A cast that includes a snake-wrangling Southern charmer, Taylor Swift’s future mother-in-law, a former Bachelor navigating a new chapter, and several Bravo Housewives all converge upon a dramatic Scottish castle. This eclectic blend of contemporary celebrities is the secret sauce behind ‘The Traitors’, Peacock’s hit reality competition. The show, currently in its fourth American season, is an elaborate twist on classic murder-mystery games. A clandestine group of ‘Traitors’ secretly ‘murders’ fellow players each night, while the ‘Faithfuls’ try to unmask them, often turning on each other in the process.
The true essence of the game lies in the evolving social dynamics among the two dozen contestants, who arrive with pre-existing connections. The ‘Gamer’ contingent, featuring veterans from ‘Survivor’ and ‘Big Brother’, clashes and collaborates with reality TV icons from ‘The Real Housewives’ universe, ‘The Bachelor’, and ‘Love Island’. Adding in some queens from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’, a ‘Top Chef’ winner, and a few unexpected personalities creates a flavorful, unscripted drama that’s both comforting and thrilling.
As ‘The Traitors’ solidifies its reputation for creating an ‘Avengers’-level ensemble of reality TV heroes and villains, the casting executives behind the show reveal their innovative strategies for building this ideal mix of complementary and conflicting personalities.
**Lean Into Existing Fandoms**
According to veteran casting director Deena Katz, an executive producer for ‘The Traitors’ and other medley shows like ‘Dancing With the Stars’ and ‘The Masked Singer’, the pool of potential reality show participants has vastly expanded. Katz notes that the negative perception of unscripted shows featuring ‘has-beens’ has shifted as the definition of celebrity now includes influencers, digital creators, and niche stars with significant reach. The casting ‘buckets’ now encompass everyone from podcasters to viral TikTok personalities.
Consider Donna Kelce, mother to NFL champions Jason and Travis Kelce, and now, Taylor Swift’s mother-in-law. Mama Kelce was a surprising and impactful addition this season, drawing in multiple demographics. As Katz explained, she appeals to football fans, older viewers who root for more mature contestants, and the massive ‘Swiftie’ fan base. The thought of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce potentially watching along with millions of other viewers added to the show’s allure.
The show also captured a new audience with the inclusion of Eric Nam, a prominent K-pop performer and songwriter with millions of social media followers. Christine Cowan, Senior Vice President of Talent and Casting for NBCUniversal, mentioned the company’s efforts to tap into K-pop’s massive fandom. As Cowan emphasized, ‘People tune in for one person. If you pull in different pockets, they will come.’
**Embrace Corporate Crossover**
A foundational aspect of ‘The Traitors’ cast, much like many all-star entertainment lineups, is corporate synergy. Katz acknowledges that a significant portion of the cast comes from NBCUniversal’s talent pool, which includes channels like Bravo, home to ‘The Real Housewives’, ‘Vanderpump Rules’, and ‘Top Chef’. She embraces this crossover, noting that nearly a third to half of the cast often consists of NBCUniversal talent.
This season, alongside ‘Top Chef’ winner and host Kristen Kish and five Housewives, including Lisa Rinna, the cast also featured former Olympic figure skaters Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, who are real-life best friends and commentators for NBC’s Winter Games coverage. Katz highlighted the strategic timing, noting the Winter Olympics would air concurrently with the show. This cross-promotion is a deliberate move because, as Katz states, ‘Television people watch television,’ and audiences are eager to follow their favorite personalities regardless of their original network.
Katz’s connections extend beyond NBCUniversal; she’s tapped into talent from ABC’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’, including Weir, Rinna, and Mark Ballas. Players from CBS’s ‘Survivor’ and ‘Big Brother’ have also been consistent fixtures on ‘The Traitors’, despite some initial hesitations from ‘Survivor’ host Jeff Probst. Notably, Cirie Fields, a ‘Survivor’ alum and winner of ‘Traitors’ Season 1, will return for ‘Survivor’s’ 50th season.
**Explore Interpersonal Lore**
Network ties alone aren’t enough for a compelling cast. Existing relationships and rivalries are crucial for strategic gameplay. Lipinski and Weir’s real-life friendship, for example, made them an interesting duo from the start, a common casting ‘bucket’ for Katz. The dynamics of friendships, rivalries, or family connections — whether they are advantageous or detrimental — are carefully considered.
Players often form voting blocs based on their show allegiances, but these can quickly dissolve. Lisa Rinna’s early vote against fellow Housewife Porsha Williams, for instance, fueled a multi-episode storyline about suspicions of Rinna being a Traitor. Personal histories also add depth. Previous seasons have benefited from long-standing feuds, such as between CT Tamburello and Trishelle Cannatella from their MTV days, whose shaky alliance in Season 2 was fraught with paranoia. Similarly, Britney Haynes and Danielle Reyes’s revenge plot in Season 3 of ‘Traitors’ stemmed from unhealed wounds from their time on ‘Big Brother’. Executive producer Sam Rees-Jones notes that these ‘layered histories’ quickly ‘turbocharge a season’, leading to ‘brilliant arcs’.
**Welcome Chaos (to a Point)**
In the intense, isolated environment of ‘The Traitors’ in remote Scotland, conflicts are inevitable and make for engaging television. Casting involves balancing the desire for drama with maintaining a comfortable atmosphere for contestants. While Katz prefers to avoid excessive ‘fighting and yelling,’ she understands that drama is a natural outcome of the competition, and ensures players generally feel at ease.
Enter Michael Rapaport. Known for his outspoken social media presence and podcast, as well as his character acting in films and his role on ‘Friends’, Rapaport brings a unique energy. Katz highlights his ‘firecracker’ personality and humor, noting his polarizing opinions on various topics. Crucially, Rapaport is also a dedicated ‘Real Housewives’ fan, having appeared on Bravo’s ‘Watch What Happens Live’. His interactions with the Housewives in the castle, and whether they would embrace or reject him, added an intriguing layer of interpersonal drama.
Unexpected sources can also ignite chaos. This season’s drama has partly revolved around Colton Underwood, the former ‘Bachelorette’ and ‘Bachelor’ contestant. A former pro football player who later came out as gay, Underwood brought a complex history to the show, including past accusations related to a restraining order. While he embraced the ‘knight in shining armor’ archetype, similar to previous contestants like Dylan Efron and Peter Weber, his aggressive gameplay and past controversies generated significant fan and cast reactions. The show even released a statement condemning cyberbullying against its players.
**Leave Room for a Lovable Wild Card**
Given the unpredictable nature of ‘The Traitors’ — even high-profile contestants like Donna Kelce can be banished early — casting must leave space for ‘Cinderella stories’ where lesser-known underdogs can become fan favorites. Rees-Jones stresses the show’s hands-off approach: ‘We create a set, we create a rulebook for them and we open the castle gates.’ The production team avoids influencing conversations or strategic choices, allowing genuine interactions to unfold.
This season, Rob Rausch, a charming, snake-catching personality from ‘Love Island’, emerged as a breakout star. His relaxed demeanor, surprising vocabulary, and distinctive style (like going shirtless under overalls) resonated strongly with viewers. Katz also notes the unexpected importance of wardrobe, as contestants bring their own clothes, which contribute to how fans perceive them.
Gabby Windey, from ‘The Bachelor’ franchise, is another example of a contestant who used ‘The Traitors’ as a launchpad for wider celebrity. Audiences saw a more intelligent and savvy side to Windey, who was also an ER nurse before her ‘Bachelorette’ fame and later came out as queer. Katz believes that viewers ‘become their friends’ through the show, which can lead to new opportunities for contestants. Rachel Smith, executive vice president of unscripted content at NBCUniversal, observes that there’s now a clear path to becoming a ‘professional reality star’.
Katz is already sifting through hundreds of names for Season 5, always on the lookout for ‘out-of-the-box’ talent like Donna Kelce. She actively consults audience feedback from platforms like Reddit and blogs, emphasizing, ‘I want to see what the audience likes. I’m not making this for me.’