Peacock’s competition series The Traitors brings together celebrities and reality stars from various networks and series, and the cast of Season 3 may see the most diverse group to date.
Show host Alan Cumming told Deadline that while the series, currently in its second season, does have a “very diverse cast,” he would like there to be more LGBTQ+ representation on the murder mystery series going forward.
“I feel like we could do better in terms of queer representation in terms of the contestants,” he said. “I’ve suggested people and I think it’s a very diverse cast but not in terms of LGBTQ+.”
Members of the LGBTQ+ community to appear on the series thus far include Reza Farahan and Andie Vanacore during Season 1, and Pavarti Shallow and Peppermint during Season 2.
Executive producers Sam Rees-Jones revealed this week during a panel at the Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour that, while the show is in the “really early stages” of casting for the upcoming season, there are plans to “mix it up as far as who’s going to come in.”
Still, executive producers would like to continue casting some contestants who have existing relationships outside of the ‘The Traitors’ competition, as viewers have seen in the first two seasons of the show.
“We like having some of the cast having existing relationships, maybe even existing animosity because that means that they’re straight in with an attitude and relationship with each other,” executive producer Stephen Lambert explained. “Whereas if nobody knows anybody, then it takes a while to get going.”
Season 1 of ‘The Traitors’ featured two contestants from the Survivor franchise (Cirie Fields and Stephanie LaGrossa Kendrick), two former Big Brother competitors (Cody Calafiore and Rachel Reilly), as well as a number of reality stars from the Bravo network (Kate Chastain, Kyle Cooke, Brandi Glanville and Reza).
Similarly, the Season 2 cast includes three stars from MTV’s Real World/The Challenge (CT Tamburello, Johnny Bananas and Trishelle Cannatella), two former ‘Survivor’ contestants (Parvati Shallow and Sandra Diaz-Twine), two ‘Big Brother’ alums (Janelle Pierzina and Dan Gheesling) and multiple stars from Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise (Phaedra Parks, Sheree Whitfield, Tamra Judge, Larsa Pippen, and Marcus Jordan).
New episodes of ‘The Traitors’ air Thursdays on Peacock.
RELATED STORY: ‘The Traitors’ Season 2 Episode 6 Recap: Backstabbing, Betrayal & Banishing the First Traitor
(Photos: Peacock; Instagram)
I love this show! Next season they should cast LeeAnn Locken, Dorinda Medley, and Andy Cohen. That would entertain me!