‘Big Brother’ Reveals Season 28 Houseguests — Including a Former ‘Drag Race’ Contestant

Big Brother is getting ready for another summer season indoors.

On Tuesday, July 7, host Julie Chen Moonves revealed this season’s houseguests during the CBS show’s first Big Brother: Broveal, which streamed on YouTube.

According to the network, additional surprise houseguests will be revealed on air when the 28th season premieres on Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

During the Broveal, the cast members introduced themselves, shared a little bit more about their background, described their strategy coming into the game and revealed whether or not they’d like to get involved in a showmance.

Among the contestants are Ashley Trail, 24, who works as a bartender in Chicago; Barrett Pfeiffer, 27, who works as a jumbotron engineer in Austin, Texas; Chuk Anyanwu, 27, who is a supply chain analyst from Dallas, Texas; and Drew Campbell, 22, who is a surgical dental assistant from Temecula, California.

One of the contestants has already appeared on reality TV: Jason De Puy, 35, is also known as Salina EsTitties, a drag queen who competed on the 15th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and the 11th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.

“Wouldn’t it be iconic if a gay, first-generation Latino drag queen won Big Brother right now in 2026?” De Puy said during the Broveal, adding that Salina may even come out during competition. “Let’s go!”

Other contestants include Haley Thogmartin, 29, who works as a telemedicine executive in Missouri; Lyric Medeiros, 25, who is an attorney from Hawaii; Mallory Aurichio, 24, who is a rocket scientist from New Jersey; Melody Morris, 24, who is a corporate game show host in Arizona; Rome Seymour, 28, who works as a pickleball coach in Florida; Taylor Brown, 27, who is an elementary school counselor from Florida; and Yash Patel, 24, who is a financial analyst from New Jersey.

Another notable contestant is Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk, 32, who is an MMA fighter and coach from Phoenix, Arizona.

“I am going to win Season 28 of Big Brother because I believe that I’ve really been battle tested with my career as an MMA fighter, and after fighting in the UFC, I have been through all the ups, all the downs,” he said. “I faced every sort of adversity you can imagine. I’ve had 11 or 12 MMA-related surgeries, and I’ve still managed to maintain a winning record in the sport.”

“I don’t think that the other house guests are going to be able to boast the same type of résumé,” he said.

The oldest current contestant is LaTrice Verrett at age 57. She works as a boutique salesperson in New Jersey, and she said she is determined to take home the prize.

“I’m going to be the oldest winner in Big Brother history,” she declared, adding that she’ll be “walking out that door with the confetti.”

“I’m a social game player, and I also get down physically,” she said. “So, watch out!”

Each week, a houseguest will be voted out, with the last remaining person receiving the grand prize of $750,000 — but as Chen Moonves always says: “Expect the unexpected.”