“House of Villains” has found a new home for Season 3 as the competition show moves from E! to Peacock — with a surprise three-episode drop early Thursday morning ahead of the “Traitors” finale.
As such, 10 new villainous reality TV veterans have joined host Joel McHale and series mainstay Tiffany “New York” Pollard for another iteration of backstabbing, belittling and general debauchery. According to the particularly iconic cast, this season is “dramatic, outrageous, campy” and has “the best cast in reality TV this year.”
Indeed, the villains partaking in the third season are Paul Abrahamian, Tyson Apostol, Kate Chastain, Jackie Christie, Drita D’Avanzo, Plane Jane, Johnny Middlebrooks, Ashley Mitchell, Christine Quinn and Tom Sandoval, as well as Seasons 1 and 2 star New York.
Below, check out the best bits from each of the stars’ interviews with TheWrap:
Paul Abrahamian
Big Brother: 18, 19
“Not to say that the other two seasons didn’t have stacked casts, but I feel like the diversity of this cast and just — they really went to the corners of reality TV and pulled some characters that you’re like, ‘What the hell?’ Some really jarring differences in personalities. It’s chef’s kiss for some chaotic TV.”
“I choose to be on competitive reality television shows, and if I am a villain in this world, then so be it. I’m just going to do what I can to make that money or to win. If that entails debauchery, I’m sorry.”
“[New York] was really good at keeping everybody on their toes at all times. Straight-up unpredictable. Everyone can catch the smoke at any given time.”
Tyson Apostol
Survivor: Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, Blood vs. Water; The Challenge USA: 1
“The best cast so far. I think the best cast in reality TV this year.”
“I think the other people are terrible. Making me feel like a villain just because I’m six-foot-three, perfect facial structure, pointy, tan, great hair. A lot of people couldn’t handle that many gifts, but I think I do it with grace.”
“[‘Survivor’ Season 50] has Coach, we have Q, we have Jenna from Season 1, we have Savannah from last season. There’s enough villains. I think one of my favorite quotes of all time is from Savannah last season when she won a challenge and then said it couldn’t have happened to a better person. I wish I had thought of that.”
Kate Chastain
Below Deck; The Traitors: 1, 2
“This is an all-star cast of villainous people. I mean, if you’re looking for the most dramatic, outrageous, campy, just fun-in-their-own-way group, this one hits all the boxes.”
“Most people say to me, ‘Wait, you’re not a villain.’ I agree. But also, most people don’t get to see that side of me, and if they do, they shouldn’t be dumb enough to see it twice. So they put me in a house full of people who were happy to bring out that side of me multiple times.”
“I love NBC, I love Peacock. It’s just a family I’m really happy to still be a part of.”
Jackie Christie
Basketball Wives LA
“I haven’t been able to stop talking about the fact that I’m on this show with these amazing people. I have a huge fan base, and they know everyone. It is just such a stellar cast from top to bottom, I wouldn’t change it at all. They killed it and knocked it out the park.”
“[New York] is the house maiden, she kind of runs everything. I couldn’t look at her as a strategist for it, but she’s awesome. I adore her.”
“We all have different personalities, and for us to be able to mesh, the fans know what they’re talking about. Tune in, because you guys are in for a ride. This season is going to be great.”
Drita D’Avanzo
Mob Wives; Scared Famous
“If you’re familiar with sports, this is one of those all-star teams. Phenomenal … This cast is one of those teams you can’t just duplicate.”
“She didn’t win the last two seasons, so I wouldn’t follow her path. But I was happy to see her because it’s New York and if you know reality TV or love it, you love her because she’s an OG. I was happy to see her because I didn’t see her since [‘Scared Famous’], so I get along with her and I was shocked to see her … It’s cool to give her another chance.”
“Everything surprised me about this. It’s not that easy to live with strangers and you can’t leave the house.”
Plane Jane
RuPaul’s Drag Race: 16
“This is the best cast that ‘Villains’ has had thus far. I think it’s the smartest cast.”
“This is really a bonkers show, because there’s no straight, clear trajectory; it’s all just weaving in and out. You think it’s going one way, and then production throws a twist in that changes everything, your plan gets completely derailed. That is definitely very unique about this specific show compared to the ones we’ve done.”
“[Kandy Muse] said, ‘Go in there, girl. You do you, be you.’ She literally said, ‘Be that bitch.’ Mind you, she said much more to me, I just couldn’t understand the rest. She really didn’t give me too much to go on, but she said the show is unpredictable and just go in there with confidence and just own your space. And I sure did, honey. That’s the key to shows like this — the key to life, really — just go in there and make your presence known. Don’t shy away from conflict or the spotlight, because it’s all going to pay off.”
“It was more so surprising to me the show had fans. But then once I got on board, honey, I totally got it.”
Johnny Middlebrooks
Love Island USA: 2; Love Island Games: 1, 2
“I know why I’m considered a villain, and I’ll accept that. But for me, I kind of see myself as a good person and a good guy, which kind of contradicts the whole villain definition, in a way. So it’s just kind of a hard thing for me to accept fully. I think of myself more as like an anti-hero, misunderstood.”
“[New York] was a threat in her own right, because she just has that seniority and had that experience with just her presence being in that house. You know, she’s actually slept there before, so she’s such a wild card.”
Ashley Mitchell
Real World: Ex-Plosion; The Challenge: Rivals III, Invasion of the Champions, XXX Dirty 30, Final Reckoning, War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2, Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies, Lies & Allies, Vets & New Threats, All Stars 5
“It was very nerve-wracking, because at least in our individual shows, you know what type of personalities are going to be cast and you know the behaviors they’re going to portray. In this house, these are people from all kinds of shows you might not have even heard of, a mixed bag of nuts. They want drama, you know what I mean? A lot of icons and legends.”
“I know I’m a villain. I’ve read the comments, but I think there’s a villain in every story. So in a lot of people’s, I might be, but I know in mine, I’m not. So, happy to be the villain in all of yours!”
“I’m so happy she’s here, I’m super excited. The icon, the legend, the myth that is New York — but it’s not like she is there because she’s a No. 1 game player. I think we were all excited to get to hang out with her in the house.”
Christine Quinn
Selling Sunset
“Everyone, well, not everyone, two or three I could have done without. Like, ‘Who’s that? Never heard of that person.’ But besides that, everyone was incredible. It was just such an action-packed kind of cast, it was incredible to be part of it.”
“This is the first time I’ve ever done a competition show, so it was really interesting to get used to. An ensemble cast, it’s like, you go in, you do your scene, you know what you’re doing, you go home and you’re done. You can chill and relax. This show, there was no relaxing. There’s absolutely no relaxing. And you don’t know what clip they’re going to show here and there. You constantly have to be on, but it’s also really fun. It has a lot of different elements that are really quirky that you wouldn’t get from a docuseries type of show.”
Tom Sandoval
Vanderpump Rules; The Traitors: 3; Special Forces: 2; The Masked Singer: 10; America’s Got Talent: 20
“I’ve been watching ‘Traitors,’ I think it’s a great season so far, but they’re just apples and oranges. I mean, ‘Traitors’ is very intense, it’s very dramatic. Obviously it’s theatric with Alan Cumming and all the outfits. ‘House of Villains’ is so much lighter, doesn’t take itself too seriously. Joel McHale is really funny, very meta, breaking the fourth wall. It’s going to be a nice show for people to watch after ‘Traitors.’”
“I always just like to come in with a fresh mind. I talked to Johnny Bananas, I talked to Wes before I went on the show and they obviously gave me some tips and advice. But really, it’s just coming in and sort of taking in all the people as individuals, the environment, just sort of playing off that, versus coming in with some sort of preconceived idea or strategy. My strategy was just have fun, find somebody cool I can trust and then just have a good time. The rest is up to luck. There’s a lot of luck involved, a lot of good fortune. So, at least if you just come in and have a good time, that’s a win for me.”
“I’m not really watching the new ‘Vanderpump’ cast, and that’s just because I don’t really watch reality TV in general. It gives me kind of secondhand anxiety. But I hope they’re doing well and I wish them the best.”
“House of Villains” airs Thursdays on Peacock.
