NEED TO KNOW
- Russell Hantz has appeared on Survivor thrice and on Australian Survivor as soon as
- He got here in second place on Survivor: Samoa
- Now, Hantz is a journey content material creator
In 2009, Russell Hantz, a father of 4 and oil firm proprietor, joined the forged of Survivor: Samoa and adjusted the sport perpetually, changing into one of the crucial infamous villains the present has ever seen.
“I had by no means been a fan of the present. I simply by no means actually watched it!” Hantz instructed ipromiseyoumedia in December 2009 following his first look on the sequence. “I put my utility in, by no means thought they might name me up, however then I watched the final all-stars, the place Parvati [Shallow] received, then I fell in love with it.”
Hantz, a fedora-clad, self-made millionaire who co-owned Hantz Tankering Service and a restaurant, would go on to look on Survivor two extra occasions and on Australian Survivor as soon as, because of his ruthless — and modern — methods. These strikes included every thing from emptying opponents’ canteens to looking for idols with out receiving a clue first.
“Russell actually did reinvent a few issues,” Survivor host Jeff Probst mentioned in a December 2020 video after rewatching Hantz’s second season, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. “He’s the primary man who ever mentioned, ‘Why do I want to attend for a clue to go search for an idol? What number of spots may it’s in?’ I actually was reminded of how impressed I used to be by his absolute relentless pursuit of any and every thing.”
After almost profitable Survivor: Samoa and coming in third place on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, Hantz went on to play twice extra in Survivor: Redemption Island and a season of Australian Survivor, however he was voted out second every time. So, the place is Russell Hantz now? Right here’s what the infamous villain is as much as at this time.
Hantz has appeared on Survivor 4 occasions
Hantz first appeared on followers’ TV screens in 2009 when he was forged on the nineteenth season of Survivor in Samoa. He was a “villain” from the very starting, sabotaging his Foa Foa tribe at each flip and discovering a whopping three idols with no clue.
Hantz made it to the finale with allies Natalie White and Mick Trimming by his aspect, however he wasn’t capable of sway the jury to help him in any case he’d completed. He solely obtained two votes, dropping to White. He did, nonetheless, take house the viewer-voted “Dash Participant of the Season” award, which got here with a $100,000 prize.
“I don’t assume there’s any doubt he’s going to go down as one of the crucial infamous villains we’ve had on Survivor, if not essentially the most,” Probst instructed ipromiseyoumedia instantly after Samoa aired. “He got here in from the primary day going, ‘I’m going to tear this recreation up.’ He was constant.”
Instantly following his run on Samoa, Hantz joined the forged of 2010’s Heroes vs. Villains — naturally, getting positioned on the Villains tribe. As soon as once more, Hantz reached the ultimate tribal council with Shallow and Sandra Diaz-Twine, however the jurors overwhelmingly selected Diaz-Twine because the winner.
Hantz would play twice extra: as soon as on Survivor: Redemption Island in 2011 and on Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders in 2018. Sadly for Hantz, his popularity preceded him and he was the second particular person voted out in every occasion.
Hantz tried to shake up his picture for the Australian spinoff, however the producers allegedly didn’t like the concept.
“When Australian Survivor referred to as me, I instructed them I didn’t need to put on the fedora,” he shared in a July 2025 TikTok. “I stored telling them, ‘I’m not going to do it.’ They mentioned, ‘We’ll provide you with $20,000 in the event you put on it.’ I mentioned, ‘Okay, I’ll put on it.’ ”
He is not thinking about enjoying Survivor once more
Throughout a earlier go to to Stay! With Kelly and Michael, Probst invited Hantz to compete once more, although he made it clear he wasn’t a fan.
“[My] least favourite might be one of the crucial well-liked, it might in all probability be Russell Hantz,” mentioned the host. “Russell, I feel you’re a unhealthy man, however I hope you’ll come do the present once more since you’re riveting to look at. [But] I don’t need him realizing the place I dwell!”
Nonetheless, Probst’s openness to internet hosting the villain once more appeared to wane whereas speaking to Survivor legend Rob Cesternino throughout a February 2024 look on Rob Has a Podcast.
“Within the palms of someone else … there can be extra villains, extra negativity, extra yelling at one another,” he mentioned. “It’s not going to occur after I’m a part of the present. I’m simply not thinking about it.”
For his half, Hantz made it clear that he has no real interest in being on Survivor once more, particularly as casting for 2026’s Survivor 50 started.
“Survivor has a chance to redeem themselves and have a tremendous season 50 and what do they do… burning down their very own home!” he posted on X in March 2025. “All we will do is watch it burn!” Days later, he added, “Take me out of fifty. I can’t play even when they ask!”
Hantz starred on A&E’s Flipped Off
Following his stint on Redemption Island, Hantz, his brother Shawn Hantz and agent Kristen Bredehoeft starred on an A&E house renovation present referred to as Flipped Off. Whereas he got here with no home flipping data, he instructed ipromiseyoumedia in April 2012 that he believed Survivor helped put together him for the cutthroat trade.
“Survivor taught me by no means to surrender — whether or not you’re going through issues within the recreation or promoting a home,” he mentioned. “By pushing ahead, you notice you are able to do something in the event you put your thoughts to it.”
He additionally wasn’t anxious about his detrimental popularity making him an unappealing vendor, including, “Individuals say, ‘why would you purchase a home from Russell Hantz?’ However why wouldn’t you? I take satisfaction within the enterprise aspect of the issues I do, and I need every thing to be good.”
Flipped Off ran for one season in 2012.
He bought divorced in 2014
Hantz entered Survivor married to Melanie Hantz, however issues modified when he bought again from being a TV villain and “stayed that particular person for years after.”
“That’s simply not particular person in actual life,” he instructed Australian journal Who in August 2018. “I didn’t go spherical mendacity, dishonest and stealing, however I went round partying and every thing else, so it’s simply not a optimistic factor.”
When Flipped Off cameras weren’t rolling, he “went house and just about ignored every thing, together with my relationship with my spouse,” he instructed Who. Hantz and Melanie bought divorced in 2014.
“All the pieces crumbled after the sport,” he mentioned in a March 2022 YouTube video. “I misplaced my marriage. I misplaced my enterprise. I do know I’m liable for my very own actions, but when Survivor by no means occurred in my life, I’d nonetheless have Hantz Tankering and I’d nonetheless be married. That’s a reality.”
Lately, Hantz mentioned in his YouTube video that he and his ex-wife “get alongside nice.”
Hantz and his ex-wife share 4 kids
After his first season of Survivor, Hantz admitted his TV persona didn’t sit properly together with his 4 youngsters, particularly remembering when he referred to as fellow contestant Monica Padilla a “little b—–.”
“You step out of character to play this foolish recreation and if you find yourself again house watching it, you’re not within the recreation no extra, but it surely’s on the TV, and your youngsters are watching it,” he instructed ipromiseyoumedia in December 2009. “Once I referred to as Monica what I referred to as Monica on nationwide tv, I checked out my little ladies and their mouths had been open as a result of they’ve by no means heard me say a cuss phrase of their life, as a result of that’s the type of dad I’m. They’ve by no means even seen me cry.”
Following his divorce from Melanie, Hantz admits his youngsters got here to “hate” Survivor.
“They don’t say it out loud, however I do know they despised the sport as a result of the one factor they know is that they misplaced their dad and their mom collectively,” he mentioned in his March 2022 YouTube video. “They heard their mother speaking detrimental issues about Survivor. My two youngest, they don’t even watch the present, they’ve by no means seen one episode as a result of all they heard rising up was that it’s unhealthy power.”
A number of YouTube movies on Hantz’s account present him touring the world together with his son Mike, doing meals opinions together with his daughter Gracie and spending time together with his grandchildren.
The place is Russell Hantz now?
Lately, Hantz is concentrated on being a content material creator. In September 2025, he introduced a “rebrand” of his TikTok and YouTube accounts to focus extra on journey, saying “we’re going to … see this lovely world collectively!”
He additionally mentioned he was in a “higher place” after his struggles following the top of his Survivor runs, marriage and tankering enterprise.
In his March 2022 YouTube video, he introduced he was promoting all of his Survivor memorabilia so he may “transfer on” and “create reminiscences” together with his kids.
“Do you assume after I’m on my loss of life mattress that I’m going to be fascinated with these buffs? I’m going to be fascinated with the issues that I’ve completed with my kids,” he mentioned. “[It’s like] when a liked one passes away and also you’re holding on to these objects since you’re holding on. And I get it, however finally you need to let go.”
