'Survivor' returns for milestone 50th season with all-star cast including 'White Lotus' creator

"Survivor" is coming backfor its 50th season with an all-star cast.

The upcoming milestone season will feature contestants from previous seasons going back to the show's first season, which aired almost 26 years ago, primarily focusing on seasons 45 through 49.

Returning to the show this season are fan favorite former contestants Mike White, who went on to create the successful HBO Max drama "The White Lotus." as well as Aubry Bracco, who appeared in seasons 34 and 38.

"It's different when you're Cirie or Colby or Aubry and a proven iconic 'Survivor' player," host Jeff Probst toldThe Hollywood Reporter. "But bringing somebody back for the second time is saying, 'We see you as something special.' So when it came to New Era players, we definitely spent a lot of time asking ourselves, 'what's the justification for this person? Why do they fit?' In the same way that we did with the older era players."

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The show has brought former contestants back to compete a second, and sometimes a third time, many times in the past, including in season eight for the all-star season, season 20, which was dubbed "Heroes vs. Villains" and most recently in season 40 for the Winners at War season, which only included past winners.

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Although this isn't a new concept, Probst promises it will feel different.

"There were players we considered and talked to, and they're great. They're upset because they think they didn't make 'the cut,'" he said. "Really, it wasn't that. It was, how many spots do we have and what does each person bring to the spot? What we really wanted was an array. This isn't 'Heroes vs Villains,' it's not 'Game Changers' or 'Fans vs Favorites.' It's a little bit of everything."

In addition to bringing back 24 contestants fromprevious seasons, this season also involved the fans in a new way, leaving certain elements in the hands of the viewers through a voting system.

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This twist allowed fans to vote on 11 key categoriesthroughout the game, including the colors of the tribes, how many twists and challenges there will be and others, and those who voted will not know the results of the votes until the show airs.

"But given that we're just into this we don't know the impact," he added. "I know the results from the fans and it illustrates what kind of game they ultimately want. I was curious, because I met a lot of people who said, 'No idols, no twists, no advantages.' I was like, okay, maybe that is what people really want. I'm excited by it. I think the fans are going to have a big impact this season."

The host said the fan vote brought a level of "uncertainty" to the game, and hoped that a contestant would use that to their advantage, saying if he was in the game, "I would start spreading rumors."

Probst has been with the franchise for all of its 50 seasons, and recently toldEntertainment Weeklyhe doesn't have a contract, saying, "I don't have any deal. We just do it."

"I'm telling you right now, there's no thought in my mind at all about leaving," he told the outlet. "I love where the show is. I love our crew. I love the type of people that are applying. It's up in every category of ethnic diversity. Every category is up, and everybody's saying it's because 'I see myself reflected and represented on the show, so now I want tobeon the show.'  That makes me excited, along with watching young people come up and say, 'I want to play this f---ing game!' That's really exciting."

While he has no plans of stepping down, Probst says he "100 percent know[s] this show will go on without me" because of its format.

White, who first competed on season 37 of the show in 2018, spoke with The Hollywood Reporter in February about his decision to come back to the show, saying he was "stoked to be here."

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"'Survivor 50' is such a cultural milestone for anyone who has ever loved 'Survivor,' played 'Survivor' or made 'Survivor,'" he said. "So I feel very honored to have gotten the Golden Ticket, the exclusive invitation. If it happened any other time in the last five years I don't think I would have been able to do it. But it just happened to land in a good, sweet spot for me. So it felt like maybe this is just what the doctor ordered."

Aside from giving him a positive experience to look back on, White admitted that his experience on the show inspired him when it came to creating "The White Lotus."

"The White Lotus" follows a new set of characters who are staying in a luxury hotel in a different location each season, with every season exploring a different theme. He told NPR in December 2022 that "'Survivor' is not that dissimilar" to the show.

"A lot of times just people kind of kvetching about who's tending the fire or they're hangry because they haven't had anything to eat. But then the music is making it feel like this is going to end up bad for somebody," he said. "And then you have these transitions of sharks in the water. And I was like, we do that in 'White Lotus.'... I have to cop to being influenced by 'Survivor' and these shows where you have a device that makes it feel like it's a built-in cliffhanger."

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Aside from the inspiration he draws from his time on the reality show, he also casts many of his "Survivor" castmates to appear on the hitHBO Max show.

"Survivor 50" is set to premiere on CBS on Feb. 25.

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Original article source:'Survivor' returns for milestone 50th season with all-star cast including 'White Lotus' creator

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February 14, 2026

'Survivor' returns for milestone 50th season with all-star cast including 'White Lotus' creator

"Survivor" is coming backfor its 50th season with an all-star cast. The upcoming milestone season wi...

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Ego Nwodim draws gasps from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” audience after admitting she's never seen this classic film

Disney/Randy Holmes

Ego Nwodimis the first to admit that she's no cinephile.

TheSaturday Night Livealum is currently gearing up to host Sunday night'sFilm Indie Spirit Awards— but just because she's hosting the movie-centric ceremony, doesn't mean she's an expert. The live audience ofJimmy Kimmel Livelearned as much on Tuesday evening, when Nwodim confessed that she still hasn't seen a number of classic and long-heralded titles. It's so bad that oneSNLhost called her out within minutes of them meeting.

"Josh Brolinsized me up within an instant and said, 'You look like you've never seen any movies before,'" Nwodim told Kimmel during the Feb. 10 interview. "To this day, I've lost sleep over it because I'm like, 'What about me says I haven't seen movies?'"

When Kimmel asked if Brolin's assumption was correct, Nwodim admitted, "Josh was right."

Will Heath/NBC via Getty

For his part, Brolin took the backstage exchange so seriously that he sent the comedian a curated list of "53 movies that everyone needs to have watched." But to date, Nwodim has still only seen one title on the list — Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic thriller,Jaws.

"Was there one on the list that people would get actually angry at you because you haven't seen?" Kimmel asked

After a thoughtful moment, Nwodim admitted, "I'm mad about this myself: I haven't seen[The] Godfather."

Nwodim's response was swiftly met with a wave of gasps and audible distress from Kimmel's live audience — including one attendee who shouted, "What?!"

Raising her hands in defense, Nwodim said, "Oh, come on! I thought this was a safe space. Everyone backstage said this would be a safe space."

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While the audience didn't take too kindly to her ignorance of the Corleone family, Kimmel admitted that he was jealous of Nwodim.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

"I would love to be able to seeThe GodfatherandThe Godfather 2— and skip the next one — for the first time again," he joked.

After clarifying that she does intend to check out the venerated Francis Ford Coppola-directed titles, Nwodim attempted to appeal to the audience, noting, "I've seenScarface, does that count?"

This time, even Kimmel shut her down, answering with a firm, "No."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

While Nwodim still has many classics to catch up with — she cited12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, and Federico Fellini's highly influential8½among the titles she has yet to see — theSNLalum noted that she has already watched a huge chunk of themovies that are up for awardson Sunday night.

"I watched the films, [and] I'm super excited," Nwodim said of the impending event, whose contenders includeIf I Had Legs I'd Kick You, One of Them Days,andTrain Dreams.

The Film Independent Spirit Awards stream on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. ET on YouTube. Watch Nwodim defend her cinematic knowledge above.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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Ego Nwodim draws gasps from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” audience after admitting she's never seen this classic film

Disney/Randy Holmes Ego Nwodimis the first to admit that she's no cinephile. TheSaturday Night Livealum...

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SWAT Team Swarms Property, Vehicle Towed In Nancy Guthrie Investigation

A SWAT team from the Pima County, Ariz. Sheriff's Department swarmed a residence near Nancy Guthrie's home Friday evening.

More than two dozen vehicles — including SWAT and forensic units — were at the scene as authorities shut down the street,according toCNN.

CNN Senior News Correspondent Brian Entin reported that a vehicle was also searched. "This Range Rover is also being investigated and is now being towed away," he wrote Friday on X. "A lot of moving parts right now."

TUCSON, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 13: In an aerial view, FBI and SWAT units perform operations in a neighborhood approximately two miles from Nancy Guthrie's residence on February 13, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1st. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

NewsNationclaimedthree individuals were detained when the search warrants were executed, thoughauthoritieshave not confirmed those claims.

TUCSON, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 13: FBI agents watch as a vehicle is towed from the parking lot of a restaurant on February 13, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. The Range Rover SUV was searched and its trunk sealed before it was removed. The vehicle was located close to a neighborhood that law enforcement had sealed off earlier in the evening as the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance continues. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

NewsNation reported that a woman and a man — possibly a mother and son — were ordered to exit the residence being searched. They claimed that a male was simultaneously detained nearby during a traffic stop, reportedly on his way to the same property.

Law enforcement officials have yet to comment on the flurry of police activity.

The Pima County Sheriff's Office issued an update on X, saying, "Law enforcement activity is underway at a residence near E Orange Grove Rd & N First Ave related to the Guthrie case."

They continued, "Because this is a joint investigation, at the request of the FBI – no additional information is currently available."

Officials told CNN that investigatorsfound DNAat Guthrie's residence that does not belong to her or those close to her.

The masked suspect captured in doorbell footage has been described as a 5'9"-5'10" tall male with an average build, wearing an Ozark Trail Hiker backpack.

Guthrie was reported missing Feb. 1 and was last seen alive Jan. 31.(RELATED: Man Claiming To Know Guthrie Abductor Doubles Ransom Demand In Third Email To TMZ)

Unconfirmed ransom reports were sent to media outlets, the most recent on Friday morning.

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February 14, 2026

SWAT Team Swarms Property, Vehicle Towed In Nancy Guthrie Investigation

A SWAT team from the Pima County, Ariz. Sheriff's Department swarmed a residence near Nancy Guthrie's home Friday evening. More t...

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Zelenskyy says Ukraine, not Russia, is facing pressure to make concessions to end war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyyhas accused the U.S. of focusing on Ukrainian concessions to bringan end to the war, rather than pressing Russia.

His comments came as Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. prepared for a further round of trilateral talks next week, and after Trump urged Zelenskyy on Friday to "get moving," saying that Russia was ready to make a deal.

"The Americans often return to the topic of concessions," Zelenskyy said as he addressed key allies at the Munich Security Conference. "Too often those concessions are discussed in the context only of Ukraine, not Russia."

Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. held theirfirst trilateral talkson a peace deal last month, and further talks are set to take place on Tuesday.

"We truly hope that the trilateral meetings next week will be serious, substantive, helpful for all of us, but honestly, sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completing different things," Zelenskyy added.

Trump told reporters on Friday: "Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelenskyy'sgonna have to get moving. Otherwise, he's going to miss a great opportunity."

Conference moderator Christiane Amanpour put Trump's latest comments to the Ukrainian president in a Q&A after his speech, asking if he was feeling the pressure.

"A little bit," Zelenskyy replied.

Zelenskyy later met with a bipartisan group of U.S. senators.

He said in a post on X that they discussed security guarantees and increasing pressure on Russia through sanctions, adding: "I thank the Senators for their unwavering bipartisan support for Ukraine and Ukrainians."

Hours before Zelenskyy's speech, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the conference that the "hardest questions" still need to be answered before peace can be achieved.

"We don't know the Russians are serious about ending the war. They say they are," Rubio said in a short Q&A after his speech, adding: "We're going to continue to test it."

He added: "What we can't answer, but we're going to test, is whether there is an outcome that Ukraine can live with and that Russia will accept, and I would say it's been elusive up to this point."

While officials described the trilateral talks in January as constructive, major obstacles remain, chief among them the future of territory in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow has shown little sign of softening its demands.

The Kremlin said in January that Kyiv's military would have to pull out of the region for any deal to end the war.

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said before the talks that the negotiations were "down to one issue." While he did not elaborate, many took it to mean territorial concessions by Ukraine.

"The good news is that the issues that need to be confronted to end this war have been narrowed," Rubio said in Munich. "The bad news is they've been narrowed to the hardest questions to answer and work remains to be done on that front."

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine's national territory, including Crimea and parts of the eastern Donbas region seized before the 2022 invasion. Polls show that the majority of Ukrainians oppose a deal that hands Moscow land.

"I don't think anybody in this room would be against a negotiated settlement to this war, so long as the conditions are just and sustainable, and that's what we aim to achieve," Rubio added.

Zelenskyy said in Munich that it was an illusion to believe the war could be ended by dividing Ukraine, and that he thinks it can be ended with dignity for his country.

Peace can only be built on clear security guarantees, he added, saying that where there is no clear security system, "war always returns."

"Europe needs a real common defense policy, just as it already has so much in common in the economy, in law and in social policy," he said, before finishing his speech and asking the crowd: "Please pay attention to Ukraine."

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February 14, 2026

Zelenskyy says Ukraine, not Russia, is facing pressure to make concessions to end war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyyhas accused the U.S. of focusing on Ukrainian concessions to bringan end to the war, rather than pr...

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What to know about how the DHS shutdown could affect you

Funding for theDepartment of Homeland Security has expired, potentially jeopardizing critical government services like airport security and disaster relief.

Appropriations for the 9/11-era Cabinet agency lapsed after Friday, Feb. 13, as negotiations continued between congressional Democrats and the White House over curbing immigration enforcement. No deal was in sight as lawmakers left for a week-long scheduled recess, with many taking planned trips overseas.

After the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal immigration agents (ICE), communities across the U.S. are protesting against Trump's surge of immigration enforcement actions.

Pictured here, Demonstrators gather for a protest calling for the removal of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 30, 2026 in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Protests were held across the United States in response to ICE enforcement activity.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Hundreds of people gather to protest ICE at the corner of Palafox and Garden Streets in downtown Pensacola, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Penn High School students participate in a walkout protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Mishawaka, Indiana.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Protesters gather at City Hall in response to recent actions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly referred to as "ICE," and the presence of Flock cameras in the community and Indiana University campus, in Bloomington, Indiana, on Jan. 30, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A Penn High School student confronts a man in a car line at the school who was shouting, "Let's go ICE!" as students were marching past during a walkout protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Mishawaka, Indiana.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Protesters gather at City Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to recent immigration enforcement actions by the government.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

'ICE Out' protests spark marches, confrontations across US

After the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal immigration agents (ICE), communities across the U.S. areprotestingagainst Trump's surge of immigration enforcement actions.Pictured here, Demonstrators gather for a protest calling for the removal of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 30, 2026 in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Protests were held across the United States in response to ICE enforcement activity.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D–New York, pledged earlier this week that Democrats wouldn't back funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without added guardrails for federal immigration agents.

"The Republican bill on the floor allows ICE to smash in doors without warrants, to wear masks and not be identified, to use children as bait for their parents," Schumer said in avideo statement posted on social mediaFeb. 12. "No oversight? We are keeping our word. No funding for ICE until it is reined in, until the violence ends."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R–South Dakota,said on Fox NewsFeb. 12 that he hopes Democrats strike a funding deal with the White House over the weekend

"This isn't just ICE. This isn't just, you know, Border Patrol. This is FEMA. This is TSA. This is the Coast Guard. This is cyber security. A bunch of things covered by this bill," Thune said.

More:Coast Guard chief warns DHS shutdown will 'cripple morale'

Much of DHS's typical work,including Immigration and Customs Enforcement's operations, will continue even while the agency is shut down. Regardless, the heads of some of the department's most critical divisions warned lawmakers ahead of the latest funding lapse that the consequences of a prolonged shutdown could be dire.

DHS hasn't publicly released an updated contingency plan for this shutdown, but ittypically requiresthe vast majority of TSA's more than 64,000-person workforce to stay on the job without pay.

Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told lawmakers Feb. 11 that the roughly 61,000 employees at more than 430 commercial airports who will be impacted by another funding lapse can't go through it all over again.

"Some are just recovering from the financial impact of the 43-day shutdown," she said. "We cannot put them through another such experience. It would be unconscionable."

Usually, as shutdowns drag on, callout rates for TSA workers spike, leading to longer wait times in security lines at the airport.

Coast Guard

The Coast Guard, which falls under DHS purview during peacetime, will have to suspend missions that aren't critical for national security and the protection of life and property.

"Shutdowns cripple morale," said Vice Adm. Thomas Allan, the Coast Guard's acting vice commandant, at a Feb. 11 congressional hearing.

Allan told lawmakers the shutdown would cause deferred maintenance and potentially interrupt pay for 56,000 active-duty reserve and civilian personnel.

FEMA

Most employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will also work without pay. Gregg Phillips, who leads FEMA, said on Feb. 11 the shutdown would "severely disrupt" the agency's ability to reimburse states for disaster relief costs.

He expressed concern about the approaching hurricane season.

"A federal government shutdown would have far-reaching and serious consequences for FEMA's operations and for the nation's ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters," he told lawmakers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What to know about how the DHS shutdown could affect you

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February 14, 2026

What to know about how the DHS shutdown could affect you

Funding for theDepartment of Homeland Security has expired, potentially jeopardizing critical government services like a...

Read More