The Unmatched Brilliance of Cirie Fields: A Reality TV Mastermind Extraordinaire

Is Cirie Fields considered the ultimate champion in the world of reality TV competitions? Fans who have closely watched her journey on screen over the course of more than 17 years across various television shows, would undoubtedly answer with a resounding yes.

At the age of 53, Fields initially described herself as a self-proclaimed "couch potato" during her debut season on Survivor in 2006. Despite her perceived lack of physical prowess, she swiftly showcased her true strength in the form of her exceptional social strategy and persuasive abilities. Fields continued to participate in Survivor for three additional seasons, ultimately achieving triumph as the winner of the inaugural U.S. season of The Traitors in 2023.

Fields, having demonstrated her prowess in winning, decided to test her skills on another reality show. Currently, she is competing for a grand prize of $750,000 as a participant on Big Brother 25. Showcasing her resilience, she has already outlasted her son Jared Fields, who was eliminated in September. Cirie's remarkable achievements have earned her the distinguished title of "The Mastermind" in We's reality TV issue, with Survivor host Jeff Probst elaborating on her unique qualities that distinguish her from other contestants in the world of competition shows.

Last month, Probst, 61, exclusively mentioned to Us that Cirie's exceptional people skills are so impressive that even if she cannot conquer the highest mountains, someone will be there to assist her in reaching the top. Interestingly, this person is fully aware that Cirie intends to eliminate them tonight in the game, but their fondness for her is so strong that they are still willing to provide their support. This ability to garner support despite her plans to eliminate someone highlights Cirie's remarkable social skill. Additionally, Probst believes that Cirie's underdog background enhances the satisfaction of her triumph.

“If you were to look at [Cirie] without prior knowledge of her and I were to ask you, ‘Do you think this person could potentially be the greatest player in the history of Survivor, a show where individuals reside in a treacherous jungle and partake in a series of demanding tests?’ Your response would likely be, ‘Absolutely not,’” he began. “[Cirie] took it upon herself to step out of her comfort zone and give this program a chance. She wasn't certain of her abilities, but as it turns out, she may very well be regarded as the greatest player of all time.”

Cirie Fields, known as one of the greatest Survivor players without a win, finally achieved a victory earlier this year on The Traitors. On this Peacock series, Cirie was chosen as one of the three Traitors alongside Cody Calafiore, the champion of Big Brother 22: All-Stars, and Christian de la Torre, a newcomer to reality TV. After Cody's elimination, Cirie and de la Torre recruited another traitor, Arie Luyendyk Jr. from Bachelor Nation.

Cirie, as a Traitor, successfully cultivated strong alliances that placed complete trust in her. At the opportune moment, she betrayed both Calafiore and de la Torre, enhancing her credibility within the Faithfuls group. Advancing to the final four alongside Luyendyk Jr., Andie Vanacore, and Quentin Jiles, Cirie faced unanimous opposition from everyone except herself when voting to terminate the game. This reinforced the Faithfuls' confidence in the absence of any more Traitors among them. In a strategic move, Cirie then accused Luyendyk Jr. of being a Traitor, prompting him to admit his wrongdoing. As the last Traitor standing, Cirie emerged as the sole victor, claiming the coveted $250,000 prize.

When Cirie unexpectedly joined as the 17th houseguest on Big Brother 25 in August, her devoted fans were concerned that her prior success on Survivor and The Traitors would make her an easy target in the game. Surprisingly, she managed to evade eviction until week 10. Even when she did end up on the chopping block, she didn't receive a single vote, resulting in the unanimous eviction of Cameron Hardin.

Initially, Cirie played a crucial role in the early evictions of the season. However, once her two closest allies in the game, Jared, 25, and Izzy Gleicher, were eliminated, she adopted a more subtle approach, flying under the radar. This strategic move has proven to be advantageous for her so far.

In the Sunday episode of Big Brother on October 15, Jag Bains emerged as the secret Head of Household, granting him the power to nominate houseguests for eviction anonymously. Despite being on opposing sides previously, Jag, who is 25 years old, along with his ally Matt Klotz, actively involved Cirie in their strategic discussions this week.

When it comes to discussions about Jag's potential targets for eviction this week, Cirie herself noted, "My name was never even mentioned."

For more on Cirie Fields and the other Reality Stars of the Year, watch the video above and pick up the latest issue of We, on newsstands now.