Entertainment

Meet The 'Big Brother' Season 21 Houseguests, Including Sam Smith — No, Not *That* One

by Parry Ernsberger
CBS

The premiere of everyone's favorite home surveillance reality spectacular is right around the corner, and it's safe to assume that it won't disappoint. Just a little more than a week before the two-part kick-off event goes down, CBS announced the cast of Big Brother Season 21 — and boy, oh boy, are there some stand-out personalities. Well, on paper, at least. You never know what could happen after the cameras actually start rolling.

There will be 16 total contestants competing for $500,000 this time around, and all of them are brand spankin' new. There's no one returning from a previous season to add an extra layer of difficulty, and no celebrity surprises. OK, none that we know of — yet.

Still, though, there will probably be plenty of *other* surprises in store for the houseguests — including their fellow contestants, as all of them are incredibly different. As far as professions go, for example, there's a super broad array. The Season 21 contestants include a 53-year-old petroleum engineer and a 24-year-old preschool aide. There's a 31-year-old "wine safari guide" and a 28-year-old Broadway dancer. Perhaps alliances will be built in the most unlikely places? We'll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, though, go ahead and get to know each and every one of the cast members of Big Brother Season 21 yourself. It's going to be a wild ride.

Sam Smith

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Sam Smith — no, not *that* one, silly —  is a 31-year-old truck driver from Mountain Top, Pennsylvania. He says his life's motto is, "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space," so we'll see how far he takes things in the Big Brother house.

Analyse Talvera

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Analyse is a 22-year-old "college soccer star" from Simi Valley, California, but says, "If tanning could be an occupation that would no doubt be my calling." If only.

Isabella Wang

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Isabella is a 22-year-old Public Health Analyst living in Los Angeles. One of her favorite activities is "Spending other people's money." Definitely sounds better than spending your own money, amirite?

Holly Allen

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Holly is 31, lives in Los Angeles, and works as a "wine safari guide," which truly sounds like a dream job. Oh, and according to Holly's "Fun Facts", she, "used to go down the Oregon Trail every summer in a covered wagon. With a bonnet on my head."

David Alexander

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David is a 29-year-old photographer who lives in Atlanta, and describes himself as "positive, charismatic, and high energy." Also, he went to school with Migos. Will he be able to walk it like he talks it — sorry, had to —  in the Big Brother house? Only time will tell.

Nicole Anthony

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Nicole is 24, lives in Long Island, New York, works as a Preschool Aide, and very much looks the part (not a bad thing, simply a fact). Fun fact, according to Nicole: "I was a bit of a terror when I was young (and I guess I still am!): I locked my parents in the basement because they wouldn't tell me what was in a bag."

Tommy Bracco

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Tommy is a 28-year-old Broadway dancer from Staten Island, New York. He still sleeps with his baby blanket, has never paid for a hair cut in his life, and plans on being "the Italian mother of the house. I want to take care of everyone and make them feel safe and loved," Tommy said. "No one wants to vote out that person." He's not wrong.

Jackson Michie

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Jackson is a 24-year-old server living in Los Angeles, and resembles an actual Ken Doll. Like, for real. Jackson says he's "willing to do anything and everything I have to in order to win the Houseguests over on a social level," and because he "was pre-law and [has] been involved in real estate/sales," he considers himself a pro at "connecting with people, reading them, and selling them on whatever it is I'm trying to get them to buy into."

Kathryn Dunn

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Kathryn is a 29-year-old Digital Marketing Executive from Dallas. Seeing as how she says she "[starts] salivating at the mouth and experiencing withdrawal symptoms," if she doesn't have her phone on-hand at all times, it sounds like she might have a tough time adjusting to life in the Big Brother house.

Kemi Faknule

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Kemi is a 25-year-old Marketing Strategist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. Fellas of the house beware, though, because Kemi says she maintains "a blog of guys I've dated/hooked up with to amuse whoever has access to it," which makes it sound like she won't be shy about putting people on blast.

Jessica Milagros

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Jessica is a "30ish" model from Oak Park, Illinois. Her first job out of college was "driving the Hershey Kissmobile," which sounds like a literal and figurative treat.

Cliff Hogg III

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At 53, Cliff is far and away the eldest of the bunch, so perhaps he'll be the wisest? He works as a Petroleum Engineer in Houston, and his strategy is to "present myself as the loyal soldier to one or more strong players while creating enough chaos or paranoia to have people pointing fingers and targeting each other."

Ovi Kabir

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Next up is Ovi, a 22-year-old college student in Knoxville, who describes himself as "relatable, motivated, and brown." He has an Insta-famous Corgi named Mowgli, owns 10 different pairs of Crocs, and drives a mini-van that he's dubbed the "White Stallion."

Nick Maccarone

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Nick is 27, lives in Sewell, New Jersey, and works as a therapist. In terms of what he thinks the most difficult part about living in the Big Brother house will be, Nick mused, "Breaking the seal of being the first one to poop. I know you are going to have some really beautiful girls in there and it's going to make me have to hold it in until 2am until I finally get comfortable with them." Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Jack Matthews

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Jack is 28, works as a Fitness Trainer in Tampa, and totally looks like Aquaman, right? The three words he chose to describe himself were "honest, integrity, and character," which makes him sound like a pretty stand-up guy.

Christie Murphy

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Christie is 28, owns a boutique in Keyport, New Jersey, and says that she's "outgoing, [an] overachiever, and edgy." Her strategy could definitely be described as edgy, no doubt about that. "I plan on using my sexuality as a major social advantage," she explains. "I'm going into the house as the openly feminine lesbian. I will use my femininity and charm to easily persuade and subtly manipulate the men, while also being the emotional shoulder and best friend to all the girls."

There you have it. All 16 of the houseguests on Big Brother Season 21. Go ahead and hedge your bets, then buckle up for all the drama to come.