‘Big Brother 19’: Who’s Looking For A Showmance—And Who’s Not?
Big Brother fans know showmances are a big part of the game. Sometimes they can lead to real-life love, marriage, and babies (Jordan Lloyd, Jeff Schroeder and Rachel Reilly, Brendon Villegas) and other times they can lead to off-camera feuds and cease and desist letters (Natalie Negrotti, James Huling).
Ahead of the 19th season of Big Brother, the Hollywood Reporter caught up with the sequestered houseguests to get the scoop on their strategies and social game, and it already sounds like showmances will be part of the plan for some of the contestants this summer. As usual, the Big Brother cast is full of good looking singles, and some of them are ready to mingle.
Mark Jansen, a 26-year-old personal trainer, told THR point blank he hopes he’ll find a showmance on Big Brother this season.
“I’m single and some of the girls on these seasons are very beautiful,” he said.
“I could definitely see myself in a little showmance…I want a relationship and I want to find the right girl and someone I could fall in love with. I’m crazy, right? It doesn’t sound like I’m going on the show to win half a million dollars.”
Fitness guru Christmas Abbott, 35, said she’s open for whatever can help her win the $500,000 Big Brother grand prize, but said if there’s a showmance she has to “authentically like that person.”
Big Brother player Matthew Clines, 33, is also open to a CBS hookup but says he’s not seeking anything out.
“It would have to be strategic in terms of what I’m looking for in the game,” he admitted.
“I’m definitely not closing it off… I’m sure Big Brother has chosen some very intelligent, cool and good looking girls. I can’t say I’m not excited to see that! I’m not shutting any doors.”
Raven Walton, a 23-year-old dance instructor, said she’s not going to say yes or no to finding love on the show and will just go into Big Brother with an open mind, while hair care salesman Josh Martinez told THR he’s not looking for a showmance, but “if it happens, it happens.”
“It’s a long three months!” he said. “Your boy already needs some love.”
But not everyone is open to finding a summer romance on Big Brother. Professional dog walker Megan Lowder, 28, said she’ll avoid a showmance because it would make her a target.
Ditto for Dominique Cooper, 30. The government engineer said she’s in it to win it.
“No showmances for me, but God has a sense of humor so we’ll see what happens!” the Big Brother player said. “But I’m coming here to win.”
Kevin Schleuber, 55, reminds viewers he has been married for a long time.
“I have seven kids all with the same woman,” he said. “My daughters would kill me [if I had a showmance.] What are you crazy? I love my wife.”
Ramses Soto has another showmance strategy. The 21-year old cosplay artist says he doesn’t want to be in a showmance himself, but he wouldn’t mind aligning himself with two lovebirds.
“If I can pair myself up with a showmance that’s perfect,” the new Big Brother player said.
“They are two people that are always going to be bigger targets than you. It would be great to pair up with them, but not be in an actual showmance myself.”
Microbiologist Cameron Heard said he has had a girlfriend for seven years, but that he is open to a “flirtmance.”
“I don’t think girls are going to care that I have a girlfriend they’re still going to flirt with me,” he said. “There is a line though and I don’t want to cross it.”
Meanwhile, radio host Elena Davies says she has trouble dating in real life when she doesn’t have cameras in her face, so why would she do it on Big Brother?
While showmances can be the kiss of death on Big Brother, it’s important to note that last season’s winner, Nicole Franzel, was involved in a showmance (with Corey Brooks) that consumed much of her time in the CBS summertime house.
Nicole won the Big Brother $500K, but she didn’t win a long-term relationship, something show host Julie Chen predicted early on.
“Forget about Corey and Nicole,” Chen told Entertainment Tonight last August. “That’s a one-sided thing. He looks like her as a kid sister. I think he adores her, but not in a romantic way.”
But the longtime Big Brother host did tout the CBS franchise’s three marriages.
“We’ve had three marriages result,” Chen said of the Big Brother franchise. “Rachel Reilly got both, she got a check and a husband, and she got the bonus child … Jordan [Lloyd], she got the check, the husband and a child on the way.”
In addition, Big Brother alums Danielle Donato and Dominic Briones also tied the knot after meeting on the show.
Big Brother Season 19 premieres Wednesday, June 28 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
[Featured Image by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for WE tv]
