After being voted off Survivor 48 during the May 7 episode, Mary Zheng is asking viewers to show more kindness — especially toward her fellow contestants.
Speaking to the New York Post, the 31-year-old substance abuse counselor revealed that while she has avoided direct online hate, some of her castmates have received death threats following her elimination — something she strongly condemns.
“When you’re watching the show, you want to be entertained. But when you’re actually playing the game, you want to feel safe, to feel seen — and of course, to win,” Zheng said. “Those are two completely different things.”
She emphasized that each player brings their full self to the game — past experiences, traumas, strengths, and egos — and that everyone is simply trying their best. “Nobody should be getting death threats,” she added.
Despite occasionally feeling ostracized during the competition, Zheng said she holds no grudges. “I give myself a lot of grace, and that means I also give grace to the people I played with,” she shared. “Everyone was playing for the first time, just doing what they believed was right for their own game.”