The new champion also shares about her reunion with Michele Fitzgerald.

Survivor 50 winner Aubry Bracco reveals what happened when the cameras turned off

The new champion also shares about her reunion with Michele Fitzgerald.

By Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. *Survivor* is kind of his thing.

EW's editorial guidelines

May 21, 2026 12:40 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Aubry Bracco on 'Survivor 50'. Credit:

Robert Voets/CBS

- Aubry Bracco tells all while delving into how she won *Survivor 50*… and the $2 million prize that comes with it. - Aubry reveals what happened that night after Jeff Probst walked out of Tribal Council with the votes. - Aubry also talks about sharing her winning night with Michele Fitzgerald.

Aubry Bracco was haunted by her past. The ghosts of *Survivor: Kaoh Rong* have lived with her for 10 years ever since she lost a controversial final Tribal Council jury vote to Michele Fitzgerald. She played again a year later on *Game Changers*, and again came up short. She tried a third time on the *Edge of Extinction* season, with victory once again eluding her. Emotionally exhausted and adrift, Aubry said goodbye to *Survivor* and moved on with her life, getting married and having a child.

But the show came calling once more, and this time, Aubry not only answered the call, but she finally slayed her *Survivor* demons by winning *Survivor 50* and taking home the $2 million that came with it.

It all came down to the final immunity challenge of Simmotion, and when Aubry won it, she had essentially won the game, finally grasping the ultimate prize that eluded her for a decade. Did she know the game was hers at that point? What happened after Jeff Probst walked off the Tribal Council set with the votes? And now that she has come full circle, is this the end of Aubry's *Survivor* career. We asked the freshly minted champion all that and more and you can now watch or read the entire interview below.

**: You bought a bootleg Simmotion off Etsy. Was that a $2 million purchase?**

**AUBRY BRACCO: **You know, I think it was, Dalton. It was a small replica, but it helped me get in time with the pace, and you're doing it with one hand, and that left, right, left, right. It seems so simple, but it's so hard when the stakes are so high.

**My favorite part of the challenge was actually after, because Joe immediately takes his thing off and you're just celebrating and not untethering your arm.**

I'm so glad you saw that because I was just in so in shock. I literally had my hand behind my back and I walk off the platform from the challenge and I'm like: *My hand is still behind my back. What is wrong with me?* I was just so in the moment. It was the last thing I was worried about. I could have gone on in that challenge for, like, another hour. I was so in the zone.

Explore EW's *Survivor* HQ

Exclusive video, interviews, breaking news, games, polls, and more!

**When you won that final challenge, did you have a pretty good idea that you won *Survivor?***

I didn't. I don't count my chickens before they hatch. I went through *Kaoh Rong*. Actually, I was very fearful of, like: *Oh my gosh, I'm in the final three again. What happens if I lose again?* I gotta work through what I call head trash from [season] 32.

**Every player that goes into a final Tribal Council is doing jury math in their head. So I'm sure you're running scenarios. How did you think you were hopefully or possibly looking?**

Yeah, it was interesting because I never thought I was gonna win a challenge. I won one in my *Survivor* career before that. And I thought that the jury might be a little skeptical of Rizo, but when I had the chance to choose, Rizo is incredible at Tribal Council. He's an amazing speaker. He's an amazing story. I always looked at Rizo. I'm like: *There's something you're not telling us about this guy. He's has more going on.* And it turns out when I watched that he did, and he's a very adept player.

I mean, Jonathan and Joe are great too, but I just did not want him and that underdog energy next to me. The first time I played, I had someone who emerged at the right moment next to me and it didn't work out for me. And I thought my game was most similar to Rizo. I was afraid if he was with me, some of the votes could overlap. My worst nightmare was like a Jonathan and Rizo situation. I thought then Joe would vote for Jonathan and Rizo could maybe get someone like Dee and I didn't wanna take my chances.

Aubry Bracco on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**What votes surprised you the most or were you least sure about?**

Devens,,Christian and Emily. I did not know where they were gonna go. They're hardcore gamers. They have such respect for the integrity of the game. I never bothered them over the course of almost a year to find out what they did. and it meant a lot to see that they had voted for me. And everybody else too. I'm not used to a jury that supports me like that. I was so honored. Cirie, Ozzy, Tiffany were fighting for me.

**Did you feel that as the Q&A was happening?**

**How did that maybe change how you felt about your chances?**

People were fighting for me and like I said, I never had that before and it felt good, but the wild thing is Jonathan and I really were neck and neck in terms of people supporting us. Jonathan had Chrissy and Steph fighting for him in the ring. So it really was like: Who's getting folks for them on the jury? Who is a step ahead for this question? So it was really neck and neck.

Rizo Velovic reacts to shocking live 'Survivor 50' spoiler mistake: 'Well, this is awkward'

'Survivor 50' finale recap: A winner is crowned in a storybook ending

**Tell me what we didn't see from that final Tribal Council with the jury. What didn't make the edit?**

I mean, there were a few things that came up about who owned certain votes, why people made certain decisions that they made. And there were a lot more questions about our stories and how we evolved our games. It was everything you saw. It was just a little bit more.

**Did you guys make any opening or closing statements at all?**

I don't remember if we made opening statements, but the closing statement was actually a question from Rizo about what our legacy would be and it was very similar to what Christian had asked.

Jonathan Young and Aubry Bracco on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**What happened after Jeff walked out of that Tribal Council set with the votes. What was the rest of that night like for you out in Fiji? I don't know if it was a celebration at Ponderosa or more of a fall asleep at Ponderosa.**

Oh, there was celebration. There was Fijian pizza, world famous. We toasted champagne and I was just relieved. I left it all on the table. I knew the game I'd played. I knew that I had to play very under the radar at times. I knew that I had a very hard start to the game, but I left it on the table. And that's all you can really do when you get to that point in the game, you have to come away knowing that you did the best you could do, and I thought I did that.

**It's probably not possible because one of you was going to go at five, but how do you think you do if somehow you and Tiffany make it to the end?**

I really think Tiffany could've pulled out the win. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. Tiffany is outwit, outplay, and outlast. She's all three of them. She is such a magnetic personality. She's a special person and I really thought that she would have the momentum going into the end. I think she could've beaten me for sure.

Aubry Bracco, Rizo Velovic, and Jeff Probst on 'Survivor 50'.

**Had you lost that last challenge and then lost at fire, who from the three guys would have gotten your vote to win and why?**

Oof. I think that Jonathan may have gotten my vote because I had seen most of his game. But I was also really, really curious at what Rizo had to say. I also thought it was really interesting that the whole concept of Joe getting looped in on every vote was absolutely true. So I think they would've been having to fight me for that vote.

**There has been all this debate among players in terms what is harder: a 39-day game or a 26-day game. You are now the only player in *Survivor* history to play all 39 days in the old era and all 26 days in the new era. So you are the only person that can answer this question: Which is harder?**

It's so funny. Someone asked me this and it must be me playing the middle again. I said they are harder in different ways. 39 days is exceptionally taxing on your body. 26 days, they don't worry about eating, that's the least of their problems, but there is a real mental gymnastics you have to do. For me, I do think 26 is probably easier. I'm not someone who does very well with downtime, so I think it's a little more complimentary to my, like, somewhat neurotic tendencies of needing to go, go, go. You can't think about things, you just have to do them. So I'm gonna say 39 days, it's a little bit harder.

Aubry Bracco on 'Survivor 50'.

**It's interesting how you say that you're not good with downtime, because there was some crying when we spoke out there a few days before the game began. You know I was worried about you and being disconnected from your family unit in such a raw and often lonely environment. But you seemed to keep those emotions in check, at least from what we saw in the edit. How were you able to do that?**

I had a very hard start to the game. I was sick the first few days. I got whatever upper respiratory thing someone else had on the plane. And it's hard to be away from your family, but for me, I really retreat into myself at the beginning of *Survivor,* and I really was working through, like, I was having a bodily reaction to being on the same beaches again.

How did I keep that in check? I mean, if I've learned anything in *Survivor* it is that when things seem bad, they can turn out good. And then sometimes when they seem great, they can plummet. So I just kept telling myself: *One more day, one more day.* And you know what? I cry, whatever. That's me, that's how I release emotion. Yes, I cried mostly to myself and I just knew no matter what happened, I had to put one foot in front of the other. I'm proud of my resilience more than anything.

Aubry Bracco on 'Survivor 50'.

**What's it like to go to a *Survivor* finale and then have it be all about you? And you can sit here and say "It wasn't all about me," but it is. It's about the winner. You are the belle of the ball. And to have all the history you have behind it, what was that like for you last night?**

I mean, it's incredible. I'm very much someone that likes working behind the scenes. I think in another life, I probably would be someone who was a producer or worked on the show. That's what I do in my normal life. It was so special. I felt the love. It was 10 years. It was quite the journey. I've been so blessed. I don't want to talk about, like, story arcs, but I can't believe it. It's so wild what I've been through and I was just so grateful.

There were all these people from different parts of the production, the players, the fans, the people who make the show with me along the way. It was so special to celebrate with all of them and some dear *Survivor* friends in the audience. John Cochran, Sarah Lacina, Zeke Smith, Lauren O'Connell — they were all there. Chris Underwood. It was so special.

**You mentioned former castmates of yours. I know Michele Fitzgerald was at the finale. You two will always be linked, maybe even more so now as winners. Did you all have a chance to speak and what was that like?**

I did. The lore of Michele and I, it's just beyond both of us at this point. We were friends when we left that game, and I know it's just as hard for her, or I'm not gonna put words in her mouth, but I'm sure it's as hard for her as it is for me to hear each other's names every day of our life for the last 10 years. And I went to Michelle, I said, "I know it's been bumpy at times, but you taught me a lot and I thank you and I do give you your props."

I think I've been very open to the feedback. And then I've learned when not to be, but I learned a lot watching Michele's game. It wasn't the natural inclination I had the first time I played, but there were valuable things in what she did and she's taught me a lot and I really do have a lot of respect for her.

Aubry Bracco on 'Survivor 50'.

**You conquered your *Survivor* demons, you came full circle from *Kaoh Rong*, you won two seasons' worth of money. You get to walk off with no regrets and in a really good mental and emotional place. So is this it for you competing on this show?**

It's time for other people. As much as I'll miss playing *Survivor*, it's time for other people to have their shot.

**It was a storybook ending. You couldn't end it any better for you, right?**

Oh, my gosh. It's the thing of dreams. Like, you can't write this. It's, wild and I'm really grateful that I even had this chance again. You know, they talk about second chances. I had a third and a fourth and I thought the *Edge of Extinction* was the end of my story and it sucked. And I came to terms with that over seven years and I removed myself from *Survivor*, but I had this beautiful chance to rewrite it and I'm so grateful. Do we cry, Dalton? What's new?

Aubry Bracco of 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**What are you gonna do with the two million dollars?**

What am I gonna do with the money? Rik Devens, buddy, we gotta talk. What restaurant? What theme park? What are we gonna do together? We gotta have a little fun and then I'm gonna put the money away from my son.

***Want to be kept up with all things Survivor? Dig deep and sign up for 's ******free Survivor Weekly newsletter****** to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox. ***

- Show Fandoms

- Survivor Fandom

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Survivor”