Who Was in the Big Brother 17 Cast?

Big Brother 17 began with 14 announced houseguests, but 17 people ultimately played the season. Jeff and Jackie were added to the cast through the first BB Takeover, bringing the visible cast to 16. The Twin Twist then revealed that Liz and Julia had been secretly switching places while playing as one houseguest. After they survived the first five evictions, Julia entered as an individual player and the cast reached 17.

This page preserves the original preseason photos and bios for the Big Brother 17 cast and records where each houseguest finished. For the competitions, twists and complete season result, see the Big Brother 17 season page.

• Winner: Steve.
• Runner-up: Liz.
• Jury vote: Steve defeated Liz 6–3.
• Third place: Vanessa.
• America’s Favorite: James — $25,000.
• Total cast: 17 individual houseguests.

Audrey

Finished 14th — evicted Day 36.

Age: 25
Hometown: Villa Rica, Georgia
Current City: Villa Rica, Georgia
Occupation: Digital media consultant
Three adjectives that describe you: Radical, fun, and intelligent.
Favorite Activities: I have some nerdy hobbies. One being I have taken a huge interest in astrology. I love to talk to my friends about the things that I’ve learned and drawing their charts for them. I actually found a nerdy online format of the show Survivor that was created by a fan and participated in it for two months. Astrology was a major part of my strategy. I chose to use astrology because it’s an icebreaker and no one is threatened by it because most people don’t believe in its legitimacy. So I did a chart for each person and leveraged moves based on each person’s astrological ego and won. I love playing competitive strategic games and thought it was cool to take an unconventional approach to the game and take home the win. I also love to read philosophical content. I like to find quotes and memes that resonate with me and add them to a corkboard in my room. When I’m not nerding out on the computer, I love doing things outdoors. Camping, hiking, rock climbing, rafting, kayaking, swimming, and the list goes on. I live for adventure! Now, on the contrary to being an extremist and playing in nature, I love to get dressed up and go out. I like to put a lot of effort into my appearance. Not in a superficial way, but it’s one of the most fun forms of self-expression for me. Fabulous hair, lashes, makeup, I’m the Beyoncé of my life story. As I should be, right? I also love live music. Witnessing art in its purest, most raw musical form is a magical experience for me. I deeply envy those people with great musical talents, but appreciate them so much. I also am a bit of a foodie. I love finding new cool places to eat and enhancing my palette as often as my wallet will afford!
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: The most difficult part of living in the Big Brother house is going to be sleeping with the enemy. You are trapped in an environment with people who you may or may not be consciously aware are lying to you, scheming against, targeting you, and only have their own best interest in mind. An intelligent person does not wake up everyday and willingly interact with people who don’t have their best interest so having to put on a face, be liberal and incessantly entertain people you could very well deep down despise is going to be hard work!
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: My favorite Houseguest of all time is Rachel. She’s beautiful, hilarious (even when it’s not on purpose), and most importantly truly understands how to play this game. She won, so she’s not completely underestimated, but I don’t think people salute her enough for how intelligent she actually is underneath the “looney toon” image she might project. I get that she’s an acquired taste, but I respect that she stops at nothing to get what she wants. She’s all business and very objective when going after what she wants to accomplish. I will be very similar just hopefully with a less antagonizing approach. However, I am not a wallflower either.
What are you afraid of: The only legitimate fear I have is probably spiders. I hate how sneaky and creepy crawly they are.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is…Throw me to wolves and I’ll come back leading the pack!
What would you take into the house and why: I would take my journal, because I like to write down affirmations and really endearing quotes to keep things in perspective for me. It would also be helpful for me to archive mental notes about people in game. I would also bring my tarot cards because I do believe in being able to tap into the unconscious and revealing a perspective that you can’t necessarily see as clearly with all the conscious “brain chatter.” I don’t believe they have magical powers and will tell my unforeseen certain future, but each card offers a psychological perspective that should be in the hindsight of a person’s mind anyways. Lastly, I would bring my favorite astrology book because it makes for a great conversation piece and I would love to see who readily admits that they identify within it. It’s not for everyone, but I would say 8 out of 10 people entertain the idea just for fun.
Audrey grew up in a small Georgia town. She is very tight with her parents and considers mom and dad among her best friends. She has worked some interesting jobs, including a pizza delivery person and an MMA Ring Girl. She prefers tall, dark and handsome guys with a quick wit. She spent a good part of her life swimming competitively, where she excelled, and she still swims laps every week at the gym. She loves to get dressed up and look fabulous head-to-toe, but she also isn’t afraid to get dirty. Camping, kayaking and hiking are some of her favorite activities. Audrey believes that fear is an illusion and she doesn’t get intimidated easily. This Big Brother super fan says, “I will not float. I will make bold moves and I will get blood on my hands. Heads will roll!” She compares herself to Dexter Morgan.

Austin

Finished 5th — evicted Day 89.

Age: 30
Hometown: Woodland Hills, California
Current City: Woodland Hills, California
Occupation: Professional wrestler
Three adjectives that describe you: Taut, equivocal, and passionate.
Favorite Activities: Gymnastics, cheerleading, yoga, Pilates, reading, writing, and people watching.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: Being cut off from my routine and from my family.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: I liked Dr. Will and Howie the most. They are complete opposites, Will being the player I would study and try to emulate, but Howie I found hilarious and fun.
What are you afraid of: Scissors, train tracks, truth claims, and living an average life.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Silence makes losers of us all.
What would you take into the house and why: Three Color Me Badd CDs, in case the first two broke.
Austin grew up with four younger siblings, all girls. His parents were hippies who let him stop going to school before eighth grade! Although he was never pushed to study, he was always self-disciplined and got up at 6 AM to read and exercise. It paid off, as he later received a Masters degree in Medieval History and fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a pro wrestler. He is known as the wrestler Judas. His looks are deceiving, as he is a flower child who does a yoga stance as opposed to beating down his opponent.

Becky

Finished 9th — evicted Day 64.

Age: 26
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Current City: Denver, Colorado
Occupation: Retail manager
Three adjectives that describe you: Competitive, spontaneous, and happy.
Favorite Activities: Weight lifting, hiking, running, and soccer. Also, I am very crafty/creative and enjoy painting, scrapbooking, and sewing.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: I feel that it will be hard from weeks 6-12. When it really sinks in that you have not seen your family, left the house, or talked to a new person. Seems like you can get cabin fever.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: Brendon from Season 12. He was relatable, smart, attractive, and fit! He was not too radical in any behavior and I feel that made him a strong competitor
What are you afraid of: Snakes. I hate those legless bastards.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… You will never know your limits unless you push yourself to them.
What would you take into the house and why: My slippers since I can’t go a morning without them and my Kindle because I love to read and it sure would help with plotting in the house.
On the outside, Becky is the “All American” girl next door who the men will fall in love with and the girls will want to befriend, but inside she’s a strategic and aggressive competitor they should fear. Having grown up in Denver, she’s always been athletic and outdoorsy. She’s not afraid to get dirty and has been known to out-climb her dates while hiking 14,000-foot mountains in Colorado. She knows her looks give her an edge in life but doesn’t rely on them because she’s the total package.

Clay

Finished 12th — evicted Day 50.

Age: 23
Hometown: Dickinson, Texas
Current City: College Station, Texas
Occupation: Graduate student at Texas A&M
Three adjectives that describe you: Driven, sarcastic, and athletic.
Favorite Activities: Aside from sports, I enjoy hunting and fishing immensely. I love the outdoors and the hill-country in Texas. It’s not really an activity but spending time with my family is always great to do.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: The most difficult part will probably be not seeing or communicating with my family. Oh, yeah, and the fact that there will be cameras on you 24/7.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: I loved Donny from season 16. I mean, who didn’t? Donny could have easily been labeled as the “underdog” at the beginning of the show due to the fact that he was essentially the outcast of that group. Any time there is an underdog, I automatically root for them. I find it deeply satisfying when I see others prove their doubters wrong.
What are you afraid of: Drowning and failure.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… If you really want something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
What would you take into the house and why: Lotion for my dry skin, tissues so I can blow my nose, and magazines for entertainment.
Clay grew up in a small Texas town on a ranch where his mom rescued exotic animals. A former college football player for Texas A&M University, he graduated in only three-and-a-half years and says he’s smarter than people give him credit for. Currently, he is getting his masters in Sports Management.

Da’Vonne

Finished 16th — evicted Day 22.

Age: 27
Hometown: Inglewood, California
Current City: Los Angeles
Occupation: Poker dealer
Three adjectives that describe you: Spontaneous, mysterious, and risky.
Favorite Activities: Shopping, reading, people-watching, and beach walks.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: Being away from my daughter and not able to see her, hold her, or smell her. I can handle what the house has to offer, I’m just going to miss my baby. I’ve never been away from her for more than a few hours.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: Rachel. I loved and hated her. I loved her because she was a competition genius, but I hated her because she was too damn emotional.
What are you afraid of: Bugs and insects! Any and all kinds. I will knock down babies and old people just to get away.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Hakuna matata! We have literally only one life to live and I’m not going to spend mine stressed out and full of worries.
What would you take into the house and why: A pic of my daughter or one of her blankets. I need to see or smell her in order to deal with not being around her. I need it for my sanity. Also, a T-shirt with my grandmother’s picture on it since she’s the reason I even auditioned and I want her to enjoy the experience with me. I’d also want my Bible. I know these people are going to push my buttons I need my Bible to keep from exploding.
Da’Vonne comes from an extremely religious family. Her mother was a minister and her uncle is a pastor, but she has always gone against the grain. While her family was in church and Bible study, she was at the beach or out with her friends. Her grandmother was the person who understood her best and the one with whom she would watch Big Brother. She encouraged Da’Vonne to apply for the show and the 27-year-old is ready to play! As a poker dealer, she has studied the game and done the competitions along with the Houseguests while watching the show. She knows she needs to learn each person well, even though she doesn’t like to team-up with people. She knows she can only trust herself. A super tomboy growing up, she is a strong woman and a single mom. Not worried about the opinions of others, she is doing this for her daughter, hoping to win the money for her future!

Jace

Finished 17th — evicted Day 15.

Age: 23
Hometown: Dunwoody, Georgia
Current City: Venice Beach
Occupation: Personal trainer
Three adjectives that describe you: Clever, mighty, and brave.
Favorite Activities: I love exploring new places and meeting new people. I live for adrenaline so I can never seem to surf, skate, or snowboard enough.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: After 90 days of no privacy, things would begin to get somewhat invasive. It would be tough to avoid being in everyone’s business.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: I like Derrick because he played the game with strategy and purpose.
What are you afraid of: I’m afraid of fear.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Never stop exploring.
What would you take into the house and why: My notebook to keep track of it all and my yoyo because it clears my head.
Jace grew up in Dunwoody, Georgia, and is known by all as an adrenaline junkie. He surfs, snowboards, skateboards semi-professionally, and considers himself a modern-day adventurer who models his life after Indiana Jones. He loves his new life in sunny Venice Beach, but will always be a Southern boy at heart.

Jackie

Finished 10th — evicted Day 57.

Age: 27
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Current City: Las Vegas, Nevada
Occupation: Professional dancer
Three adjectives that describe you: Passionate, adventurous, and fierce.
Favorite Activities: Dancing, working out, cooking, and hiking.

Jackie was not included in the original 14-person cast announcement preserved on this page. She and Jeff were added before the premiere as part of the first BB Takeover, bringing the visible cast to 16.

James

Finished 7th — evicted Day 78. America’s Favorite.

Age: 31
Hometown: Sumter, South Carolina
Current City: Wichita Falls, Texas
Occupation: Retail associate
Three adjectives that describe you: Fun, unique, and diverse.
Favorite Activities: Anything fun: hiking, horseback riding, mudding, skeet shooting, fishing, camping, hanging out with friends, and riding the rivers at night catching some monsters.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: Leaving everyone behind, but I’ve always been on-the-go through the military, so I guess it won’t be too bad.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: I have to say Zack Attack and Victoria because they both seem like they are loyal.
What are you afraid of: I’d have to say I’m afraid of sharks and anything that is in the water that can hurt me. I hate spiders, too. They just look really weird.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Yolo, ball out till you fall out, no regrets!
What would you take into the house and why: Cell phone, of course, because it’s my best friend, LOL! Also, my cat Gizmo, because he is awesome, and my Taylor Swift cut out.
James spent the first part of his life being raised in a boys’ home in South Carolina after his mother passed away from cancer and his father was unable to care for him. In his early teens, he was adopted by a Caucasian family and has called them mom and dad since. James loves his southern roots and served six years in the armed forces.

Jason

Finished 13th — evicted Day 43.

Age: 25
Hometown: Fall River, Massachusetts
Current City: Swansea, Massachusetts
Occupation: Supermarket cashier
Three adjectives that describe you: Vibrant, motor mouthed, and hungry.
Favorite Activities: Hanging out with my girlfriends, going out with them shopping/dinner/drinks, etc. I also enjoy crafts, item personalization, making candles, anything DIY and upcycling. Watching the Big Brother feeds and enjoying days in the sun, which are few here.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: I feel the most difficult part will be the game aspect. The maneuvering through people and surviving the first week and any twists. I’ve watched enough years of feeds to know I can slink around and be bored all day and that daily living will become second nature. It will probably be most difficult biting my tongue. In life, I will check people without fear of repercussion but in that house, I could be chewing my lips off my face some days. Also, running out of cigarettes in an already stressful environment would be difficult.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: Favorites would include Danielle from Season 3, Diane from Season 5, Daniele from Season 8, Kevin from Season 11, and Britney from Season 12. Diane would be my overall favorite because I feel that she was the first girl to truly get robbed in this game. Sorry, Danielle from Season 3, but you should have known the Satan thing wasn’t going to go over well. Britney was a great entertainment factor and a catchphrase queen.
What are you afraid of: Flying and airplanes. Also, spiders. I have two terrible stories of spiders and their babies hatching close in my vicinity. Once, as a child, I woke up all itchy and knew something was wrong. I turned on the light, which was hanging above my bed, and I was covered with hundreds of little white spiders. I didn’t sleep in my room for a week afterwards. Spiders are my only kryptonite.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Make fun of everything and most especially yourself.
What would you take into the house and why: My Louis Vuitton backpack because it’s like my adopted child that comes everywhere (the uses for it in that house are currently lost on me), Mod Podge for crafting (best way to stay busy and break up the day), and I guess all my crazy printed shirts that would most likely get confiscated.
Jason may be short and skinny, but this Massachusetts boy has got a big mouth on him. Never one to shy away from conflict, Jason admits he’s not easily intimidated. As a child, Jason was always picked last for team sports but would then surprise his classmates with his unwavering determination and shocking speed. Still living at home with his mother, Jason has always got along better with women and plans on having an all-female alliance upon entering the Big Brother house. He thinks the strong men should be targeted immediately and winning challenges will be a crucial part of his strategy. Jason wouldn’t be caught dead lounging around the Big Brother house in his pajamas all day; he’s got too much style and sass for that.

Jeff

Finished 15th — evicted Day 29.

Age: 26
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Current City: Tampa, Florida
Occupation: Account executive
Three adjectives that describe you: Charismatic, outgoing, and clever.
Favorite Activities: Anything outdoors, boating, hiking, working out, and reading.

Jeff was not included in the original 14-person cast announcement preserved on this page. He entered Big Brother 17 with Jackie through the first BB Takeover.

Johnny Mac

Finished 4th — evicted Day 91 after returning to the game on Day 71.

Age: 27
Hometown: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Current City: Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania
Occupation: Dentist
Three adjectives that describe you: Ninja-esque, klutz, and eccentric.
Favorite Activities: Playing guitars, lifting, running mud races, and occasionally getting drunk and dominating in a video game with my friends.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: I don’t know what that California heat is like, or earthquakes, so probably those two things.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: This changes a lot as I get older. Right now, I’m going to avoid saying that I have ever liked anyone because my next sentence would confirm I’m a hypocrite. I hate watching nerdy know-it-alls like Ian, Nicole and Derrick because they let their knowledge of the game turn into hero worship and it’s not what I watch the game for.
What are you afraid of: That the ’90s won’t come back.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… No God or kings. Only man. Yeah, I stole that one, but it’s so true.
What would you take into the house and why: I would bring a Rubik’s cube to see who was smart enough to figure it out and get rid of them immediately. Also, maybe some shiny objects to distract the other ones, and a dragon.
John (aka Johnny Mac, the Rock Star Dentist) is unlike any other dentist. He is loud, obnoxious, and never seems to run out of energy. Recently, he’s taken up running Tough Mudder marathons and is excited to have a few showmances. Single and proud of it, if any girl wants more of a relationship, he has a sure-fire way of getting out of it—he’ll start acting completely annoying and geeky, so they end up dumping him and no hearts are broken. He’s a super-fan and wants to win so he can save his parents’ lake house and finally pay off his school loans.

Julia

Finished 6th — evicted Day 85. Entered as an individual houseguest on Day 43.

Age: 23
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Occupation: Marketing intern

Julia began Big Brother 17 as the hidden half of the Twin Twist. She and Liz secretly switched places while both played as “Liz,” using brief Diary Room changeovers to exchange information and match their appearance. After surviving the first five evictions, the twins completed the twist and Julia entered the house as an individual player on Day 43.

Liz

Runner-up — lost to Steve 6–3 on Day 98.

Age: 23
Hometown: Miami
Current City: Miami
Occupation: Marketing coordinator
Three adjectives that describe you: Outgoing, likable, and determined.
Favorite Activities: Adventuring around town, eating, exercising, boating in Miami, and paddle boarding.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: Sharing a bathroom/facilities. Also, being careful not to walk around naked!
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: Janelle and Jeff were my faves. I also loved Frankie Grande.
What are you afraid of: The dark.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Life’s too short to blend in.
What would you take into the house and why: A disposable camera to take pics, a kick-ass book, and an emergency bottle of wine.
Born and raised in Miami, Liz has become a mainstay on the Miami nightlife circuit. More than just a pretty face, Liz is known as a bit of a brainiac, having graduated cum-laude, but still spends plenty of time keeping up on pop culture. When it comes to dating, Liz wears her heart on her sleeve and is a true romantic looking for love. It will be a little difficult for her to separate the game from her personal feelings, but she’s well aware that her sultry, raspy voice and stunning looks can work magic with the men. Liz realizes she can come off intimidating and girls can be catty, so she plans on working extra hard on her relationships with the other girls in the house and hopefully be more of a friend, instead of a threat.

Meg

Finished 8th — evicted Day 78.

Age: 25
Hometown: Collingswood, New Jersey
Current City: New York City
Occupation: Server
Three adjectives that describe you: Outgoing, fun, and compassionate.
Favorite Activities: The beach, spin class, brunch, and anything music.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: The thing I’m most scared about is being bored. Living in NYC, I constantly have things to do, people to see, and places to go. Three months in the same environment frightens me that I would be bored out of my mind, so please choose interesting people as housemates!
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: Frankie Grande. What a hottie. My heart is stolen by fabulous gay men and he wins.
What are you afraid of: I’m a little scared of the typical things—heights, snakes, bugs—but all are just small scaredy-cat feelings! I’m so ready to conquer all of them and I’m not bothered much.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Always yes. (My tattoo is evidence of this.)
What would you take into the house and why: A deck of cards because I am terrified of being bored in life, my red lipstick because any girl should list this as a response, and photos of all my friends and family because they are all rock stars, especially my nieces and nephew.
Meg says growing up in New Jersey was the best time of her life. She’s been boy-crazy and super competitive since she can remember. In high school, she decided to join the hockey and baseball teams so she could have her fix of flirting with the boys and competing to win. Meg doesn’t take herself too seriously nor does she live a boring life. Meg says she has what it takes to win Big Brother; she’s likeable, goofy, intelligent, and adapts to every social situation. Straight guys like her because she’s an adorable blonde guys’ gal, while gay guys love her sass, and girls love her because she’s non-threatening and swears by the girl code.

Shelli

Finished 11th — evicted Day 57.

Age: 33
Hometown: Marietta, Georgia
Current City: Atlanta
Occupation: Interior designer
Three adjectives that describe you: Outgoing, loyal, and energetic.
Favorite Activities: Shopping! Decorating. Wine and dinner with friends. I’m a workaholic, so I’m out working a lot. I do love TV. I am also a jewelry designer, so I spend a lot of time making handmade jewelry and selling it on Etsy: sweetclover05.etsy.com.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: Seclusion! And not knowing who to trust.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: Cody was so hot. Derrick was my very favorite. I also liked Brendan and Rachel, and obviously Jeff and Jordan! What are you afraid of: Sharks and alligators.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… Be happy, have fun. Seriously.
What would you take into the house and why: My dog! He is my love and everyone would love him! I’d also want a camera to capture our moments and an iPod so we could have dance parties.
Shelli is a fraternal twin and the middle of five children, so she’s been fighting for attention since a young age. Shelli has been in relationships for as far back as she can remember and got married when she was 28 years old. After just a year, Shelli divorced her husband only to hop right back into a relationship with a childhood friend. Last summer, she was watching Big Brother and told her boyfriend at the time she wanted to apply. He mocked her, and that was enough for Shelli to push her dreams aside. Shelli is now single, living on her own as a successful career woman, and stopping at nothing to fulfill her dream of entering the Big Brother house. This Atlanta native is a good mix of southern charm and city grit. At 33 years old, Shelli is finally doing what she wants to do, so don’t get in her way.

Steve

Winner — defeated Liz 6–3 on Day 98.

Age: 22
Hometown: Gouverneur, New York
Current City: Gouverneur, New York
Occupation: College student
Three adjectives that describe you: Brilliant, innocent, and deep.
Favorite Activities: I love listening to, playing, mixing, and recording music. Some of my happiest moments here are when I’m playing in trombone choir and we make this solid wall of sound after building up lots of tension over the course of the piece. I get these goosebumps down my spine that I don’t get from anything except for music. Music, when played right, can be a really deep and fulfilling emotional adventure.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: The most difficult part would be dealing with stupid people who choose to completely disregard the consequences of their actions. It’s much harder to reason with people who are too nearsighted to even try to think strategically and be in the position where I have to deal with them will be a struggle. At the same time, I’m super-nervous about dealing with people like this and can compare myself to my dad. When he was my age, he was drafted into the Vietnam War. If my dad can handle that, I can handle the Big Brother house.
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: My all-time favorite houseguest is Danielle Reyes from Season 3 and All-Stars. Not only is she a mom in real life, but we also got to see her act like a loving and caring mom in the house through her relationship with Jason. I loved it when her claws came out when anyone even thought about trying to touch Jason. She was a strong and proud woman who was very confident and made big moves when necessary. She is responsible for one of the most memorable moves in history getting Marcellas to not save himself with the first golden PoV. All of these qualities reminded me of my own mom. For these same reasons, Helen Kim from Season 15 is a close second favorite.
What are you afraid of: My engineering background has made me afraid of heights. Now that I’ve seen how tall buildings and the like are designed, I know what absolute crap the design process is. I’ve studied too many cases of building failure (with hopes of learning from the mistake) that were caused by one tiny little detail.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… A quote that I found on Facebook. It was the basis for my graduation speech and also part of my inspiration to leave Cornell for Fredonia: “Go ahead, take chances. Tell the truth. Date someone totally wrong for you. Say no. Spend all your cash. Get to know someone random. Be random. Say I love you. Sing out loud. Laugh at stupid jokes. Cry. Apologize. Tell someone how much they mean to you. Tell a jerk what you think. Laugh until your stomach hurts. Live life. Regret nothing.”
What would you take into the house and why: First would be a notebook and a pencil. There are always competitions towards the end of every season that test your memory of the season up to that point, so I’m going to have to memorize as much as I can about every competition and ceremony as I go. I would love to have a notebook so I would have a way to document everything as it happened to help me in those last few competitions. Second would be Coco, my teddy bear. Unlike most college males, I still have not given up sleeping with my teddy bear. If I make it into the house, it will be, by far, the longest I have ever gone without sleeping with him since I was 10. Finally, my trombone. I’m sure I will be experiencing a wide range of emotions in the house, and I would love to have a means of making music to get it all out.
Often compared to Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory, Steve is a genius who learned early on how to kiss up to his high-school teachers and manipulate them into giving him top recommendations for Cornell, the Ivy League university where he ended up studying Mechanical Engineering. He may be a 22-year-old virgin who doesn’t drink or smoke, but that doesn’t stop Steve from being the wildest and loudest guy in his fraternity. At the age of 18, he taught a Cornell Engineering class and was only one year older than his students. This master of disguise and manipulation’s strategy is to play the “childlike, less intelligent young virgin who sleeps with his teddy bear.”

Vanessa

Finished 3rd — evicted by Steve on Day 98.

Age: 32
Hometown: Las Vegas
Current City: Las Vegas
Occupation: Professional poker player
Three adjectives that describe you: Eclectic, maverick, and adaptable.
Favorite Activities: Making music, listening to music, DJing, going to the drive-in movie theater, working out, playing strategy games, solving riddles, traveling and exploring, people-watching, anything on the water, learning something new, training my dogs (they each know over 20 commands), hiking, fine dining, hanging out at home with my beautiful girlfriend, watching Netflix, throwing parties, imitating accents, dancing, meeting new people, road trips, camping, sky diving, photography, and more!
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: Not being able to communicate with my girlfriend will definitely be the toughest part of the entire experience. We are very, very close and I rely on her as a teammate in life. I know I will miss her terribly. Also, not being able to use a computer to produce music or be able to browse the net will be insanely difficult since I’m definitely spoiled by the Internet and modern technology—not to mention that making music is my go-to stress reliever! Not having access to technology will certainly be a challenge!
Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most: Dan Gheesling, by far. He is not afraid to make big moves, he has a great social game to complement his strategic prowess, and I’m inspired by the fact that he never ever gives up!
What are you afraid of: Flying insects/bats, death, being out of control, and being humiliated publicly.
Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… From a blog I wrote in my early 20s: I find my calm not at the finish line, looking back at the distance I’ve traveled, but in the moment, on the run, out of breath, looking forward. I don’t know where I’m going, and I guess I hope to God I never get there—I’m happy as I am: Chasing something eternal and ethereal. The world is not—will never be—enough for me and that’s just the way I like it. Also, I live by a code of, “Do right, be fair, have heart.”
What would you take into the house and why: First would be my iPod/headphones to listen to music because music greatly impacts my emotions and can help me keep a level head when I’m stressed. I listen to music when I play poker and it would be awesome to be able to use it similarly during Big Brother. I’d also bring hair bleach. I highlight my hair and three months is a hella long time to go without doing my roots #vanity!! Finally, my journal since I love to write. It helps me process my emotions and make decisions with a clear head.
Vanessa is the No. 2 female poker player in the world when it comes to online and live tournaments. She’s been pro for the past 10 years and has won $4.5 million dollars since she began. She’s a tomboy who has always been extremely competitive, whether it’s playing lacrosse in high school or beating men and women all over the world at the poker table. Being in a male-dominated industry, Vanessa isn’t easily intimidated and is used to keeping her emotions in check, which will help her keep her eye on the prize. She’s perfected the art of bluffing and knows that she can manipulate her Houseguests however she sees fit while living in the Big Brother house.