Dee Valladares is the first to admit that she was not the best at Big Brother’s wild and unpredictable competitions.
“Oh my goodness, these comps look easy. They are not that easy,” Dee, 29, exclusively shared with Us on Friday, September 25, after being evicted from the CBS reality show. “I am more of a physical competitor more so than mental. It’s no secret. I suck at puzzles. That is not my thing. So I think Big Brother has a lot of mental games, and that’s just not my thing.”
Throughout season 28, Dee — who won Survivor 45 in 2023 — exceeded expectations by staying in the Big Brother house for so long and making the final 4. She was ultimately evicted by Drew Campbell before a three-part competition will determine the final Head of Household.
“I know I keep saying that’s just not my thing, but it could be changed, and I could practice that, so that’s the problem,” Dee said about struggling in the competitions. “I have never really been one to practice puzzles, and it’s crazy because my life is game shows, but I am just much more of a physical competitor.”
Ultimately, Dee’s social game and ability to connect with houseguests kept her in the house for several weeks.
The fact that one of her strongest allies — fellow Survivor member Rick Devens — is still in the game may just prove Dee’s game ain’t too shabby.
“I’m not the smartest person in the room, and that is OK with me. I’m just someone that my strengths are people and understanding people — the psychology of people — more so than games themselves,” she shared. “I mean, they were a lot harder than they look and I struggled so much, but it’s OK. I am so OK with embodying all sides of me — the strengths and the weaknesses.”
As Dee prepares to reunite with some of her fellow houseguests in the jury house, she can’t believe just how close she got to being the first winner of both Survivor and Big Brother.
The possibility kept her fighting in the house up until eviction day.
“That’s what drove me every single day. Yes, the money is good. $750,000 is phenomenal,” Dee explained. “But I think I wanted the title more than I wanted the money. Just to know that I would have made history. I would have been the first person to win Survivor and Big Brother. There’s a reason why I got there.”
The former Challenge contestant added, “I’m also still very OK with it because I am very proud of the game that I played, and I’m not just proud of the game that I played. I had a lot of fun.”
On Thursday, October 1, Dee and the jury will have the opportunity to cast their votes and name a winner for Big Brother season 28. While she’s not ready to reveal her pick just yet, there is someone she is rooting for.
“Truly, I have never played with someone as smart as Devens. He just knows he is such a people person,” she said. “Everyone loves to be around Devens, and he really embodied this dad energy that people just love and felt safe around.”
Big Brother airs on CBS and Paramount + Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
