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"Call Me The Terminator": Meet the Surprise New Contestants on The Anonymous
DANI blindsided the remaining players on The Anonymous by introducing three new players in Episode 4.
The latest episode of USA Network's The Anonymous came with a hell of a twist: not only did the players have to choose new handles, but they'd also have to contend with three new faces to replace those they'd already eliminated.
Enter, the new contestants: Bismah Ahmed, Wayne Nichols, and Victoria Vesce.
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Speaking with USA Insider via email interviews before the Episode 4 premiere, Bismah, Wayne, and Victoria proved cool and collected. Coming into a series that's already three episodes deep — with the OG players already figuring out the often-complicated challenges and interpersonal dynamics — wasn't actually concerning to two of the three newbies.
Are The Anonymous' newbies at a disadvantage?
"I knew I needed to make everyone believe I was a part of certain conversations from the start, then spin the narratives to my benefit," Bismah said. "Walking into the game late was a bit of a disadvantage because you’re forced to build trust quick. Jack revealed who I should look out for, Chris and Nina interrogated me with questions.
"I also had to tread carefully because if I spent too much time talking to the other newcomers, the optics seem as though there’s an alliance," she continued.
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Victoria was in agreement: "At first, I thought I was at a disadvantage since the other players already had their alliances and knew the game. But then I realized coming in fresh actually gave me an edge," she explained. "I could watch how they interacted without being influenced by what had happened before. It was like walking into a game where everyone had already shown their cards, and I had the perfect opportunity to shake things up and keep them guessing —though, as the newbie, I knew it could go either way."
Wayne was the outlier, admitting that he was concerned there was a disadvantage.
"My biggest concern was being able to make alliances with players who had already established theirs," he said. "My biggest fear was the existing players would simply target the new arrivals ... My hope was that other players looking to make a big game move would see my arrival as being good for their game. Perhaps a player [at] the bottom of their alliance would see my arrival as being a number for them."
Prepping for a late-game entry
Despite any fears, these new players have some intense real-world chops. Bismah is a Washington lobbyist, Wayne a detective, and Victoria's got a background in the legal world.
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"I wanted to be mentally sharp and flexible because I knew the game would throw a lot of curveballs," Victoria said of prepping for this show. "Plus, my experience in both law and entertainment taught me how to read people, which I knew would be crucial. I went in prepared to expect the unexpected and stay on my toes."
Bismah credited her spot-on instincts to her work in Washington.
"My job makes me extremely good at reading faces and determining someone’s true motives," she said. "I went into political mode, putting my diplomatic face on to gain the trust of the house fast. They call me 'The Terminator' at the Capitol — I just thought of the other competitors as bad bills I’d want gone."
Wayne, meanwhile, didn't want to flaunt his detective chops.
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"My preparation involved picking a profession that would not garner a lot of follow up questions. Telling people that I'm a custodian seemed to be a solid choice. The other preparation was constantly running scenarios of what I would be willing to say / not say in anonymous mode," he said.
Are first impressions always accurate?
But it wasn't just about what the OG players could learn about the newbies, but also about what the newbies saw in the OG contestants.
"We have some big personalities in this game," Bismah said. "Andy King’s ‘jet-set’ confidence? Instantly iconic — we stan an unbothered king. Christopher Shulstad is the textbook Southern wild child with no filter. And Nina? I knew she was hiding something spicy — her mind works quicker than ChatGPT. Then there’s Jack Usher: way too calculated to just be a math tutor, but he gave me my first sip of real tea in the game. And Xavier Prather was at the top of my hit list. As a lobbyist, I know a devious, smooth-talking lawyer when I see one, and this guy was making alliances faster than I could blink. If this was an election, Xavier would be running for office."
Wayne, as viewers have already seen, was also instantly drawn to Xavier, who he actually recognized: "I knew immediately who he was and couldn't help but wonder how such a strong player was still in the game."
And Victoria was confident in her first assessments, saying she could read the room right away.
"Jack was clearly pulling the strings, Christopher had that irresistible Southern charm — seriously, who wouldn’t be a little smitten? — and Xavier gave off that ‘I’ve got a secret plan’ vibe. But the real threats? The remaining ladies," Victoria confirmed. "My eyes were on them from the start."
Watch all-new episodes of The Anonymous on Mondays at 11 p.m. ET/PT on USA Network.
The Anonymous is available to stream on Peacock.
