For devotees of seasons two through seven of Below Deck, it was no surprise that Kate Chastain became the breakout star of Peacock’s genius game of deception, The Traitors. The former chief stew was well known for her wonderfully bitchy quips, her dismissive manner, and saying just about anything on her mind while still being nice to the guests.
On The Traitors, in which ten reality stars and ten normies have to figure out who among them are committing murders in a Scottish castle, Chastain had almost no nice at all. Although she bonded with fellow Bravolebrity Brandi Glanville early in the game, once Glanville was booted, Chastain was absolutely miserable: She likened being on the show to a prison, she literally pitched hundreds of dollars in prize money off the side of the road rather than carry it, and she had an epic reality-TV feud with Big Brother winner Rachel Reilly. At one point, she even said Reilly was dressed as if she were auditioning for a role in community theater. Classic Kate. She spoke with Vulture about how she got conned into the game and how her wardrobe influenced her decisions while getting in a few more jabs at Rachel.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
How did they sell you on the show?
My favorite NBC executive called me and said, “Kate, I have a new show. You’re the first person I thought of.†I was flattered. He’s like, “I’m sending you the link. This is perfect for you.†I opened the link and it said, “It’s the ultimate game of manipulation and deceit.†I was a little less flattered, but then I had never been to Scotland.
To be completely honest with you, I was so desperate to be able to be on a show where I wasn’t wearing a polyester polo. I wanted to wear my own clothes.
What was your packing strategy?
A lot of plaid, a lot of tartan. When the game was first presented to me, it was more of a psychological game, which I was like, Great! I love it. But I should have probably caught on when they were like, “And now for athletic gear.†I don’t really have any. That should have been a clue. They had a wardrobe department that would offer suggestions, and they did ask us to send what we wanted to wear, but I knew for the most part: English, British, Scottish countryside, tweeds, faux fur.
When did they finally explain all the rules to you?
Not until we actually got to the castle were we given the exact rules of the game. In fact, it was a kind of lengthy process. Every so often, a little more information was leaked, and I think that was for the best because had I known they would be taking away our phone and we would be allowed only one glass of wine a night — it would be extremely demanding physical challenges — I’m not sure I would’ve been so excited to go.
Which was worse: not having your phone or not having wine?
I mean, the wine was an adjustment. I signed up for a game show, not rehab.
When they explained the game to you, did you develop an initial strategy?
As much as I would’ve loved to have a strategy going in, I just couldn’t crack what that would be because there were so many unknown variables. Once we got going in the game, that became only more apparent to me, like, Oh, so this is really just cross your fingers and hope you figure it out. And the traitors have a huge advantage.
But your girl Brandi Glanville had it down on day one. She said Christian and Cirie were traitors!
Justice for Brandi. Brandi Glanville could solve 90 percent of cold cases in America on the weekend as a hobby. Her intuition is frighteningly sharp.
We did an interview with Cirie, and she said the Bravo crew kind of automatically flocked to each other. Was that your experience?
I saw the interview, and I was a little bit annoyed with Cirie because she and I are very good friends. I think we were trauma bonded from having bugs dumped on us. It’s fair to say that was definitely true in the beginning. But to her point, I could easily say that about her, Rachel, and Stephenie, from their little Snake in the Grass gig. I think it’s human nature, when you’re in an unknown situation with so many new people and new challenges, to at least kind of go toward the familiar thing.
As the game got going, did you ever adopt a strategy?Â
I think it’s fair to say I went through phases. At first, I was really into it: Let’s find out who the traitors are! But then, as I saw the game was much more difficult than I expected — and also I saw that the other contestants were just as bad at this as I was — the realization that that prize money was probably never going to be mine settled in, and I started playing a new game, which was How can I get out of here? I thought, I’m going to have fun with it. I don’t watch a lot of competition shows, but let’s see how far you can get by actively trying to not do what everybody else is doing. Then I got really close to the end, and that money started seeming almost within reach through I don’t know what luck. Then I was like, Well, maybe I should take it a little seriously because I’m this close.
I feel like that shift to “I’m close†happened after we saw one Ms. Rachel Reilly leave the show. Were those two events connected at all?
I just was playing my own game after a while because everyone was accusing me. Nobody was confiding in me, so I had to do something to entertain myself. That felt like a victory. That felt like a personal win. It breathed some wind back into my sails, for sure.
What was the most annoying thing about playing with Rachel?
Rachel Reilly is the person in your class who asks for extra credit and extra assignments. She just wants so much to do with the challenges. She loves them. Let’s go. I’m just like, No, let’s not. We were really very opposite.
You mentioned that people like Cirie and Rachel had played this kind of competition game before and it prepared them a little bit for The Traitors. How do you think being on Below Deck prepared you?
I actually thought going in I had a slight advantage once I realized they would be taking away our communication with the outside world. Below Deck, because we’re so busy — we’re in the middle of an ocean with spotty Wi-Fi for those six weeks of filming — I pretty much just used my phone as an alarm clock. I’m used to it. I thought most of these people have never been in a situation where they’ve just had their communication with the world cut off. I was like, Oh, I’ve done this. This is not going to break me.
But the game broke you eventually?
I think the challenges broke me. The accusations broke me. The lack of access to my phone and the lack of access to a nice cold martini.
What did it feel like every day waking up and everyone’s calling you a liar or saying you’re a traitor?
Because everybody was always going after me, I kind of felt like I had no control over my existence in this game. So, really, I kind of wanted to reclaim that control by making it a “You can’t fire me, I quit†kind of deal. If they get rid of me, which they’re all trying to, if I say that’s what I want, then maybe I still win. Still get my way.
Why didn’t you just quit?
I’m going to be completely honest with you: I packed a lot of cute outfits that I wanted to put onscreen. I didn’t lug two suitcases full of wool jackets from Florida for them not to get on-camera.
Aside from Below Deck, you’re a big Bravo fan. For season two of The Traitors, who from the Bravo universe would you like to see on the show or think would be good on the show?
At first I thought going in that it would be all Bravo people. I thought for sure Jax from Vanderpump Rules would be there. I felt like Caroline Manzo could be there. I would always love to see Sonja Morgan in anything, always.
Could you imagine Sonja Morgan trying to play this game!Â
Yes, I can. She would be saying, like, “Oh, this is not as big as our castle was.â€
If you were to return for season two, how would you approach the game?Â
I would be a traitor because they were on a different show. They were on a different game. They were having a great time. We were all stressed out. People were crying every morning at breakfast, but the traitors, they were just murdering people and laughing it up.
When did you find out how the game ended?
Because I made it to the final — humblebrag — I was actually at the airport. The next flight out was also the next flight out for everybody, so I was there with the production team, the executives, Arie. Arie hadn’t even slept yet, and we were waiting for our flight. I was like, “What happened?†He’s like, “Well …†— I didn’t know this because I had left — he’s like, “I became a traitor.†I was still so in it that I was mad at him. I was like, “You traitor. I don’t want to talk to you.†I went up and got a coffee. Get away from me.
How did you feel about the way the game ended?
I think the ending was absolutely perfect. Aside from me walking away with the money, this is exactly how it should have happened. Cirie deserved every red cent. Andie and Quentin didn’t. Andie just coasted the whole time. Quentin was just completely wrong.
You were accused more than anyone, I would say. Is there any way you can convince someone you’re not a traitor once they have it in their head?
I think my time on the show has proven that groupthink and following the crowd and peer pressure is stronger than anything anyone can say. I mean, I am throwing barrels of money off a Scottish mountain. If that doesn’t prove it to you, I am taking naps. I’m writing “HELP!†on my chalkboard. I’m voting for myself. How else can I prove to you that I am not going to make it to the end?
You were that way with our friend Ms. Rachel Reilly. Were you blinded by your hatred of her, as I accused you of being in the recaps?
I absolutely was blinded by my hatred of Rachel Reilly and focused on her too much as a traitor, and I was wrong. But guess what? We were all wrong the whole time about everybody, and that’s why the traitors won. I also said, “You know what? I don’t even care if you’re a traitor. I find you offensive, and I would like you to go.â€