was an alternate for us, and when we called him and needed him two days before the shoot, he was on a plane. And when he arrived, his voice was hoarse because he had been yelling so much out of excitement. That's Davie. "I think he would have been great, even if he were cast the whole season. But I think because he came in at the last minute as an alternate, he came in with such energy and ferocity. He was just such a joy to watch out there. He had such excitement and love for the game. Really authentic, which is something that I cannot stress enough. Honestly, those are the kind of people we want playing the game."
Rachel Foulger (Blood vs. Water)
Rachel FoulgerMonty Brinton/CBS
With no offense to Rachel Foulger, this is a pick where Van Wagenen's creative concept verymuch comes to the forefront over the actual quality of the player itself. After all, she was voted out in Episode 2 of her one and only Survivor season, used to take a shot at her then-boyfriend (and now-husband) Tyson Apostol. But, in true Blood vs. Water style, Van Wagenen figures that winner Tyson, who will be crossing over into House of Villains for its upcoming season, should get a partner in his first edition pack."This is gonna be controversial. But I'm gonna go with it, just because this is also one of my favorite people out there. You've got to have the Tyson-Rachel two-pack. Here's the thing, people don't realize it because she only lasted two episodes. But I'm telling you, Rachel is hysterical. She's a funny, funny person. I mean, she's married to Tyson. She's gotta have a great sense of humor. Controversial take, but I'm putting Rachel Folger in the first edition. Wouldn't it be fun to see her play again?"
David Wright (Millennials vs. Gen X & Edge of Extinction)
David WrightRobert Voets / CBS
If some action figures in this series represent some of the most buff, physically impressive players in Survivor history, David Wright is a Gumby doll by comparison. When the writer crafted the first page of his island story, it was full of anxiety and fear, recoiling at the sound of a hammer being swung. But it wasn't long before people were living in fear of him, as he harnessed the game to become the biggest threat in the Millennials vs. Gen X endgame."You can see I'm, over and over again, talking about people who stumble out of the gate and then come on strong," Van Wagenen highlights. "I love transformation stories. I think that's what Survivor is all about. And David Wright is an icon when it comes to that. "You talk about someone who has all these anxieties, but he didn't let it stop him. That's the important part. You can have all the anxieties in the world. But if you don't let it stop you, that's super admirable. He was so funny. Had such a passion for the game. And I think it really transformed his life. So I always loved watching him play. I loved hearing him in an interview. That's why he becomes an action figure. Probably not like the most athletic action figure, but a wonderful action figure."
Chrissy Hofbeck (Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Chrissy HofbeckRobert Voets / CBS
"I'm a little bit older," Van Wagenen says. "So sometimes it pains me when I see older players kind of fumble through the game and not really bring it. So when I see someone who's close to my age who plays well, I always applaud it." And the person who earned his ovation, to the point of making her part of the action figure set, is Chrissy Hofbeck. On paper, the actuary's liabilities outnumbered her assets, the oldest person on her season at 46. But the number-cruncher truly proved age is just a number, winning a record-tying four Immunity Challenges. And one thing is clear: No firemaking kits will come in any proximity of Chrissy's box."She was a little bit devious, she was strong, she had an opinion, and I really loved watching her play her season," Van Wagenen says about the runner-up. "Winning challenges, pulling off blindsides, full package. And as an older mom, I love seeing them kick ass."
Russell Hantz (Samoa, Heroes vs. Villains & Redemption Island)
Russell HantzCourtesy of CBS
"Here's the thing, I don't think he can change his game," he clarifies about Russell's two final Tribal Council losses. "I think he is who he is. But I do always wonder if he could tweak it just enough where he could work on his jury management. I mean, are we talking about a guy who could win the game once, maybe twice? Who knows? Because he definitely had the brain for it."
Emily Flippen (45 & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Emily FlippenRobert Voets / CBS
"Another transformation story, another one of my queens," Van Wagenen says of the seventh-placer. "I mean, she's just fantastic. Again, everything you want in a Survivor player, in that you can stumble out of the gates, but then you can recover. And not only recover, you can start to dominate, where you become a huge, huge threat in the game."Indeed, over her time on Survivor 45, Emily underwent not only a strategic metamorphosis, but a personal one as well. It's wild to think about how the person who bluntly regarded her competitors on Day 1 would be weeping at a loved ones letter on a trip to the Sanctuary. And it was her incredible emotional arc, her rise from dead woman walking to power player and a wit as dry as the red wine she swirls so memetically that made her a beloved character."I know it probably sounds cheesy, and people may not believe it," Van Wagenen says. "But one of the things we really strive for on our show is for people to have life-changing experiences. I think she was surprised by her popularity. But I saw it out there from the beginning. I was fascinated with her from casting. It was so funny, when we met her at Ponderosa the first time, we said, 'Well, what do you think of your competition?' She goes, 'I have to say they're all surprisingly average.' And I was like, 'Oh my gosh, who says that?!'"
Rick Devens (Edge of Extinction & 50: In the Hands of the Fans)
Rick DevensRobert Voets / CBS
As a newscaster, Rick Devens has no issue making headlines. And he did just that through his rollercoaster ride in Edge of Extinction. Even in his down moments, including returning to the game after being voted out via the new titular twist, he charged through trials with the vim and vigor of the Kool-Aid Man. Despite having his back against the wall the entirety of the postmerge, Rick clawed on through Immunity Challenge wins, idol finds and Tribal Council theatrics, before he finally went out in a show-stopping firemaking challenge."What's funny is, if it weren't for Edge of Extinction, he probably wouldn't be on this list, because he'd be a fourth boot," Van Wagenen recalls. "He goes out, and you're kind of like, 'Oh, he was this guy who's TV. Maybe we give him a string, and he can talk about being a reporter and all that.' But when he came back from Edge of Extinction, he came back with such a fire. "It was so much fun to watch, and it was almost like everything changed. Interviews changed. His whole presence changed because he realized he had nothing to lose. He's playing with house money. So he came in with such force, such energy. It's almost like he had the experience of a returning player in one season." And Rick will make that returnee experience literal in his future appearance on Survivor 50.
Jesse Lopez (43)
Jesse LopezRobert Voets / CBS
"He was open about it. He let us in on the struggle that he was having morally to take out his best friend. But you know what? He made the right decision. He decided, 'You know what? This is what it's all about." And it's what we all as an audience want to see. We want to applaud the person who pulls off the move. Even if it's a difficult thing for you to do emotionally, you've got to do the right thing. And he was always willing to do that. And don't forget the fact that Cody was also okay with it. He gave him a handshake and a hug. That's the move that you need to be able to do. You need to be able to pull off a big move, yet somehow convince someone that they should still vote for you. I mean, that is masterful gameplay."
Charlie Davis (46 & 50: In the Hands of the Fans) & Maria Shrime Gonzalez (46)
Charlie Davis (L) and Maria Shrime Gonzalez (R)Robert Voets / CBS
"Honestly, I loved both of them as players on the show. They both played fantastic games. They both made mistakes; they both played hard. They both were very real and open. I love Charlie. I love Maria. She really surprised me. Again, another older player who didn't let age hold her down. She played really hard. Just two people with an incredible nose for the game. Maria, an incredible challenge performer. I mean, really, the two of them, I think they will forever be linked."
Related: 'Survivor' Season 1 Cast: Where Are They Now?
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