Phaedra Parks had an unbelievable run in Season 2 of The Traitors. The Married To Medicine star used her social capital, legal expertise, and glam to outlast some of the most cunning players in reality television.
During a recent interview with Variety, executive producer Mike Cotton spoke about the reality star’s game and what surprised him the most about her approach. “Phaedra played an amazing game. She surprised me all the time. I knew Phaedra from her TV appearances. But being U.K. based, I hadn’t seen as much of her I guess,” he said. “She always brought it, she played the game very cleverly. Whereas Dan [Gheesling] and Parvati [Shallow] probably played in a more strategic way. She sort of played the popularity game and charmed everyone.”
He continued, explaining that the Real Housewives veteran always “looked perfect.” He added: “We always used to say, ‘How does Phaedra not look tired at breakfast?’ She looks absolutely perfect and probably had the least sleep of anyone. The cast used to look for who was tired when they came in in the mornings because they knew the traitors had been up later.”
The Traitors producer says the season finale will get your “heart” racing
Although Phaedra was the last original Traitor banished from the game, Below Deck star Kate Chastain was the last recruited Traitor and still has a shot at winning the grand prize. The last episode finished with Kate wanting to target Sandra Diaz-Twine, but the Survivor winner might already be on to her. So, what can watchers expect from the finale?
“It’s so stressful that I had to take a break when I watched it back [in the editing room],” Mike said. “I had to take a breather, it gets your heart going. The format is the same as last year. The game is the game. So there’s a there’s a roundtable banishment, and then the finalists go to a firepit of truth.”
Mike continued, saying the remaining players would decide the game’s ending. “If they trust everyone there and think there are no traitors left, they can end the game, or they can choose to banish again and they can keep banishing again until there’s two people left.”
Following the season finale, the Season 2 reunion, which will bring Dan and Phaedra face-to-face for the first time since filming, will air on Peacock the same night. According to host Andy Cohen, Thursday will be a “satisfying night of television.”
Stream new episodes of The Traitors on Thursdays at 9/8c.
TELL US — WERE YOU SURPRISED BY PHAEDRA’S GAME? WHO DO YOU WANT TO WIN — THE FAITHFUL OR TRAITORS?
