Impostors, step aside.

For those aiming to join the cast of the popular competition show, The Traitors, authenticity is key. The show’s casting director is keen on finding genuine individuals.

Jazzy Collins, the Emmy-winning casting director behind The Traitors US, as well as other reality hits like Love Island USA, The Circle, and The Bachelorette, is on the lookout for sincerity in audition tapes. Her preference is for candidates who are open and truthful.

Being able to show vulnerability is also a crucial factor.

Vulnerability is also important. 

“I really like being able to tap into someone’s backstory and what makes them ‘tick,’” she said. “That’s going to easily come up on camera, and that’s going to be something that the audience is going to explore with you on this journey.”

Can being a villain get you cast on ‘The Traitors’?

Reality TV needs its villains, and that’s particularly true for The Traitors, where cast members complete challenges to build up a large cash pot that will be awarded at the end of the competition. The twist? Most players are “Faithfuls” but a select few are secretly named “Traitors” at the beginning of the show. The Traitors work together to sabotage the Faithfuls, eliminating them from the competition with the goal of taking the prize for themselves.

Obviously, a talent for sabotage and a willingness to be sneaky can be helpful on The Traitors. But Collins says that pretending to be a villain when you’re not one in real life can actually hurt your chances of getting cast on any kind of reality show.   

“[A] lot of people think they want to see what they’ve seen on TV and just recreate it,” she said. 

“So, maybe they’re like ‘Oh, if I become a villain, I will be on the show.’ We’re not looking for a villain. We are looking for someone that’s authentically you,” she continued. “If you are that type of person naturally (a villain), go ahead and tell me about that. Tell me about how you’ve been a villain in your life.”  

‘The Traitors’ casting director is looking for convincing liars 

When it comes to landing a spot on The Traitors, proving that you can be a “good game player” is helpful, Collins said. So is an ability to lie. 

“The best way [to find a convincing liar] is just by asking, ‘How good of a liar are you? Have you lied before? Give me an example of that,’ Collins said. “People will come out and tell pretty insane stories of how they lied to get out of anything.”

Of course, someone’s performance in an audition doesn’t always carry through to the show. 

“But at the end of the day, they could tell you all of these things,” she said. “But once they’re put on camera, that doesn’t mean they’re actually going to play the game that way.  

“Once you’re in the game, all bets are off,” Collins added. “A lot of people’s strategies go out the window.”

The Traitors Season 4 premieres Thursday, January 8 on Peacock.

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