The wait is over—CBS has officially announced there will be 14+ Houseguests who will be moving into the Big Brother 28 house, and if first impressions mean anything, this summer is shaping up to be one unpredictable ride.
After weeks of fake cast lists, conspiracy theories, and enough AI-generated “leaks” to fill the Have-Not room, we finally have the real deal. As always, the cast is an eclectic mix of personalities, careers, and confidence levels ranging from “I’m just happy to be here” to “I’ve already planned my Final 2 speech.”
Of course, the biggest question isn’t about the 14 Houseguests we’ve met below—it’s about the 2-4 more we haven’t. While CBS officially introduced 14 new players during today’s cast reveal, the network has confirmed that additional Houseguests are being kept under wraps until Thursday’s live premiere. That’s only fueled speculation that the final spots could be filled by returning Big Brother alumni or another major twist. With the season built around a Time Trip theme and the franchise celebrating its 1,000th episode, bringing back familiar faces would certainly fit the occasion. Whether they’re former Houseguests entering as full-time competitors, special guests with game-changing powers, or something no one has predicted yet, CBS is keeping those final two identities locked away. Until premiere night, we’ll simply have to do what Big Brother fans do best—overanalyze every clue and expect the unexpected.
A Surprisingly Wide Age Range
One of the biggest takeaways this season is the age diversity.
The youngest Houseguest is 22 years old, while the oldest clocks in at 50, giving Big Brother 28 one of the broader age spreads we’ve seen in recent years. That’s good news for viewers who have been asking CBS to move beyond casting twenty-somethings whose greatest hardship was losing Wi-Fi for five minutes.
The result is a house that should have very different approaches to the game. Younger players often rely on athleticism and big alliances, while older contestants tend to lean on patience, observation, and social strategy. Whether that actually happens—or everyone simply joins the first eight-person alliance they see—is another story.
Name: Ashley Trail
Age: 24
Hometown: Alton, IL
Current City: Chicago, IL
Occupation: Bartender
Name: Barrett Pfeiffer
Age: 27
Hometown: Benton, AR
Current City: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Jumbotron Engineer
Name: Chuk Anyanwu
Age: 27
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Occupation: Supply Chain Analyst
Name: Drew Campbell
Age: 22
Hometown: Temecula, CA
Occupation: Surgical Dental Assistant
Name: Haley Thogmartin
Age: 29
Hometown: Neosho, MO
Current City: Wildwood, MO
Occupation: Telemedicine Executive
Name: Jason De Puy
Age: 35
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Current City: West Hollywood, CA
Occupation: Drag Queen
Name: Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk
Age: 32
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Occupation: MMA Fighter
Name: LaTrice Verrett
Age: 57
Hometown: Kankakee, IL
Current City: Maplewood, NJ
Occupation: Boutique Salesperson
Name: Lyric Medeiros
Age: 25
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Occupation: Attorney
Name: Mallory Aurichio
Age: 24
Hometown: Township of Washington, NJ
Occupation: Rocket Scientist
Name: Melody Morris
Age: 24
Hometown: Thornton, CO
Current City: Maricopa, AZ
Occupation: Corporate Game Show Host
Name: Rome Seymour
Age: 28
Hometown: Traverse City, MI
Current City: Delray Beach, FL
Occupation: Pickleball Coach
Name: Taylor Brown
Age: 27
Hometown: Deerfield Beach, FL
Occupation: Elementary School Counselor
Name: Yash Patel
Age: 24
Hometown: Monroe Township, NJ
Occupation: Financial Analyst
This Cast Has Some Seriously Interesting Jobs
Every season includes a few occupations that make fans do a double take, and BB28 doesn’t disappoint.
Among this year’s Houseguests are:
- A rocket scientist who may be the smartest person in the house—at least on paper.
- A former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant bringing charisma, performance skills, and likely one of the strongest social games entering the season.
- An MMA fighter who probably won’t lose many endurance competitions.
- A pickleball coach, proving that America’s fastest-growing sport has officially infiltrated reality television.
- Entrepreneurs, sales professionals, content creators, and several contestants whose careers require reading people for a living.
Of course, history tells us that the résumé everyone fears in Week 1 is rarely the résumé that wins the game. Big Brother has a long tradition of lawyers pretending they’re teachers, doctors pretending they’re bartenders, and masterminds getting evicted before jury because they smiled too confidently.
First Impressions
Looking over the cast, there doesn’t appear to be one obvious “token archetype” dominating the season.
Instead, CBS seems to have assembled a balanced group of competitors with varied life experiences and personalities. There are outgoing extroverts who look ready to control every conversation, quieter strategic types who may fly under the radar, and a few contestants who already have “future meme” energy before stepping inside the house.
If the preseason interviews are any indication, nearly everyone describes themselves as “competitive,” “loyal,” and “ready to make big moves.” Give it two weeks and at least half of them will also describe themselves as “blindsided.”
Time Trip Meets A Fresh Cast
The new Houseguests won’t just be competing against each other—they’ll also be navigating the season’s Time Trip theme.
CBS has teased twists inspired by the past, present, and future, along with a house filled with rooms celebrating different eras. Whether those twists reward strategic play or simply create more opportunities for chaos remains to be seen, but history suggests Houseguests should expect the unexpected… especially when they think they’re safe.
“This new group of Houseguests is stepping into a summer where nothing is as it seems, where every twist rewrites the rules, and where time becomes the ultimate twist,” Those twists will, as always, remain a mystery until premiere night, but with the season’s time travel theme, fans can expect “a game where the past, present and future collide.”
Early Thoughts
It’s impossible to predict a winner based solely on cast photos and preseason interviews, but several contestants immediately stand out as players to watch because of their confidence, communication skills, and unique backgrounds.
The biggest challenge may not be winning competitions—it’ll be managing perception. Smart players often become targets too early, while the loudest personalities can paint giant bullseyes on themselves before the first Head of Household competition even ends.
Sometimes the best strategy is looking just dangerous enough to be respected, but not dangerous enough to be nominated.
Summer Starts Now
With the cast finally revealed, speculation officially shifts from “Who’s playing?” to “Who’s lying about their occupation?” and “Who’s going to regret volunteering for Have-Not?”
One thing is certain: the Big Brother community now has fourteen brand-new personalities to analyze, root for, and inevitably question after every questionable alliance and veto speech.
The countdown is officially over. Let the backstabbing, blindsides, and awkward diary room shout-outs begin.
“Big Brother 28 kicks off with a 90-minute premiere on CBS and Paramount+ Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET. The live feeds will open on Paramount+, PlutoTV and for a limited time on the show’s official YouTube channel Friday, July 10, at 9 p.m. ET”
her game face is on and she’s locked in ? Ashley is entering the #BigBrother house Thursday, July 9th on @CBS! #Broveal #BB28 pic.twitter.com/GVHrYCobHF
— Big Brother (@CBSBigBrother) July 7, 2026
she is THAT GIRL and has her game-plan ready to go! ? Taylor is entering the #BigBrother house Thursday, July 9th on @CBS! #Broveal #BB28 pic.twitter.com/dWLkkDAAoX
— Big Brother (@CBSBigBrother) July 7, 2026
Yash is ready to win $750K AND go home with a wife! ? Watch him enter the #BigBrother house on Thursday, July 9th @CBS! #Broveal #BB28 pic.twitter.com/VBgLOwRCuP
— Big Brother (@CBSBigBrother) July 7, 2026
Looks like fun maybe I’ll watch it this year.
I don’t mind the Newbie cast and like that DEE from survivor is joining . But apparently that obnoxious and self absorbed plant angela murray is going to be on again this season which is an absolute nightmare!
At least Rachel is gone after only a few minutes.
I hope she gets evicted fast. She was the reason I stop watching her season, very annoying.
@Simon Could u please just somehow send a couple of bb24 moments to me
Hey Joe, Is there any time in particular you want? it’s a lot of data and hard to freely send over the internet.
@Simon Could you do when Monte and Taylor were celebrating on September 16 2022 starting around 2:07pm BBT after Monte won the veto to when Monte left to go downstairs which I think was around 2:30pm BBT. You have wrote about this moment already: https://www.onlinebigbrother.com/monte-wins-veto-i-cant-think-of-anything-else-to-say-other-than-thank-god/
Also could you do when a moment on September 17 2022 when from Monte first gets in the hoh room around 1:27am BBT with Taylor to when monte and taylor go in the shower which was 2:47am BBT. You have recorded the time I’m talking about already:
https://www.onlinebigbrother.com/its-highly-likely-my-closest-ally-since-a-week-ago-is-going-on-my-hoh-i-am-going-to-be-the-bad-women-of-the-season/
Lastly could you do Alyssa and Kyle on August 14 2022 around 2:30pm BBT when they were in the bathroom to when Kyle leaves. You have talked about this moment already: https://www.onlinebigbrother.com/turner-just-out-of-curiosity-where-did-this-sx-happen-alyssa-havenot-room-turner-oh-how-romantic/
I’m disappointed overall…
Like I really hope they pull a Survivor and have more people in the cast this year than usual (just do more double evictions and or speed up the evictions every couple of weeks to account for the additional people in the cast) because I want more than just 2 returning players and or people from other reality shows. Especially if they are intent on wasting one spot on Angela…
Drag Race does not count either… Like that is not the type of competitive reality show that I was hoping would be represented. Obviously Survivor and The Amazing Race would be the other big CBS competitive reality shows. And The Challenge would be the top other one.
So I really hope the premier has more (good) twists and turns especially involving the cast.
Like how about 6 past winners from those three reality shows?
Big Brother:
Dan
Kaycee (also won The Challenge)
Survivor:
Dee
Boston Rob
The Amazing Race:
Derek
Claire
Cheating with that one to get more past BB players on but hey they won The Amazing Race like Jessica/Cody and Jas/Jag. Jessica/Cody would be the alternates to keep the male/female ratio the same but I’d rather have Claire/Derek. Plus, like seriously how is there not one Asian person on this cast?
I’d also be very down to add two past winners of The Challenge. I had to look up all these stats but I know some of these people since they are always on there. Of course one man and one woman would have to be on it.
Johnny Bananas or Wes Bergmann or CT Tamburello
Sarah Rice or Dee Nguyen or Amber Borzotra
Amber is also a former Big Brother 16 player. It would be nice to see her play again without her stalker this time smfh!
I’m sorry but casting did us dirty after hyping it up so much.
I’m still going to watch but it’s sad to know what could have been.
Hopefully this will be a good Season.
Wonder if Lyric will tell anyone that her dad had 1 hit in the 80’s. That’s all she talks about on her socials. And if she mentions her brother Chord, I’m sure some will pick up she has to come from a music back ground.
Has she been on other reality shows ?
Hey y’all! I wasn’t able to watch the (horribly named) Big Brother Broveal live, and now, hours after it streamed, it doesn’t appear to be “accessible” on their youtube.
All I can see if the playlist titled “Big Brother 29”, and there, it says “3 unavailable videos are hidden”… I hope that’s not due to geoblocking…
If anyone has an idea where I can re-watch it, please let me know! Thanks!
https://ew.com/survivor-star-rick-devens-to-compete-on-big-brother-exclusive-12013019#comments
So it’s confirmed he will join the show with a mystery (if it’s Dee than that is NO mystery smfh) Survivor player.
And Angela’s annoying ass is confirmed to be back as well…
https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/big-brother-angela-murray-season-28-survivor-players-exclusive
Idk why they would give the edge in numbers out the gate to either the men or women. Last year the girls had the edge with Rachel so the men should get the edge this year if they are being fair. That would mean a second male Survivor alumni would join Rick Devens but we’ll see… I doubt it is another Survivor dude.
I always dislike all the houseguests at the beginning. Then they tend to grow on me. Please, please, please no Angela or Vinnie the wimp.
I always like several the first night, but then wean then down as I get to know them better!
Great to be back! I’ll have my 3 pre-season picks locked in once everyone’s in the BB House.
I’m looking forward to Rick Devens, Dee, and the return of BB26 Angela!
My prediction for now, one of the HG’s will think Taylor Brown is related to Taylor Hale. Somebody in there is gonna say it.
At least one recent Survivor cast member is moving into the BB House this summer.
https://ew.com/survivor-star-rick-devens-to-compete-on-big-brother-exclusive-12013019
Hello everyone. Take a moment, and a deep cleansing breath to enjoy the Samsara we have been blessed with yet… again. And now… are you seated comfortably? let’s begin.
It is time for another season of “How can Grod piss me off NOW?!?!” All summer you’ll be thinking OMFGrod…. not again.
sideye. I’m playing with my darker impulse sarcasm right now… my edit button is broken and i don’t buffer my bile well. HAVE FUN WITH IT… I’m not really serious (not completely, anyway).
So what has the beast done now?
Oh… a collection of “and not the good one” asshats from multiple other reality entertainment programs are going to ‘bless’ us with their presence on feeds (when they aren’t responsible for feeds being blocked). Is there nobody left on the continent that applies / gets cast for these things that hasn’t already appeared on another program to be the neverwas we really didn’t need to see again? like… ever?
Is your season production plan so damn weak that you have to rely on bs separate contract pay for play crap of career reality entertainment idiots? Sneer.
What do we know?
Whoever came up with the term Broveal needs to be sent to timeout preferably in a buried freezer deep in the woods.
Melody and Mallory…. kay first one to tick me off gets the nickname Melanoma. Ya… that was a given. So there is a Lyric too? okay so Jozea and the Pussycats….. oh and there’s a Latrice? This will not end well. Anyone that has ever typed the wrong name because of alliterative dissonance and crazyfingers having a mind of their own… nope not going to end well for overtired recappers. My shriveled poisonous heart goes out to Simon and Dawg for all of the almost samenames they are going to have to keep straight.
Ashley says she was a live feeder. Barrett was a bbtwitter / bluesky bbfan. Let’s count all the ways they get it wrong. We can keep a tally. That will pass the time on hour 4 of a feed blackout caused by a wannabe celebutard that has already been on other programs and should know better.
Yash was an alternate… so somebody already done pissed in the chili before they even entered the house. Given some of the week one bs scandals of past seasons… how problematic do you have to be that you are removed from cast before even moving in AND before cast reveal (meaning social media hasn’t already deep dived to reveal all their cancellable traits). Yeesh.
Oh is it faux pas to start with Yash and end with Yeesh? no offense intended. Oh who am I kidding somebody is always going to be offended by SOMEthing.
Rome’s name isn’t Rome. Just what people call him. Crosses fingers his real name isn’t Kyle because in North American Big Brother THAT never has a happy ending. Grimace.
The pink pachyderm on parade?
Whassis about Survivor castoffs / cast aways? eyeroll. grrrreat i love stuntcasts… anyone got a nailgun so i can nail a happy face picture into my forehead to hide my expression of disdain?
So we have a rupaul dragqueen. and not one of the more memorable or memable ones?
oh. this is fiiine. okay nailgun and a mute function. blink blink.
Wait….
no.
Angela? the Krappy Karen that brought down feed for up to 72 hours one week? and 12 the next week? I knew it. Grodzilla REALLY is trying to kill me.
This had BETTER be a throwback to punk’d. if not… she ended as a nope. She’ll just stay there. My preseason Nope on my bingo card. Yippefrickenskippy. Has anyone started a season asking for a double Kraken???? not sure if this is a bitch or a kvetch moment.
Throw in assorted possible participants in American Idol and other programs? And none of them the good ones… but realistic question… are there any good ones left?
So buckle up, friends and food alike…
maybe this will be the year a girlliance of more than 3 girls will actually work. Cus i don’t want to go into and explain my bb female alliancing dynamic power of 3 theory again.
Maybe this year there won’t be a who deserves the money most houseguest as if this were the Julie Chen sad story telethon. oh come on. We’re going to be hearing somebody going on with the goodpeople crap like they are makeawish within 2 weeks.
Maybe this season we won’t have a return player in finals or being given afp. Stop that.
Maybe this season the douchebros will be less douchecanoe. oh we’re gonna be doing row row row your boat as a round with harmonies within 2 weeks…. aren’t we?
Maybe this will be the year both the women and the men in the house won’t just operate on the assumption the queer guy is on the girls side. riiiiight.
Maybe this will be the year nobody says anything on feeds that breaches contract getting everyone out here frazzled with the capriciousness of the production company / network’s enforcement of their own rules. I’d hold my breath but i don’t want to die.
Maybe we’ll all touch grass. Everyone assume your crash positions or your Savasana…
Maybe this year my heart will grow 2 sizes and i’ll say nice things… yeah… i’m sure hypertrophy and dilation would cause rose colored dementia to spew from my mouth. mmm hmmm. rolls eyes. gets up to wander away.
Enjoy the season.
Please tell me it is a joke and they did not bring HER back. Groddammit.
I was hoping i would not have to discriminate between stuntcast, prodopet and prodoplant anymore. OMFGrod.
We’ll either be ‘Blessed Be’ or ‘Abandon Hope All Ye that Enter Here’ soon enough. Probably both. At the same time. Welcome to my brain… all the time.
Nice to see you back anothername. Hope the off season treated you kindly.
I thiiiink things are good. lol. Hope you guys are doing great!
Right now i am in the midst of four commissioned portraits and i have 2 other series groups ongoing, so i might be more part time obsessive this time around. Just so happens i have taken four days off to touch grass and enjoy the pool before jumping back into work.
According to an a very reliable source… the new HOH is now known.
Not spoilering because it gets too many linears upset. lol; However… it makes sense in an ‘of course’ Grodian dystopic storyline projection sense and deserves multiple eyerolls.
Come on Rick Devens!!!
Rumors.
Two alternates are in the house. Yash as i stated previously, and Taylor
The new normal mutliple comps for safety have already been blocked and shot
One source i have never vetted says HOH and noms already occurred. sideye. doubt it.
Another source, more reliable, says HOH has been played already, but did not know winner. THAT i would buy.
A rumor / joke i have seen claims safety has been given for multiple weeks to the top tier stuntcasts.
In other words I got nothing.
Nice to see you this season. Always enjoy your “thoughts”?
Good to see you boys back. Let the summer begin
grain of salt time:
still wondering why alternates were called in.
rabbithole later:
Levi, whose picture was on the official website was removed and Yash took his place.
No official reason given.
One speculation was Levi broke dontract nda by telling someone he was going to be on the show and production found out.
So that expalins Yash… now we just need to find out who and why Taylor was bumped up from alternate to houseguest.
cheers.
Anyone else in Canada able to get feeds? I seem to have lost mine this year.
Got them working nevermind… Buckle up here we go
Angela is back…. BOOO
Geez, not Rachel again….annoying
thank god it was a fake out.
… and she’s already gone!
PREMIERE THOUGHTS
First to enter: Jason.
Already doing d/r within 2 minutes of entry. So watch for too much and not enough d/r voice to tell the story of the episode? Could be. Don’t buy the assessments of each other. it’s not a diary confessional, it’s read the cue cards d/r. Personality clashes in d/r are likely for premiere purposes… when feeds come on they will be buddy buddy.
SIDENOTE:
why do i really feel like the rocket science woman has been given dress down orders for character. Something tells me that is the case.
SO THE NON STUNTCASTS CANNOT BE FIRST HOH
way to manipulate. Not so subtle GROD. Gee. Run out of friendship bracelets???
Safety comps that bring in Stuntcasts. Not HAPPY.
Some FOOLS cannot compete for Safety. Smelling Grod in Denmark.
12 get ability to compete for safety. 2 get bupkiss.
So why is one of them getting multiple d/r and the other getting practically zero? Manufactured drama? That would be my guess.
Easy way to make initial noms would be we don’t know anybody yet so… easiest noms are the ones that had no safety viability… in a 2 nom season. this is 3 nom territory with the stupid blockbuster.
Eyeroll x 10
Comp one and they are creating a 2 tier system just by calling the stuntcasts icons. Balance comp in mall.
so this would be the Angela introduction. We all lose, but the comp winner is: notKyle. Rome. Aaaand i feel like Rome is burning and I have no violin because here is Angela. Nope. Just. Nope. ANyone that watched feeds first three weeks on her season knows why i am nope on her.
Comp two. physical maze comp in jungle. Devins introduction? Chuck wins. A couple of the participants just HAD to be throwing THAT comp. Probst cameo. Yeah HE is what Probst said. No really…. were the 2 that didn’t move 4 feet in the comp just throwing or do we have to give them helmets and oven mits to cross the street?
Anyone seeing patterns yet?
Comp three. audio comp in bar. Splatter comp. Jason wins. d/r sorta spoiled that comp. and another stuntcast is safe. what. i’m considering people that were on other programs to be stuntcast and Jason fits.
SURPRISE RACHEL INTRODUCTION. Don’t get excited or whatev. This is a feint.
So. Immunity goes to Rome, Chuck and Jason.
Blockbuster is back. eyeroll. Another Grodian plot device that inhibits individual thought and campaigning. Watch campaigning last season. I shit you not. Nonexistent.
HOH: I see a volcano. no virgins competing but hey… they have to dump Rachel somehow. Cave people comp and you just know Rachel had that outfit in her closet already. Too much Rachel here….. she gone. Into the volcano she goes.
Cliffhanger before they introduce the ACTUAL third stuntcast ‘icon’? 2023 time travel.
So we already KNOW the third right?
I won’t say the name in case any linears are out here ready to call me a buzzkill.
Rachel never looked better floating in that lava….glad she’s gone, season saved
Between obnoxious Ashley and Angela it is going to difficult to watch this season.
So relieved Rachel got dropped in the volcano. Could not have handled another season. Bad enough Angela is back, and I was seriously debating rooting for her to get HoH over Rachel. Thank goodness for dinosaurs.
Only one person in their 50s, none in their 40s and two in their 30’s isn’t really a diverse age cast. They should do a decades them and have like 4 of each age bracket like they did with school clocks on season 11.