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Survivor is a long-running CBS reality competition that brings together a group of contestants in a remote location, where they compete in physical and social challenges to win the title of Sole Survivor. The show is currently preparing for its 49th season, and the casting process for new participants is now underway. Applicants can submit their audition through the official CBS casting website.
In a Backstage article published in February 2025, casting director Jesse Tannenbaum and others involved in the show explained how the application and audition process works, what casting producers look for, and what aspiring contestants should know before applying.
The article also shares details on where Survivor is filmed, when upcoming seasons will be shot, and what previous cast members have said about their own journeys through the audition process. It also includes insight from host and showrunner Jeff Probst, who highlighted the importance of being authentic.
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“You don’t have to be anything other than who you are. It sounds so simple, but it’s the absolute truth,” Jeff shared.
The process involves more than just sending in a video. Applicants need to understand the format, show their personality, and be ready for several screening rounds.
The application process and casting team’s approach for Survivor
Casting for Survivor is now focused on selecting fans who understand the game well. According to a YouTube video posted in August 2021 by casting producer Jodi Wincheski, the applicants usually submit 15 seconds TikTok videos which usually do not get them through,
"We want to get to know who you are. We want to hear about your life. We want to see your facial expressions when you tell a story,” he shared.
This marks a shift from earlier seasons where contestants were sometimes scouted. All applicants must apply online or attend open calls. From there, casting producers choose a few individuals to pitch internally.
Each producer presents their selected applicants at a team pitch meeting. Wincheski explained that they all vote, so "everybody has to agree." Jesse Tannenbaum then makes the final call on who will be screened via Zoom by Probst and executive producer Matt Van Wagenen.
The number of people who apply is high. As per People magazine, in the 2022 casting cycle, over 16,000 audition tapes were submitted, with just 24 making it to the final in-person stage and 18 moving on to the show itself. Tannenbaum described the process as “long” and added that the team forms emotional connections with applicants, even when they don’t make the final cut.
“It’s hard because we get invested in their stories,” he said.
One contestant, Brandon Donlon from Survivor season 45 spoke to Entertainment Weekly in September 2023 and shared that he applied every year since before he was even eligible. He finally caught the casting team’s attention after attending a Big Brother open call. That experience helped him feel more prepared when Survivor eventually responded.
Filming location, timing, and audition tips from the team
Since season 33, Survivor has been filmed in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji. Probst has expressed the show’s long-term commitment to the location, stating, “Fiji offers us everything that we want,” talking supportive government policies and helpful local crews. In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly in November 2022, Probst spoke about the process.
“Putting on a front doesn’t work anyway, as our process is designed to sniff out anyone who isn’t being authentic," he shared.
For season 49, filming is expected to take place between mid-April and mid-May 2025. This timeline gives current applicants a short window to submit their materials and go through the multi-step audition process. Survivor alum Malcolm Freberg spoke to Business Insider in June 2021,
“It’s not about what you’re saying at all. It’s about how you’re saying it,” he explained.
However, Jeff Probst has also advised against imitating past players. Storytelling, comfort on camera, and understanding the game are all key elements casting looks for in a successful applicant.
Watch Survivor 48 episodes currently streaming on CBS.
