Joe Manganiello Almost Became a ‘Survivor’ Contestant

Joe Manganiello has recently expanded his career by stepping into the role of host for the Peacock series Deal or No Deal Island. This new role might seem like uncharted territory for the True Blood star, but there was a time when Manganiello nearly found himself as a contestant on another reality show – Survivor.

In an interview with Men’s Journal, the Magic Mike actor opened up about various topics, including his recent divorce from Sofia Vergara. At the time, Manganiello was preparing to head out to film Season 2 of Deal or No Deal Island, which adds a social strategy element to the classic NBC game show by setting it on a beach.

Interestingly, Manganiello’s passion for reality TV isn’t recent. He disclosed in the interview that he has been a loyal fan of Survivor since its inception. The CBS reality series captivated the nation in the summer of 2000, transforming television forever. Manganiello and his two roommates would eagerly gather every week for Survivor watch parties during their time together in West Hollywood. However, one particular night nearly transitioned him from a viewer to a participant.

“I was at a house party a few years later and ran into someone who worked for CBS casting,” Manganiello recalls. “They said, ‘You would be great for Survivor.’ I thought, ‘Oh my God, I can win!’ I even shared my strategy, and they asked if I would make a tape, but emphasized that I couldn’t be an actor.”

Fortunately for Manganiello, he was juggling his acting career alongside a job at a masonry company to cover his expenses. Taking the partygoer’s advice, he submitted an audition tape, presenting himself as Joe, a construction worker from Pittsburgh. In his video, he outlined his strategic approach gleaned from years of viewership and delved into his background as a descendant of an Armenian genocide survivor. “I’m a survivor. I have survivor genes in my blood,” he declared.

To say Manganiello was enthusiastic about joining Survivor would be an understatement. He had meticulously planned his preparations should he get cast. As a contact lens wearer, he intended to undergo corrective eye surgery (though he later discovered the show provided contact lens solution). Most strikingly, Manganiello planned to acclimate his body to nutritional deprivation by gradually reducing his intake of solid foods.

“I met a yogi whose specialty was helping people transition off solid foods,” Manganiello explains. “The philosophy is that a single leaf can hold more nutrients than an entire large pepperoni pizza. I was preparing to wean myself off solid food to maintain my energy levels.”

Unfortunately, the opportunity never materialized. Despite the producers’ apparent interest in casting him, a pilot Manganiello had filmed the previous year was picked up by VH1. Consequently, he went on to work on So Notorious, a 2006 sitcom inspired by Tori Spelling’s life, and his Survivor aspirations remained unfulfilled.

Given this background, it is no surprise that Manganiello eagerly accepted the chance to host a show centered on island challenges for monetary prizes when Deal or No Deal Island came along. Over the nearly two decades since submitting his Survivor audition tape, Manganiello’s career has soared. This newfound fame positioned him in the host role rather than as a contestant, a position he relishes. With Survivor icon “Boston” Rob Mariano appearing on the first season of Deal or No Deal Island, Manganiello got to experience a dream come true.

Source: Men’s Journal, CBS