Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick Reveals What’s Changed—And What Hasn’t—As She Returns for 'Season 50' (Exclusive)

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick first captured hearts back in 2005 as the ultimate Survivor underdog, outlasting her entire tribe in Palau and cementing herself as a rootable and resilient player. That led to two more appearances before she stepped away from the cameras for a 12-year hiatus. But as she prepares to return for the milestone Survivor 50, she’s coming into the game a different woman.

"Twelve years. I was off TV for 12 years," Kendrick, 46, told Men’s Journal in a preseason interview on set in Fiji. For her, agreeing to do Season 50 was less about proving she could play the game and more about proving her body could still handle it. "I had shoulder surgery, I had ankle surgery, I have a wrist issue, I had a neck issue," she said. "I’m like, 'Will I get hurt?' That was my only concern. But to be asked, it’s an honor."

The game she is returning to has shifted dramatically from the grueling 39-day game of her era to the breakneck 26-day speed of the "New Era." While the modern pace is one thing to consider, she still values the physical grit and loyalty of her fellow "39-dayers."

That said, the most jarring change isn't the length of the game, but the "nerve-wracking" social media culture that has turned the preseason into a game of its own. "Those new era kids—they all freaking talk. They all are friends on Instagram. They literally hang out," she admitted. "Us old folk, we do not hang out. I had so many people reaching out to me: 'Don’t forget, this one knows this one. This one just went to Tokyo with this one.' I have a notebook."

Despite the evolution of the game and addition to twists like "Shot in the Dark," the Philadelphia native is hoping to align with fellow old school players like Colby Donaldson and Cirie Fields. "I see people I know, and I'm like, we should want to work together early on," she told MJ. "They should want to work with me."

Below, Kendrick further breaks down the divide between old era and new era players, the "freaking paranoia" of Ponderosa, and the notebook she’s using to track every pre-game connection.

Men’s Journal: You’ve done Snake in the Grass and The Traitors, so I feel like you’ve been in the mix, but for Survivor, it’s been a while.

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Twelve years. I was off TV for 12 years. Snake in the Grass was just one episode. And then The Traitors, I said no. Did you know that? I was like, "I can’t be gone for 30 days, I have three kids." And then Kyle [Kendrick] is like, "I’m retired, I’m home." He works part-time; he’s still trying to find his way. It takes forever. So they talked me into it.

Men’s Journal: How did they talk you into this? Did it take a lot of convincing?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: No, this was kind of like... for me, it was more like: do I still have physical endurance? I had shoulder surgery, I had ankle surgery, I have a wrist issue, I had a neck issue. I’m like, "Will I get hurt?" That was my only concern. I wanted to do 50. Are you kidding me? Of course! People would kill to do this. People are pissed they didn’t get asked. And to be asked, it’s an honor. And then my kids—they don’t get it. They watch old seasons and that’s not even Mom to them. I sound different, I looked younger. For them to see this now, they’d be like, "Oh my God."

Men’s Journal: Are they excited to see you play again?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I don’t think they think it’s real. Once the commercials start, they’re going to be like... especially my 13-year-old, because she’s just like, "Okay, Survivor was 20 years ago." I’m just "Mom" to her, so I’m not cool. It’s so weird. Her friends think I’m cool because I’m her mom, but she can’t really see it. When I was leaving, she’s like, "Wait, how long are you gone?" Sophia asked me two days before I left. I told her I’m going to be gone almost five and a half weeks. I left in May and she didn’t get it. My son’s super excited. He’s 11. He’s going to be my visitor. I’m like, "I don’t think they do that anymore."

Men’s Journal: I wonder if they’re going to make an exception for Season 50.

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I asked, and I was like, "I just need to know because some people that I might pick as my visitors don’t have passports." And they’re like, "No, don’t worry about it." Unless they call your family and they’re like, "It has to be somebody that already has a passport."

Men’s Journal: How's it been being back here and going through all this again?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: It's a lot. And then it’s already with the freaking paranoia. I see Cirie [Fields] and I see Colby [Donaldson] and I see people I know, and I’m like, "We should want to work together early on." They should want to work with me. And they give you a little wink. You think you know, but you don’t know. There could be any twist, any turn.

Men’s Journal: Do you feel like the game already started?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Yeah, for sure. Starts the second you were at that airport. At least on The Traitors, nobody really knew anybody. In Palau, nobody knew each other until Bobby Jon [Drinkard] and I came back. All-Star seasons are hard. They’re harder. Those "new era" kids—they all freaking talk. They all are friends on Instagram. They literally hang out. Us old folk, we do not hang out. I don’t even think Colby is on Instagram. Coach [Benjamin Wade]—I’ve never met Coach.

Men’s Journal: Really? But you worked with Colby on Heroes vs. Villains, right?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Yeah, he stood up for me with the bully James [Clement]. So I’m happy to see him here. I think he’s somebody I can lean on. But you’ll need more than that, especially because there’s a lot of new school people. They’re all connected. Hopefully the 39-dayers are smart enough to stick together.

Men’s Journal: Do you feel like it’s gonna go old school versus new school for a bit?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I don’t know if they’re gonna separate us. Actually, the color wardrobes... it’s like a perfect three tribes of eight. Four guys on three tribes.

Men’s Journal: Who do you want on your tribe and who do you not want?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I want a Colby. I think Jonathan [Young] will work with me. I think Joe [Hunter] will work with me. I think a Jenna [Lewis-Dougherty] would work with me; she’s old cchool. Cirie—I hope she wants to work with me. I don’t have a lot of options either. And Cirie is going to be a huge threat. She’s a great shield for me. I want to keep her around.

Men’s Journal: Good point. Do you feel like Joe and Jonathan give more like old school vibes?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Yeah, they have that personality. They’re not going to every single charity event or every single watch party. Angelina [Keeley] already talked to everybody new school. There’s a lot of pre-gaming going on. I was not part of that, so it’s nerve-wracking.

Men’s Journal: Sometimes that can bite you in the butt if you’re promising too many things. Do you keep up with who knows who?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I don’t, but coming here I did a little homework on every rumored list. I had so many people reaching out to me: "Don’t forget, this one knows this one. This one just went hiking. This one just went to Tokyo with this one." I have a notebook.

Men’s Journal: How are the vibes at Ponderosa? What are you picking up on?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: People seem pretty nice. I’ve gotten some smiles and winks from people I was surprised by. The Savannah [Louie] girl who’s new and nobody knows anything—she said something to me like, "I can’t wait to meet you." Good, because she’s a fan. She’s going to need someone to align with. I would love to pull her in. I always align with the strong men that I feel like I can trust, so to have a couple cool girls I can jive with would be great.

Men’s Journal: What do you think of the other 49er, Rizo [Velovic]?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Well, I heard he calls himself "RizGod" or something. He’s got so much "riz." I didn’t know what riz was until my kids said that. My son wears a shirt like "Very Rizness." He’s goofy and a character. He’s gonna be really funny.

Men’s Journal: Did you have to go and watch any seasons to prepare?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Yeah, I was already watching 48 so I just went backwards. I didn’t know who Chrissy [Hofbeck] was really at all, so I had to go watch her season. And then Devens—Rick Devens.

Men’s Journal: What do you think about him?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I’m gonna just follow him around. Maybe he’ll help teach me how to find an idol. I was gone by the time they introduced them. There was never an idol. I think there was one in Guatemala that Gary [Hogeboom] found. In Heroes vs. Villains, there was nothing until after I was gone.

Men’s Journal: You mentioned your shoulder...how do you think you'll do in the challenges?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: My shoulder is fine—it won’t come out—but I have arthritis in it now from the surgery. Every now and again it will lock up and start hurting. So if there’s any of those challenges where they have to hold something... I’m gonna have to use my left arm. I’m right-handed. Not good at puzzles. Still been practicing. I saw the three boats. I’ve done three tribes, but there’s not enough room for eight people at each of those boats. They’re gonna end up doing a challenge off the bat and it’s gonna come down to a puzzle and they’re gonna get rid of two to four people right off the bat. Don’t be the one that can’t complete the puzzle.

Men’s Journal: Does anything worry you about the modern fast paced game?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Not the fast pace, but the "Shot in the Dark." That’s like luck. This should be a game of skill and social strategy and strength. Journeys, too—then you lose your vote. I like that you can choose to not risk it. To come back from them, you’ve got to make some story up and then you might get caught lying. I’m not a good liar. I’ll just be like, "I don’t want to risk my vote." The new schoolers are used to this because that’s all they know. I do wish it was 39 days because then you really starve, get miserable, and have so much downtime. That’s when s--t goes down. Now every two days is an episode. You really struggle mentally, and that’s when people break down. 26 days—it’s gonna be over before you even know it.

Men’s Journal: There are two winners out here. Do you want to work with them?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: They’re an easy vote off early if you need it, or they’re an easy number to pull in. I’m just gonna use whatever hand I’m dealt.

Men’s Journal: We have some groups—Season 48 has three people, David vs. Goliath has three people. Do you think they’ll be targets?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I think it depends. I don’t think Charlie [Davis] is really friendly with Q [Burdette] and Tiff [Tiffany Ervin]. But apparently Q and Tiff are friends now. So either you want to work with me and my people or against us. And I know they’re going to all think the Heroes vs. Villains people are together, which is not the case. I’ve never even met Coach.

Men’s Journal: Have you ever met any of the new era people?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I met Jonathan briefly at that Florida event. Boston Rob [Mariano] text me—and I love him—and he was just like, "Are you going?" He’s really good friends with Jonathan. He introduced me and was like, "If Jonathan’s there, you can trust him." Jonathan’s a good homeboy. Will catch all your fish.

Men’s Journal: How do you feel about Ozzy [Lusth]?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I met Ozzy briefly this year. We never talked, and I had to leave because it was my birthday. He’s like, "You’re leaving already?" and goes, "Give me a hug," and winked. I hope he wants to work with me. I follow him on Instagram. He lives in Mexico or New Mexico. He’s a 39-dayer. Back in the day, there was no social media, so not everyone knew about everything. That’s why I don’t even have a big following. I was off of it when I was with Kyle. I only got back on really after Snake in the Grass and The Traitors.

Men’s Journal: Had you been in casting for any other seasons?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Jeff [Probst] called me... I had just had my son. It was in the 30s and I couldn’t go because Kyle was still playing baseball. We both couldn’t be gone. That’s why this worked. Kyle is done playing, so he’s around. I was going to do Winners at War when it was supposed to be "Second Chance" or something, and then they changed it to Winners at War and I wasn't applicable.

The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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