Dee Valladares and Austin Li Coon are remembered as not only two of the best Survivor New Era players, but also as one of the show’s most recent showmances. The two played together during Survivor 45, where they both began the game on the Reba Tribe. They formed a quick alliance and began to grow a close personal relationship as well. As the season continued, it became apparent that there was something serious between Dee and Austin.
With Dee set to return for Survivor 50, some fans have wondered what’s happened between her and Austin. Here’s everything we know about what has happened to the pair since Survivor 45.
Dee Valladares and Austin Li Coon had a showmance during Survivor 45, where they got to the Final 3 together
Survivor showmances are rare, but when they do happen, they can be one of the most exciting parts of a season. This was the case for Dee and Austin during Survivor 45. After meeting on the Reba Tribe early on in the game, it was apparent that the two had chemistry. They formed an alliance and quickly developed a close friendship as well. The pair was temporarily split up when a tribe swap took place, but they were reunited after the merge.
As the season continued, Dee and Austin’s relationship slowly blossomed into something more than a friendship. They spent nights talking alone together on the beach, where Austin admitted that it was one of his favorite parts of the game. He explained in confessionals that he began to admire Dee, and that he would want her to win if he didn’t. Dee, on the other hand, admitted to feeling “smitten” with Austin. The rest of the cast slowly began to catch on to their romance.
Despite their obvious connection, Dee and Austin both made it to the final three. Dee beat Austin by a slim margin, receiving five votes from the jury, whereas he received three. Austin was elated for Dee, and she was happy to have played alongside him. It seemed almost certain that after leaving Fiji, the two would pursue a relationship outside of the game.
They ultimately parted ways after filming and went on to explore other relationships
After Survivor 45 finished airing, some viewers were surprised to learn that Dee and Austin didn’t end up together in the real world. While the two remained good friends, nothing serious came of their romance from the show.
Instead, both Dee and Austin went on to explore other relationships with people who had ties to the Survivor franchise. Austin revealed shortly after Survivor 45 that he was in a relationship with Jeff Probst’s niece, Amanda. The two are still together today. Dee, on the other hand, was in a brief, rumored romance with previous Survivor winner Wendell Holland. The two never confirmed a relationship, and Dee is currently presumed to be single.
Dee has returned for Survivor 50, where she hopes to secure a second win
While Dee might not have gotten a long-term romance out of Survivor yet, she certainly has made her mark as one of the best players of the New Era. Her dominance in playing Survivor 45 earned her a spot on Survivor 50. Dee is one of three winners cast on the season, along with Kyle Fraser and Savannah Louie. She will also be joined by her Survivor 45 cast mate Emily Flippen, who placed seventh on Survivor 45.
As a winner, Dee will likely have a huge target on her back going into Survivor 50. However, if she plays her cards right, she could make it far into the game. Dee could potentially become the third two-time winner of the Survivor franchise, and the first two-time winner of the New Era. It will be interesting to see how Dee plays her second time around, without a showmance playing a part in her game. As for Austin, it’s unclear if he will ever return to play again.
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TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF DEE AND AUSTIN’S SHOWMANCE ON SURVIVOR 45? ARE YOU EXCITED TO WATCH DEE PLAY AGAIN ON SURVIVOR 50? ARE YOU SURPRISED DEE AND AUSTIN’S ROMANCE DIDN’T LAST?
