Nate Moore Talks Elimination Blindside, Marvel Secret

Superheroes couldn’t save Nate Moore on Survivor. The veteran Marvel producer, whose credit embrace Black Panther and Captain America: Civil Warfare, noticed his recreation snapped out of existence this week when season 49’s former Uli tribemates Jawan Pitts and Sage Ahrens-Nichols blindsided him at tribal council. Regardless of Uli showing to carry the numbers after the merge, the duo flipped, sending Moore to the jury in a transfer worthy of a Marvel-style heel flip.

For somebody used to orchestrating cinematic shocks behind the scenes, Moore abruptly discovered himself on the receiving finish of 1, and followers had been left surprised because the season’s energy stability shifted. 

Did Moore ever inform anybody about his Marvel historical past? What was his response when host Jeff Probst talked about that Survivor 50 spots had been “nonetheless up for grabs?” In an unique dialog with The Hollywood Reporter beneath, Moore discusses his expertise and what it’s prefer to get blindsided on Survivor.

***

Nate, what occurred? I assumed the vibes had been hearth, however your exit was cinema and never in a great way. 

Not in a great way. Look, we knew this was the pivotal vote. We knew there was an opportunity this might occur as a result of once we merged, I had a dialog with Sage that you simply didn’t see the place she instructed me Shannon instructed her they had been exterior the 4. I knew if Sage knew that Jawan knew, and we had some work to do. We tried to rebuild that Uli bond, and my pitch to them was about numbers: “Now we have a strong six. Should you include us, we’ll get high six. Should you flip, you’re going to be in a seven alliance of a whole lot of totally different folks. I used to be nearer to Sage than I used to be with Jawan and I knew that Rizo, Savannah and Sophie had gotten nearer. There’s an opportunity you possibly can work collectively as we get down the road.”

I assumed that might maintain them. I knew Alex was by no means going to vote for us, however I assumed we’d have received six to 5. Earlier than tribal, the final dialog I had was with Savannah. I mentioned to her, “Both me or you’re going to catch some votes,” as a result of we each knew they weren’t going to vote for Rizo. They had been so frightened of that idol and any blowback.

Should you watch the present, you see that for the primary 4 votes I wasn’t stunned, as a result of I knew we had been going to get votes. The fifth vote was a affirmation that Alex had flipped, which I type of knew. Six, I spotted six means seven. Six means I misplaced Sage and Jawan. And it was a selection they made that I perceive. Do I agree with it? Clearly not. I’m right here. However I didn’t really feel betrayed emotionally as a result of I understood what they had been considering.

Whose flip had been you extra stunned by: Jawan or Sage?

We knew they had been a good two. They’re each eccentric characters, and I do assume regardless that we by no means mentioned there was a core 4, they felt the vibes. I knew my relationship with Sage was in all probability higher than with Jawan, which I believe stunned some folks, however Sage and I should not dissimilar. Massive teams make us nervous, we bonded over that. And since we’d had that dialog, I suppose I’d be extra stunned about Sage.

Survivor followers love a superb blindside. What’s it really feel like for somebody who experiences it? 

It feels somewhat out-of-body. I’ve seen each episode of the present and each episode of the Australian model so many instances. You go, “If that had been to occur, right here’s what I’d do.” As a substitute I used to be like, “The place’s my torch?” You’re fascinated by it virtually as in the event you’re controlling an avatar in a online game. “I’ve to go get my torch. I’ve to stroll over right here. I’ve children. I can’t say something loopy. I’ve to simply take it on the chin and be a superb sport.” However the emotional a part of your head is like, “F— these guys.” Sorry. “Screw these guys. I’m so mad.”

Then you definitely stroll down this actually lengthy path and have to offer your closing phrases, and also you’re so exhausted. It feels such as you had been on a rollercoaster, and it didn’t simply pull in. It simply stopped midway. Then you definitely’re like, “What do I do now?” You don’t know what to do with your self. It’s extremely surreal, and I’m undecided I used to be one hundred pc there. Then you definitely go bathe and get some meals, and it doesn’t really feel all that unhealthy, to be sincere.

Let’s return to the start of what occurred final episode. Did you purchase the story Jawan and Sage had been promoting about Shannon “shedding her thoughts?”

Not one hundred pc. My expertise with Shannon on Uli was even totally different than a whole lot of viewers skilled watching the present. She was actually not as hippie-dippy yoga. My relationship along with her was truly actually private and wonderful. I assumed, she’s an ideal child. I actually preferred speaking to her. I had assumed after they went to Hina in that first tribe swap, that Shannon and Sage would stick collectively as a result of we all the time meant to stay collectively on our aspect, even with Jawan.

I didn’t fairly purchase the model of Shannon they had been pitching who was extremely paranoid, who wouldn’t allow them to discuss to one another, which isn’t Shannon’s MO. Did I believe it was attainable she would vote towards Jawan? Certain. I assumed there was an opportunity she, Sage and Steven would vote Jawan out as a result of they’d spent a lot time with him, however I didn’t fairly purchase the way in which they described how Shannon was performing.

As soon as the merge occurs and also you’re on the problem, Jeff drops a bomb and says, “spots on Survivor 50 are nonetheless up for grabs.” What’s going by your thoughts after he says that? Was it a shock?

It wasn’t a shock. All of us had been speaking about it since we obtained on the seaside. It was so scorching, we had been so low vitality and Jeff was like a coach attempting to pep you up by saying, “The large recreation’s coming.” However we all know what which means. I don’t assume it’s the explanation Sage and Jawan flipped, however the notion of doing the massive transfer feels good when everyone loves Jeff Probst and he goes, “Try to be doing huge strikes,” they usually go, “Completely we must always.” It makes the protected transfer much less attention-grabbing. However you possibly can see it on my face. I used to be like, “Hey, bro, let’s discuss 49. Let me get by today.” We had been dying. Bodily, I used to be dying.

Earlier than tribal, we see Sage wanting Savannah, Jawan wanting Rizo, and Kristina and Sophie considered you because the “most secure choice.” How did you assume the votes finally ended up on you? Have been you the most secure choice?

To a level. I believe they rightfully noticed that Savannah and Rizo had been tight. Savannah and Rizo performed day-after-day of the sport collectively. There was a concern that if Rizo didn’t play it (his idol) for him, he’d play it for Savannah first. That is sensible from what they noticed.

Within the episode prior, Sophie and Kristina clearly noticed by my bulls — excuse of the Jason and Matt votes. They knew I in all probability wasn’t going to flip on Uli anytime quickly. Alex had individually talked about how a lot he feared me in challenges. I believe it was a mix of, “Hey, Rizo and Savannah are tight,” to, “Nate’s kind of the third. Right here’s a man bodily who gave the impression to be doing fairly properly within the challenges. Let’s simply get him out.”

It’s additionally attention-grabbing as a result of Matt had an identical response the place he thought I used to be the pinnacle of the Uli tribe, which I wasn’t, however I’m the oldest. He’s like, “Get the previous man out of right here.” Perhaps lower the pinnacle off the snake. However I used to be not the pinnacle of something. It was a collective. You by no means wish to hear your self being the protected one. I’ll say that. When she mentioned that, I used to be like, “Boo!” However I get it. I perceive what they had been considering.

You talked about in your Closing Phrases that the sport was tougher than you anticipated and also you made it farther than you anticipated. What had been your expectations earlier than the sport started? 

I frightened I wouldn’t be capable of overcome a generational hole. I’d seen Jon Lovett get killed that approach and it’s humorous as a result of I don’t assume I’m previous. However within the recreation, the subsequent oldest particular person on my tribe was Savannah who’s 16 years youthful, and no person on my tribe was married or had children. It was from a life expertise perspective. Should you look traditionally, had I received, which clearly I didn’t, I’d’ve been the third-oldest winner of all time. Outdated folks battle on the present as a result of it’s tougher to make connections, I believe, generally. I used to be frightened {that a} bunch of younger children can be like, “Get out of right here, previous man.”

And it was tougher in that, greater than the not consuming. I didn’t sleep properly on the present. Bamboo isn’t snug, which you type of know, however you don’t know till you sleep 14 days on it. I’m a comparatively high-energy man in my life, and by the tip, I used to be no enjoyable. I used to be like, “I’m bumming these folks out,” as a result of I’d simply type of shamble round camp.

It does make you concentrate on the way you relate to folks as a result of all you might have time to do is assume. I used to be like, “Why am I not connecting? Ought to I be doing this? I don’t wish to have this dialog. Is that this one thing I do in my regular life? Do I keep away from battle?” You begin to psychoanalyze your self by the lens of the present, and that you simply don’t take into consideration as a result of you concentrate on backstabbing and challenges and rewards, and the majority of your day is none of that. It’s like, “Hey, who am I? Who am I within the context of this recreation?” That was stunning to me.

We noticed you inform folks you had been a stay-at-home dad. Did you ever inform anybody about your Marvel background?

I didn’t, not within the recreation. My considering was that I didn’t assume anyone would give me $1 million if I instructed them my job. To be fairly sincere, each time I say I’m a producer, a part of me goes, “Ugh,” as a result of there might be such a unfavorable connotation. So I didn’t. And actually, in hindsight, a part of me goes, “Hey, wouldn’t it have been totally different if I simply was sincere? Would which were free connective tissue for the Rizos and the Jawans and the Stevens of the world who liked Marvel motion pictures, since I made a bunch of them?”

Particularly as a result of I did battle to seek out connective factors with lots of people, a part of me is kicking myself. However everyone performs Tuesday morning quarterbacking of “woulda, shoulda, coulda.” However I didn’t inform anyone till properly after the sport.

Let’s do some revisionist historical past. Let’s say Sage and Jawan keep Uli robust and Steven goes dwelling. Who’re you sitting with on the closing three?

It’s a superb query. I wished to work with MC. I instructed her earlier than tribal to not play her idol. I mentioned, “Belief me. We will go far collectively in the event you don’t play your idol. Simply let’s make it by this vote.” I assumed we might get to a closing seven of Rizo, Savannah, Sophie, Sage, Jawan, me and MC. Then in some unspecified time in the future, I’d have the choice at 4 to both go, “Hey, the Rizo, Savannah, Sophie nonetheless feels good,” or, “hey, I’m on the backside of that 4. Perhaps I can construct a 4 with MC, Jawan and Sage and see what occurs.” I wished to not less than have that choice. As a lot as I really actually, actually like Sophie, Savannah and Rizo, I began to really feel somewhat bit like that was a threesome and I used to be the fourth leg, so I wished to have the choice.

I hoped to get into the person section of the sport as a result of I did really feel in challenges, if it’s a puzzle or bodily, I used to be all the time within the combine. Clearly, it didn’t stability extremely properly. That was my plan: let’s get to seven after which see the way it goes, and see which of these two units of three I wished to go along with.

Is there something viewers didn’t get to see that you simply want made it onto this season? 

Lots of people requested why I used to be so salty about Matt. The reality was, in that first tribe swap with Hina, he was the primary particular person I sought out as a result of I actually wished to try to construct an alliance with him. I used to be simply starved for any person who was of my era. We spent a superb couple hours collectively on the lookout for crabs and stuff.

I used to be like, “I’m making inroads. This man appears fairly cool.” Then he went fishing with Jawan, and Jawan comes again and instantly says, “Hey, Matt’s beginning to throw out your title on the boat.” I used to be like, “Bro, I’ve been right here for 5 minutes. What occurred to the Outdated Man Alliance?” Folks had been like, “Why had been you so mad at him?” I used to be like, “As a result of I felt betrayed.”

However really feel like I’m who I’m. That’s me on the present. We had extra enjoyable than you get to see, however you don’t wish to see that as a viewer. You wish to see the again stabs. I really feel fairly good about what you bought to see.

I associated to you very well due to the entire “hearth,” “cinema” factor. I’m 54 and watch these youthful gamers discuss and I’m like, “Huh? What? These phrases aren’t getting used correctly.” Have you ever rolled any of this into your vocabulary now?

No, sir. I simply go, “Okay, and that’s not for me.” It actually stunned me. You appear to be a young-at-heart type of man. I’m too. I didn’t notice how far eliminated I used to be from widespread slang. I used to be like, “Oh, my God. I’m on a unique planet. That is wild.” It was actually attention-grabbing. I nonetheless haven’t watched a mukbang. I don’t assume I’m going to.

What’s extra cutthroat, being a producer in Hollywood or being on Survivor? 

A producer in Hollywood, for certain. Survivor is enjoyable, however it’s a fake recreation for $1 million. Hollywood’s a complete totally different ball of wax.

***

Survivor airs new episodes Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.