Floaters, you better grab a life vest because Rachel Reilly is back in the Big Brother house. The Season 13 Winner was revealed to be the “mystery houseguest” in the July 10 premiere, ushering in the first twist of BB27. Longtime BB fans need no reminder of Rachel’s iconic moments, but newer viewers may be unfamiliar with her lore. It’s been over a decade since Rachel played Big Brother, but her legacy looms large within the fandom. There is a reason host Julie Chen-Moonves included Rachel in her BB Mount Rushmore list. To put it simply, she is an icon.
Our favorite Rachel Reilly moments on Big Brother
Blowup fights, savage speeches, and a showmance that stood the test of time. There is a lot to cover in the Rachel Reilly BB canon. Her memorable moments are plentiful and we, the viewers, want to extend a thank you to her for being a messy queen. Let’s take a look at some of her best moments.
Rachel’s blowup fight with Ragan
Rachel wasn’t the most popular houseguest in BB12. To be frank, the house, excluding Brendon Villegas, hated her. She’s become the people’s princess, but back then, she was more like an annoying mosquito that kept evading capture. The house tried to crush her, but her competition wins prolonged her BB life. Her luck finally ran out in Week 5 when she was nominated against her showmance, Brendon. She was unanimously voted out and sent to the jury. Tough break for our queen.
Rachel was briefly brought back to the house as part of the Pandora’s Box twist. Basically, Brendon chose to open the box and unleash “something horrible” in the house. Yes, the horrible thing was Rachel. Another tough break for our queen. Rachel used her 24 hours in the house to antagonize her BB enemy, Ragan Fox. What followed was an epic showdown of insults. Ragan attacked Rachel’s appearance, personality, and lifestyle. It was brutal.
I’m still thinking about when Ragan said to Rachel, “Everything about you is a lie. Your boobs are a lie, your face is a lie, the only thing honest thing about you is the pimples on your chin.”
“Brendon, I am Vegas”

Rachel and Brendon’s BB romance was a whirlwind. The two showed no interest in taking things slow and began planning their future together in record time. There was only one issue. Rachel lived in Las Vegas, and Brendon was based in Los Angeles. One night, Brendon confronted Rachel for talking about Vegas too much, admitting he was fearful she would never move to LA. She responded with the iconic line, “Brendon, I am Vegas.”
Rachel tortures Daniele
In BB13, Rachel made it her mission to make Daniele Briones’ life hell after she evicted Brendon from the game. Rachel followed her around like an annoying puppy, trying to make Daniele lose her temper. We sympathized with Daniele, but Rachel’s petty comments were so funny.
My favorite quote has to be, “Why are you mad? [Is it] because you’re turning 25? Twenty-five is like the beginning of life Daniele.” So true.
“Floaters, you better grab a life vest”
Rachel was public enemy number one in BB12, which meant it was crucial for her to win competitions. After her second HOH win, she expressed frustration towards players who didn’t need to fight for their safety. She took aim at the “floaters” in the game. In Big Brother, a “floater” is someone who doesn’t commit to an alliance but rather sucks up to whoever has power that week. Rachel let the house know she planned on targeting this kind of player, saying, “Floaters, you better grab a life vest.” Legendary.
Rachel dresses for a funeral
In BB27, Rachel vowed to protect her “Mom Squad” ally Amy Bingham, but the house had other plans. Amy became the number one target, and Rachel couldn’t rally the votes to save her. Once she realized her friend was toast, Rachel turned on the drama. She wore all black and told the houseguests, “I’m dressed for a funeral because I already know you guys are burying my friend.” Simply iconic.
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TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH OUR PICKS? WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST ICONIC RACHEL REILLY MOMENT?