Sandra Diaz-Twine is the Sole Survivor of Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, being the first two-time winner in Survivor history. She later competed on Survivor: Game Changers, Survivor: Winners at War, and Australian Survivor: Blood v Water, and returned as a mentor in Survivor: Island of the Idols.
Initially viewed as a liability by her tribemates for her strong personality and unbecoming performances in physical challenges, Sandra compensated with her cunning wit and social awareness. Her ability to persuade others to eliminate bigger threats than her allowed her to reach the Final Tribal Council and win the game twice.
As a master of low-profile, socially savvy, and self-preserving gameplay, Sandra is widely considered one of the legends of the game.
Profile[]
Retrieved from CBS.com
Age: 29
Sandra Diaz-Twine (34) Tribe: Villains
Age: 41
Age: 45
Hometown: Stamford, Connecticut
Sandra, 47, Queen of Survivor, USA Sandra is a two-time US Survivor winner and now she is ready to take on Australian Survivor and defend her international Survivor throne. Sassy and outspoken and having been a part of US Survivor five times, she is excited to be playing with a family member for the very first time.While she might be the Queen, Sandra has never played Survivor: Blood V Water and is hoping not to impact Nina's game. Sandra says: "I'm set in my ways but having Nina out there will remind me, 'Sandra, tone it down.' It's a whole different game, it's a whole different place, it's a whole different theme so I can't be the same Sandra as before." What will be your strength? My strength on Australian Survivor will be my social game. I can pretty much find something in common with everyone. I can be a good friend to those that are interested in getting to know me. What will be your weakness? My weakness has always been my lack of being a physically dominant player at challenges and my reluctance with water challenges, although I can swim. |
Survivor[]
Pearl Islands[]
- Main article: Sandra Diaz-Twine/Pearl Islands
Starting the game on the Drake tribe, Sandra aligned herself tightly with Christa Hastie and Rupert Boneham. Despite the initial integrity of the Drake Alliance, the alliance broke up at the merge, resulting in Sandra's ally Rupert being blindsided. The once fiercely loyal Sandra had to change courses in the name of self-preservation, and notoriously adopted the strategy of agreeing to vote out "anybody but me". Her flexible style of gameplay allowed her to evade being targeted all the way until Day 38, when she was chosen by Final Immunity Challenge winner Lillian Morris to sit at the Final Two. Sat beside the much reviled Lillian, Sandra's stronger relationships, loyalty, and work ethic at camp earned her 6 out of 7 jury votes and she became the seventh Sole Survivor.
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drake | Cannon Carry | Immunity | No | Won |
| 2 | Bountiful Chest | Reward | Yes | Won | |
| All Tied Up | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 3 | Sprung A Leak | Reward | No | Won | |
| Pull Your Weight | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 4 | Float-It Notes | Reward | No | Won | |
| Boarding Party | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 5 | Paddle For Paddles | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Survivor Smoothie | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 6 | Ready, Aim, Fire | Reward | No | Won | |
| Shoulder the Load | Immunity | Yes | Lost | ||
| 7 | Pirate Prison Break | Immunity | No | Lost | |
| Tribes Merged, Day 20 | |||||
| 8 | Balboa | Keel Hauling | Immunity | Lost | |
| 9 | Signal Fire | Reward | Lost | ||
| Mixed Nuts | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 10 | Rats In The Rigging | Reward | Lost | ||
| Killer | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 11 | Loved Ones Overboard | Reward | Lost | ||
| What Do You Make Of This? | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 12 | Water Obstacle Course | Reward | Lost | ||
| Musket Love | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 13 | Let's Give It Another Go, Mate | Reward | Lost | ||
| Corks And Keys | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 14 | Tribal Draft | Immunity | Lost | ||
| Set Adrift | Immunity | Lost | |||
| Sole Survivor, Day 39 | |||||
| Episode | Sandra's Votes |
Voted Against Sandra |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drake Tribe Immune | |
| 2 | Drake Tribe Immune | |
| 3 | Drake Tribe Immune | |
| 4 | Burton | - |
| 5 | Michelle | - |
| 6 | Trish | - |
| 7 | Shawn | - |
| 8 | Andrew | - |
| 9 | Ryan O. | - |
| 10 | Jon | - |
| 11 | Tijuana | - |
| 12 | Lillian | - |
| 13 | Burton | - |
| 14 | Darrah | - |
| Ineligible | - | |
| Jury Votes for Sandra |
Burton, Christa, Darrah, Jon, Rupert, Ryan O. | |
| Sole Survivor, Day 39 | ||
Heroes vs. Villains[]
- Main article: Sandra Diaz-Twine/Heroes vs. Villains
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Villains | Battle Dig | Reward | No | Lost |
| Lock, Load and Light | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 2 | A Crate Idea | Reward/Immunity | No | Won | |
| 3 | Sumo in Mud | Reward/Immunity | Yes | Lost | |
| 4 | Slip, Slide & Score | Reward | No | Won | |
| Roll With It | Immunity | Yes | Won | ||
| 5 | Schmergen Brawl | Reward | Yes | Won | |
| Blind Cube Crisis | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 6 | Rope-a-Dope1 | Immunity | No | Lost | |
| Reward | Yes | Won | |||
| 7 | Basket Brawl | Reward | Yes | Lost | |
| Caught in the Web | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 8 | Fauxconut Bowling | Reward | Yes | Lost | |
| Mud Slide | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 9 | Chimney Sweep | Reward | No | Won | |
| Strung Out | Immunity | Yes | Lost | ||
| Tribes Merged, Day 25 | |||||
| 10 | Yin Yang | Get a Grip | Immunity | Lost | |
| 11 | Pacific Shuffle | Reward | Lost | ||
| House of Cards | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 12 | When It Rains, It Pours | Immunity | Lost | ||
| Pegatory Knockout | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 13 | Pass the Bucket | Reward | Invited | ||
| Keep It Up | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 14 | Offer It Up | Immunity | Lost | ||
| Blind Maze | Immunity | Lost | |||
| Sole Survivor, Day 39 | |||||
| Notes: ^1 The tribes competed in separate individual Immunity Challenges where the winners from both tribes competed against each other for tribal reward.
| |||||
| Episode | Sandra's Votes |
Voted Against Sandra |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Villains Tribe Immune | |
| 2 | Villains Tribe Immune | |
| 3 | Randy | - |
| 4 | Villains Tribe Immune | |
| 5 | Villains Tribe Immune | |
| 6 | Russell | - |
| 7 | Russell | - |
| 8 | Coach | - |
| 9 | Courtney | - |
| 10 | J.T. | -1 |
| 11 | Amanda | - |
| 12 | Candice | - |
| Rupert | - | |
| 13 | Rupert | |
| 14 | Colby | Colby |
| Jerri | - | |
| Jury Votes for Sandra |
Amanda, Candice, Colby, Courtney, J.T., Rupert | |
| Sole Survivor, Day 39 | ||
^1 In "Going Down in Flames", Sandra used a Hidden Immunity Idol, but did not negate any votes against her.
^2 In "Loose Lips Sink Ships", Sandra used a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating 2 votes against her.
Game Changers[]
- Main article: Sandra Diaz-Twine/Game Changers
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mana | The Marooning | Reward | No | Lost |
| Blue Lagoon Bustle | Reward/Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| Serpent Turf | Reward/Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| Switched Tribes, Day 7 | |||||
| 2 | Nuku | Austin's Elemental Obstacle Course | Reward/Immunity | No | 1st |
| 3 | Ram-Ball On | Reward | Yes | 1st | |
| Ow-Pairs | Immunity | Yes | Lost | ||
| 4 | Unchained Medley | Reward | No | 2nd | |
| Box CarBlues | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 5 | Cargo Salvage | Immunity | No | Lost | |
| Voted Out, Day 16 | |||||
Island of the Idols[]
- Main article: Island of the Idols (twist)
Sandra returned to Survivor for its 39th season not as a contestant, but as a mentor along with fellow winner Rob Mariano to the actual contestants. They lived on the titular Island of the Idols where they tested selected survivors on camp life, game mindset and strategy, after which they will challenge them for a chance to win a game advantage. The mentors lived similarly to the survivors, living with meager rations, though significantly more than the survivors. Sandra and Rob also attended Tribal Council in secret through a tower. They left on Day 37, but not without introducing themselves to the remaining survivors. The mentors also willed the Island of the Idols camp to them, which hid the final Hidden Immunity Idol of the season.
Winners at War[]
- Main article: Sandra Diaz-Twine/Winners at War
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dakal | Marooning | Reward/Immunity | No | Won |
| Blue Lagoon Bustle | Immunity | Yes | Lost | ||
| 2 | Draggin' the Dragon | Reward/Immunity | No | Won | |
| 3 | Along the Watch Tower | Reward/Immunity | Yes | Won | |
| 4 | Beyond the Wheel | Reward/Immunity | Yes | Lost | |
| 5 | Block in a Hard Place | Immunity | No | 2nd | |
| 6 | Rice Race | Reward/Immunity | Yes | Lost | |
| Voted Out, Day 16 | |||||
| Quit, Day 16 | |||||
Australian Survivor: Blood v Water[]
- Main article: Sandra Diaz-Twine/Australian Survivor: Blood v Water
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blood | Water Slaughter | Reward | No | Lost |
| Gatecrasher | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 2 | (No title) | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Yank Your Hank | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 3 | (No title) | Reward | Yes | Won | |
| A Bit Tipsy | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 4 | In the Trenches | Reward | No | Won | |
| Boats, Brains & Brawn | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 5 | Sumo at Sea | Reward | No | Lost | |
| (No title) | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 6 | By Any Means Necessary | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Free Fallin' | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 7 | Boats Tug of War | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Puppet Master | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| Voted Out, Day 16 | |||||
| Episode | Sandra's Votes |
Voted Against Sandra |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blood Tribe Immune | |
| 2 | Blood Tribe Immune | |
| 3 | Sam | |
| 4 | Mock Vote2 | |
| 5 | Blood Tribe Immune | |
| 6 | Amy, David, Jay | |
| 7 | David | Amy, David, Jordan, Jordie, Josh, Mark, Mel, Nina, Shay |
| Voted Out, Day 16 | ||
^1 In Episode 3, David used a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating Sandra's vote against him.
^2 In Episode 4, the Blood tribe was subjected to a mock Tribal Council where the player they voted out was switched to the other tribe.
^3 In Episode 6, Amy used a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating Sandra's vote against her.
Post-Survivor[]
Sandra's promotional image for the second season of The Traitors.
- After Pearl Islands, Sandra appeared on The Early Show and talked about All-Stars. She correctly predicted that Amber Brkich and Rob Mariano would go far in the game, while Thailand winner Brian Heidik, who was also a guest, said that they would not.[6]
- In the summer of 2009, Sandra, along with the other first eighteen Survivor winners, appeared on a TVGuide special "Survivor Millionaires: Where Are They Now?".[7]
- On January 9, 2010, Sandra attended Survivor's 10-year anniversary party along with all of her Heroes vs. Villains castmates.
- For winning the game twice, Sandra was one of the first five inductees of the Survivor Hall of Fame along with Parvati Shallow, Richard Hatch, Rob Mariano, and Russell Hantz in 2010.
- In an episode of Dr. Phil aired on November 18, 2013, Sandra was in the audience to show support for China winner Todd Herzog, who was battling alcoholism.
- On February 25, 2015, the day of the Worlds Apart premiere, Sandra appeared in a Survivor roundtable retrospective alongside host Jeff Probst and former contestants John Cochran, Parvati Shallow, and Rob Cesternino.[8] Sandra revealed that she was working at a law firm but had to move to North Carolina where her husband was based until his retirement.
- In May 2022, Sandra competed as a celebrity tribe captain in the first season of the NMB Celebrity Survivor Challenge. She was the 9th person voted out and became the 5th member of the jury.
- Sandra appeared in her daughter Nina Twine's Jury Villa segment via phone call after her elimination from Australian Survivor: Heroes v Villains.[9]
- Sandra was announced as part of the cast on the second season of the Peacock reality competition series The Traitors alongside Heroes vs. Villains and Winners at War castmate Parvati Shallow. She was incorrectly predicted as a Traitor during banishment and was eliminated from the show in the final episode. She finished in 5th place.
Trivia[]
Franchise[]
- Sandra is first of eight contestants to win two seasons. She would be followed by Turabi Çamkıran, Clémence Castel, Tony Vlachos, Sakis Katsoulis, Pablo Martí, Edmond Zannidache, and Ogeday Girişken.
- All of Sandra's seasons as a returning/imported player had red and blue starting tribes with her starting tribe being the red tribe all of those times.
- Including international versions, Sandra is the first female and second person overall to play 5 times and be on a season in one way or another 6 times, following Boston Rob.
- Sandra ended all her voting confessionals with "Adiós".
- All three times Sandra was eliminated:
- A tribe switch occurred and she was voted out on Day 16.
- The eventual Sole Survivor was a returning player who was a part of Sandra's new tribe.
- Sandra is the first winner who later competed on an international version of Survivor.
Survivor (U.S.)[]
- Sandra celebrated her 29th birthday on Day 38 of Pearl Islands.
- Sandra was the first Latin American castaway to make it to Final Tribal Council and subsequently, the first Latin American winner. In the latter category, she would be followed by Chris Underwood, Yam Yam Arocho and Dee Valladares.
- Sandra is the first castaway to successfully vote out the same person twice in the same season.
- Sandra is the only castaway to never receive a vote against her in Pearl Islands.
- Sandra was the first Sole Survivor to not win any individual challenge even indirectly, as Tina Wesson's family won the Loved Ones Challenge in The Australian Outback for her.
- Sandra was invited back for All-Stars but declined because she was still recovering from parasites that she got while filming Pearl Islands.[10]
- Sandra is the first woman to play a Hidden Immunity Idol during a season and go on to win that season.
- Both times Sandra reached the Final Tribal Council, she received six votes to win.
- Sandra holds the record for the most jury votes received for any female contestant, with 12.
- Sandra has the second-most jury votes received overall in her Survivor career, following Tony Vlachos.
- Both times, one of the jury votes was from Rupert Boneham.
- Sandra was considered for Blood vs. Water with her daughter as her partner. However, they were cut,[11] though they would later appear on a Blood vs. Water-themed season in Australian Survivor.
- Sandra is the only castaway to be the highest-placing previous winner in two different seasons:
- Sandra was the highest-placing previous winner in Heroes vs. Villains, outlasting Tom Westman, J.T. Thomas, and Parvati Shallow.
- Sandra was the highest-placing previous winner in Game Changers, outlasting both Tony Vlachos and J.T. Thomas.
- Sandra is the oldest woman on the original Mana and original Dakal tribes.
- Sandra is the first castaway to purchase an item with a Fire Token.
- Sandra, J.T. Thomas, Kim Spradlin-Wolfe, and Russell Hantz are the only castaways to attend both a Double Tribal Council and a Joint Tribal Council.
- Sandra is the second person to be voted out with only one vote cast against her during an entire season, following Terry Deitz in Panama.
- Sandra is the second person to be eliminated by a single vote, excluding 1-0 votes at a three-person Day 38 Tribal Council, after Lauren Rimmer in Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers.
- Sandra lasted the shortest amount of time on the Edge of Extinction, remaining there for only a few hours.
- Sandra is currently the only person to leave the Edge of Extinction without participating in a re-entry duel first.
- Despite playing four times, Sandra never served on the jury. She won Pearl Islands and Heroes vs. Villains and was voted out pre-jury in Game Changers and Winners at War, and left before the jury phase began in Winners at War.
- Both times Sandra lost:
- The eventual Sole Survivor was a returning player from the original Aparri tribe in Cagayan.
- A tribe switch occurred and she was voted out on Day 16.
- In that tribe switch, the eventual Sole Survivor was part of Sandra's new tribe.
- Sandra holds the record for surviving the most consecutive days on Survivor without receiving a vote. She received her first vote on her 75th day of playing the game.
- Coincidentally, her daughter, Nina, holds the same record in the Australian version.
Australian Survivor[]
- Sandra is the second Survivor contestant imported to Australian Survivor, following Russell Hantz.
- Sandra is the oldest woman to compete on Blood v Water.
References[]
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20040401233808/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor7/survivors/bio/sandra.shtml
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20230321052033/https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/39408/
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20230322093139/https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/215586/
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20230601180117/https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/216264/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230422074409/https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/216313/
- ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/survivor-champs-on-all-stars/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDWj-IIHuq0
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKINR_9K6bY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFmzIWZgAF8&t=387s
- ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/survivor-winners-weigh-in/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/survivor/comments/sv3sgp/terry_deitz_ama/hxdskzi/
| Preceded by The Amazon  Jenna Morasca |
Sole Survivor Titleholder Pearl Islands  Sandra Diaz-Twine |
Succeeded by All-Stars  Amber Brkich |
| Preceded by Samoa  Natalie White |
Sole Survivor Titleholder Heroes vs. Villains  Sandra Diaz-Twine |
Succeeded by Nicaragua  Fabio Birza |
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