After a long, grueling wait, The Survivor 50 cast list was finally released on Wednesday, May 28. In the months leading up to the names, Jeff Probst dropped hints about the cast list, telling fans they started with over 400 people. All the hype surrounding Survivor 50 may have backfired because fans were not satisfied with the cast list. Some fans felt that certain seasons were over-represented, while other seasons were ignored entirely.
In addition to the uneven casting, fans noticed a few Survivor legends missing from the list. Several former castaways released statements telling fans they were either cut in casting or not asked to be on Survivor 50, which only added to the public uproar.
Here are five former castaways we wish made the Survivor 50 cast list.
Fans want Amanda Kimmel on Survivor 50
I knew better than to get my hopes up that Amanda Kimmel would return for Survivor 50. In 2010, she told TV Guide her Survivor career was over after a disappointing showing on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.
“I wouldn’t come back,” she told the outlet. “It’s mentally and physically really hard on your body and I don’t want to put myself through it again.”
Still, a girl can dream. Amanda came close to the title of Sole Survivor twice, and I was hoping she wouldn’t be able to resist another chance. I’m not alone in this wish. Fans on Reddit expressed their desire to see Amanda play again, saying she is one of the best to never win.
It’s unclear why Amanda is not on the list for Survivor 50. It’s possible she turned it down or was never a part of the casting process. There is speculation that her former showmance Ozzy Lusth’s inclusion is the reason she’s not on the list. But that is just a rumor.
Jerri Manthey was cut from Survivor 50
Another Heroes vs. Villains star missing from the Survivor cast list is Jerri Manthey, who fans felt confident would return for the upcoming season. Jerri shared her thoughts on the Survivor snub in a May Instagram post, telling fans she is “devastated.”
“I am pissed, I’m disappointed, I’m sad, and I sometimes am asking that very same question too: How am I going to get through this?” she said. “Being a woman in your 50s is already sometimes difficult enough, because I’ve always heard the saying that when you get into your 50s, you become irrelevant, nobody notices you anymore, and I can feel that.”
She ended the video by telling fans she is done with Survivor, saying she feels disrespected by Jeff and producers.
“It was very clear that what Jeff Probst and [executive producer Matt Van Wagenen] thought was that I should be grateful because I am the only person to experience a three-season character arc. Oh! I should just be so grateful for that. But you know what? You know what’s even better than that? Watching someone come full circle,” she shared. “And that is what I was robbed of … That is what was stolen from me.”
Jesse Lopez should be on Survivor 50
In Survivor 43, Jesse Lopez nearly missed out on a win because of the controversial fire-making twist at the final four. He was arguably the best player in Survivor 43, making his near miss disappointing for fans who wanted to see a deserving player take home the million. No offense, Mike Gabler. Ok, maybe a little offense. Fans believed Jesse was a shoo-in for Survivor 50, but somehow, he didn’t make the cut.
The former castaway reacted to the news on X, writing, “To be real, it stings. But my kids still run around telling people I’m a Survivor all star with or without 50.”
Why isn’t Carolyn Wiger on the Survivor 50 cast list?
Fans fully expected to see Carolyn Wiger’s name on the Survivor 50 cast list. Not only was she a favorite on her season, but she gained a dedicated fanbase thanks to her iconic performance on Season 3 of The Traitors. She seemed like a natural choice that would bring in ratings for the network. But it turns out, her Traitors appearance may be the reason she was cut from the upcoming season. A source told the U.S. Sun that Carolyn was supposed to be on Survivor 50, but producers changed their minds.
”Carolyn was told she had a spot on Survivor 50 but now it’s not happening,” they said. “It wasn’t signed yet but they verbally told her she would be on but just cut her. Without warning.”
The source continued, “She’s upset mainly because of the reason – she fully believes the producers have a chip on their shoulder about Survivor players who go on to do other shows.” Yikes.
Spencer Bledsoe deserves another shot on Survivor 50
Spencer Bledsoe is “healing from Survivor” after being cut from Survivor 50. The 32-year-old revealed he didn’t make the cast in March 2025 tweet, calling out Jeff for misleading him and others.
“After being misled into feeling like a lock and then kept on ice since August, I get everyone voicing their rejection. We have lives, @JeffProbst,” he wrote. “I will be producing an episode of my docureality series — to be titled Healing from Survivor — focused on contestants’ journeys moving on with their lives after playing Survivor, not just with each other on the island, but with casting and production off the island.”
Survivor is available to stream on Paramount+.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH OUR LIST? ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE SURVIVOR 50 CAST LIST?
