Hello! You're either here because you want to compete on Survivor or because you want to know how the heck Bravo chooses the stars of the Real Housewives franchise. But whether you're looking to become a reality TV star yourself—excuse me, genuinely find love in front of a bunch of cameras—or just want to know how these things are cast, you've come to the right place.
While for many reality TV shows, the producers going unnoticed is key—it's gotta stay as close to real as possible—people who work on these shows have, thankfully, given some insight into how the sausage is made. Plus, applicants who have attended castings have spoken out, too.
Standout reality stars are born, not made, but someone has to find them first. That's where casting and auditions come in. Read on to find out how shows narrow down their casts.
Applications
The first step for getting on many reality shows is a lengthy application. The application for Top Chef, for instance, is over 100 questions long and requires things like uploading photos of your "best plated dishes" and sharing what type of stove you tend to cook on. Then there are questions that seemed aimed at those who simply want to become famous—such as whether you've appeared on TV before.
Reality TV applications also often involved terms that must be agreed to and waivers in case you are cast.
Casting Calls
If you're thinking of an audition as something you just show up to, then you're probably thinking of a casting call. Some reality series use casting calls as a way to get to know a bunch of potential cast members in person all at once.
In a piece for The Arizona Republic, Becca Smouse explained what it was like attending a casting call for The Bachelor. They explained that, first, they had to fill out a six-page application. Then, applicants had their photos taken, followed by an on-camera interview with casting staff.
"The questions were as basic as the rest of the process: talk about your family, where you grew up and your dating history. The video was the most personal part of the process, though it only lasted for about five minutes," Smouse wrote. They added, "There was some secrecy to the whole process, as some girls were taken aside for private interviews and on special photo shoots."
Casting calls aren't as common of a first step, but they are more often used for talent shows, such as The Voice, which does both in-person and virtual casting calls.
Video Auditions
After submitting an application, the next round is often a video audition—though sometimes a video is submitted along with the application. Jesse Tannenbaum, the casting director for Survivor, told Entertainment Weekly that after his team reviews thousands of submitted videos, that group is narrowed down and sometimes instructed on how to make a better video that will stand out in the next round.
"Sometimes we give them pointers like that it's okay to be vulnerable and open and tell us about who you are," Tannenbaum shared. "So the producers will work with them to create a great audition video."
Meeting in Person—And Going Through Tests, Checks, and More
If you make it past the application and any video or virtual auditions, the next step is probably to meet producers in person and go through various evaluations.
Robyn Kass, the casting director for Squid Game: The Challenge told IndieWire, "Casting for reality shows is much more than just finding attractive people or picking individuals you like. There is so much that goes into finding each person. There is research, outreach, interviews, phone calls, pitch sheets, and pitching, but it doesn’t end there; if people are approved, then they must go through background checks, psych evaluations, and medical examinations all to make sure they are a viable candidate for the show."
For Survivor, it is after going through background checks and psych evaluations that the finalists meet with executive producers and network execs.
"If a player is going to panic, this is the stage where it happens," host and executive producer Jeff Probst told Entertainment Weekly. "The pressure ratchets up when the room is full of producers and CBS executives. This too is by design. If you drop the ball at this stage, you probably won't get on the show this season."
Exceptions (Like Rich People Who Are Already Famous)
Not every reality TV show follows the steps listed above. Some shows recruit people on social media. This is common with dating shows, such as Love Is Blind, which needs eligible singles from a certain city. It makes sense, then, that casting directors would seek out these specific people on Instagram.
There are also series that come to be because of a pre-existing group of people making for a good show. Look at Vanderpump Rules: The original cast actually worked at Lisa Vanderpump's restaurant SUR, so while the group of employees had to be narrowed down, they didn't have to apply from scratch.
Sometimes, it's networking. For example, West Wilson was cast on Summer House after a producer reached out to him. And the producer reached out after he met one of the show's stars, Lindsay Hubbard, who suggested him. "I was like, 'Oh I actually know someone on that show' and they were like, 'That’s how we found you, you idiot,'" Wilson told The New York Times.
Then, there are the shows that require something special... like being super wealthy, being a member of high society, or having already been famous. While The Real Housewives of New York City did put out a casting notice recently—which came as a surprise—the average reality TV hopeful is not going to become a Real Housewife. But, hey, if you work your way through all of the other steps and end up becoming a reality star on a competition or dating show, you could end up on The Traitors with one!
