Survivor 50's Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick Says Trusting Cirie Was Her 'Biggest Mistake' (Exclusive)
While Survivor 50's latest episode may go down as one of the wildest and most entertaining in recent memory, it didn’t end well for four-time player Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, who became the latest castaway voted out of the game.
What began as a seemingly straightforward plan to target Rick Devens after his fake idol shenanigans last week quickly unraveled amid the looming MrBeast twist, which forced one player to risk going home on a coin flip. Devens, already on the bottom and someone who thrives in chaos, took the gamble and won—not only securing his safety that night, but also gaining an immunity idol and boosting the prize pot to $2 million (no big deal).
That left Stephenie–who was armed with a steal-a-vote advantage and believing she still had the numbers—with nowhere to hide as Devens exposed both her and Jonathan Young in the middle of a chaotic Tribal Council.
In her exit interview with Men’s Journal, Stephenie opens up about her complicated relationship with Cirie Fields, why she thinks allies Jonathan and Joe Hunter ultimately voted for her too, and whether she thought about flipping the coin herself.
Scroll down to read the full interview with Stephenie.
Men's Journal: Hi Stephenie! Where do we start? What do you think was your biggest mistake in the game?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Trusting Cirie. Probably putting so much trust in her.
Men's Journal: You have a long history. Did you ever feel like you were 100 percent in it with her?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Well, going into the game, we had spoke so much before that I was, like, feeling pretty good. I was feeling like, okay, I think she's given me her word. I think I can trust her. We weren't on the same tribe, and we never really got on the same beach till day 12 or 13. So I'm like, hopefully, you know, she stays true to her word, because that was my intention. Of course, maybe she made some other bonds along the way. I did as well, but I didn't know she was going to try to take out my entire alliance, one by one by one, without knowing she was doing it. And now watching the show, of course, I'm like, oh my God. I don't think she ever intended to play with me at all. And it's really disheartening, because we have a long history, and she knows I'm not a good liar, especially to people that know me. So if anybody would have stood by her side, it was going to be me, because I can't lie to her face. So probably that was my biggest mistake, because even when Colby [Donaldson] went, she was like, oh, my God, it was awful. They wanted Coach [Wade], but you know, if they did Coach, they would have did Colby next, because he was already injured. So that would have been two out of our alliance. So she's like, I just convinced them, Colby, you know, so at least we still have Coach. So that's how she posed that to me. And I was like, oh, alright, good idea. I was like, you know, too bad I wasn't like, Emily [Flippen] or something. But okay, I get it. Then when it's Coach and Chrissy [Hofbeck], same thing. She's like, oh my gosh, the whole plan changed. It's Coach and Chrissy. I'm like, what? No, it's not. It's [Rick] Devens. Nope, nope. It's Coach and Chrissy. I tried to flip it back just, I'm just letting you know, don't be on the wrong side of the numbers. There's nothing we can do about it. Now, just go with the numbers. And I'm like, oh, all right, thanks for telling me. Like, still believing her, still believing her. And then now this week, it's me. So I'm like, oh my gosh. Like, the turning point really is Joe. Joe was supposed to be with us too, and Joe knew that.
Men's Journal: What happened there?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: So Joe knew Cirie flipped the whole plan, and never came and told me and Jonathan. I called out Joe because I learned it last night. And I go, if you knew, if you knew they wanted Devens and Aubry [Bracco] out, and Cirie said, you in the hammock? No, no, no. We got to take Coach and Chrissy out. This is our shot. This we can kill two birds with one stone. Why would you have never come and told Jonathan and I? And Joe's like, oh, I didn't. I didn't know that. I'm like, Joe, it was on national TV. What do you mean? You didn't know? He goes, no, no. Cirie was just throwing it out there. That wasn't a plan. I go, no, that was the plan. Actually, that was the turning point. Because if you would have came and said, sorry, changed the whole plan, I would have been like, oh, shit, she's not with me, now take them out.
Men's Journal: He also ran to Cirie last night and told him the Ozzy [Lusth] plan, didn't he?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: So then that, so that's strike one. So now last night, when Jonathan comes up with this whole plan, which, by the way, I tell him, I don't think it's a good idea, because I don't think we have the numbers. And if Cirie gets winded this, she's going to be super pissed off at me, at you, whatever. So then he goes and talks to Devens and Aubry, and I'm standing there, and I'm like, I don't know. We still don't have the numbers. And they're like, we'll talk to Emily. He's like, I'll get Joe. Joe immediately goes and tells Cirie again. But then Cirie and Ozzy and I have a talk, and I fess up. And I'm like, listen, your name was out there, Ozzy, and I did entertain it. And Cirie, yes, I did tell you Devens in front of Tiffany [Nicole Ervin]. I did lie because I don't know Tiffany. I'm not aligned with Tiffany, but I'm telling you now that was one of the plans, and the reason for it was because supposedly you Ozzy say you don't trust me, and Ozzy said, I did say that. So we all make amends, and we all, like, whatever. And then I'm like, so can we go back to the original plan? And you do see me saying to Cirie, like, you were really gonna put my name down? Why would you do that? Like, what? She's like, well, you lied to me right in front of Tiffany. I'm like, that's Tiffany. So she she's like, all right, fine. We're all like, we'll go back to the original plan. It's Devens. And I'm like, all right, what if Devens is safe? Like, what if this, then it'll be Aubry. I'm like, okay, so I go into Tribal Council thinking, no matter what. And then I don't do the coin toss, because I go over, I asked Jonathan. He's like, I don't know. I don't think. I mean, it's a 50 percent chance. It's 50 percent you can go home. It's supposed to be that Devens and Aubry. And then Cirie says me, do you want to do the coin toss? And I go, should I? And she goes, no. I mean, I think you're fine, but do you want to? And I'm like, I will, if I have to. If you think I should, I will. So I should have when she said that. She constantly reassured me, you were like family to me. I'm not going to vote for you unless it's for the million dollars we'll do like me and Parvati [Shallow] did, I mean, she said all of these things, and I so wanted to believe her, because I've known her for so many years, and I truly was being loyal to her, so I really thought she was reciprocating. And here's the thing, I don't fault her. She plays a great game. I'm not taking this away from her like it's definitely getting her further in the game than I got sitting here today. So I like, as a fan of the show, I think she's great, like, she's a great social strategy, like, great. But as a friend, you know, I do regret trusting her so much, because I'm like, my god, she had no problem just turning on me yet again.
Men's Journal: Where do you stand today with Cirie?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I have nothing against her. I would love to see her at the finale and hang out with her. I'll hug her. I mean, she's funny. I'm just saying, like, that's what happened. We talked at premiere week, and she's like, I just want to tell you, when Jenna [Lewis-Doughtery]– Jenna's old school, Jenna came at me day one, and I'm thinking to myself, okay, here we go. And then Colby, he goes on this journey with Savannah [Louie], and says, don't trust Cirie, or whatever he said. So that was strike two. Like, I'm thinking, I'm supposed to be with old schoolers, and this is and I'm like, no, I get that, but that has nothing to do with me. I don't know why he would say that. You know, he was trying to act like they weren't aligned. I think that's why, because there was this whole pre-alliance talk going around on the island. So he was trying to get the shade off of him. I'm like, but that has nothing to do with me, because even if somebody says we're pre-aligned, I'm not going to s--t talk you, but I'm just not, because you don't do that. So she said, you know, I had to immediately align with Rizo [Velovic]. I had to have a backup plan. I'm like, but you didn't have to tell him about my advantage. Because now Rizo doesn't trust me. I was only telling you in good faith, and I told nobody else, because she said, don't tell anybody. Just tell me, because everybody knows everything about the idols, which was a good point and true. And I was like, wait, I'm only telling you, but like, let's use it when times right? Whatever, I knew she was close with Ozzy. I didn't know how I didn't know anything about Rizo, and she said something like, let's just put it behind us, and let's just enjoy the rest of 50. This was at the end of our first night in New York, and I was like, listen, you know I love you. I've always loved you. I'm not holding anything against you. I don't hold grudges. I'm so forgiving. Come on, I really am. This is four times now we've been on shows, and she's knocking me out every time, and I still love her. Come on. Call me stupid, but no, like, I'm just a forgiving person. I'm not like that, but I was. I just wish she would say, like, you know you're right. I did screw you over, but this is why, and I'm sorry, but she'll never say that. And that's okay, but things have been awkward between us. I've seen her twice since, and it's just kind of like hi and that's it. I wish it wasn't that way, but I have no hard feelings against her. She's playing the best game with the hand she's dealt. She's got a huge target on her back, you know, she's Cirie so, but there's no hate. I would never hate on her.
Men's Journal: Well, I hope you guys can have a productive conversation at some point, but I also know there can be a lot of hurt feelings in these games, right? Like, it's not unique to you. This happens a lot, and it's unfortunate.
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: It's a game. It's like, one person wins, you know what? I mean, it's so hard to get to the end, and one person wins.
Men's Journal: What about Jonathan and Joe writing your name down, though? What was your reaction?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Jonathan, I think, did it to just go with the numbers at the end. Once he realized he has nobody at this point now, because I think he thinks he has Joe, but Joe is obviously all over the place, and so, I mean, who's he got? Aubry. Maybe he's the last one. So if he makes it past next week, that'll be amazing. Joe, I knew, wrote my name down, because before the votes were read, he goes to me, "it's you," and I go, what? And he goes, "it's you." And I go, how? And he goes, "everybody voted for you." I go, "oh, thanks for letting me know." And then he told me after, after the fact, "Well, once you didn't tell me about your Steal a Vote, I couldn't trust you." I was so mad. And I'm like, can you grow up? I'm thinking to myself, like, grow up. You're a grown man. You're mad. Jonathan was like, okay, you didn't tell me about your Steal a Vote, cool. You have that. Let's use it, right? Got over it. Joe was so mad, like, you can't have a conversation. Like, can we talk? But Joe was like, I wish I would have communicated with you better. And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, but it just went right over his head. So he completely turned on me, and then Jonathan would have been the only one like not voting for me. So I think he just wanted to vote with the numbers. And Jonathan, he never lied to me. He did say he exaggerated Ozzy saying he didn't trust me, but I immediately went over to Ozzy and Ozzy admitted it.
Men's Journal: Anything from your game you wish we saw in the edit?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Probably more of my social game. I had a really good social game. I mean, it's why my name never came up. I talked to everybody. I personally got to know everybody. I was supposed to go when Q [Burdette] went. That week, for me to be able to stick around when, like, Q went, and then all my numbers were dropping like flies. Kyle [Fraser] and everybody I'm aligned with, like, five people are like, boom, boom, boom. And the fact that I'm still standing like it was crazy, and that didn't happen by chance. I didn't just skate by like I was actively talking to people and getting people, like, getting to know people, and making people, you know, feel comfortable with me, and being non-threatening. I was trying like I didn't want to win every immunity challenge. I didn't want to be that crazy threat out there, you know, right. But I still wanted to show that I had strength and, you know, you showed that stuff. Yeah, no, I'm totally happy with my edit. I mean, I wish they would have shown more of my like, like I said, social game and conversation strategic game, but that's okay.
Men's Journal: Had Devens not flipped that coin, if MrBeast wasn't involved, do you think you were in trouble, or do you think you had more runway?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: It was supposed to be Devens, and that's why he gave that whole spiel at Tribal. He tried to throw Jonathan and I under the bus and all that. Yeah, and then I didn't throw Jonathan under the bus, because I'm like, then you're going to look triple guilty. You know what? I mean, you're already getting blamed. So now I'm going to throw it like, so I'm like, let me just try to throw it back on Devins and Aubry, and hopefully one of them it sticks, you know? Because that was kind of the plan. Plus, at this point, Jonathan's my No. 1 ally, like, I'm not going to do that to him, because if I go tonight, I don't want to screw his future up. I want him to hopefully hang in there, because, again, I'm so loyal.
Men's Journal: Steph, are you done with Survivor now? Are you closing that chapter?
Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I mean, I think so. I've been on four times. I'm 46. I love it. I love the game. It's such an adventure. There's nothing like it, and what you get from it, it's unexplainable. And I truly do love it. So I mean, I've said I'm done with it before, and now, look, I'm back on 50. So, you know, I want to say I'm done with it. But you can never say never. I don't know.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.