Survivor players—especially in the new era—have an interesting trajectory. They go from essentially unknown individuals to being showcased on one of the top reality shows in history. During the 13 weeks the show airs, their names are everywhere, fans spot them out in public, pictures are taken. But for the most part, once the season is over, the mania sort of dies down for the average player.
Joe Hunter is a major exception to that. He won over America’s heart on Survivor 48 and then less than a year later found himself back on his screens playing our favorite game once again on Survivor 50. And he was one of the very few who has made it to the end twice, securing third place both times. Not an easy feat.
But between those two seasons, he simply returned to his everyday life. Back at work, back at home with the kids. The only difference was that Tyler Perry—a huge Survivor fan—was now calling, wanting to get to know Joe.
“We just became good friends,” Joe shared to Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview. “He's just an outstanding human being and wonderful man.”
And as Joe shared stories from the firehouse and Perry watched him as an everyday man at home with his family, he knew Joe was meant to be on his new drama series on Netflix, Where There’s Smoke.
While on a call with Perry, Joe recalls, “My daughter comes up to me and is like, ‘Hey, daddy, I lost my tooth and I need the Tooth Fairy.’” And apparently, that was the moment Perry knew that Joe was the right person to take on the role of Chief Bailey on his latest project. “He just saw that dynamic, and then we were off and running with this show, and that's all.”
While we don’t have much information on the show—like a premiere date—yet, we know the series started filming in Atlanta earlier this year and will be 16 episodes long. Tyler Perry Studios also released a teaser synopsis with the show’s casting announcement: Follow a crew of firefighters as they battle high-stakes emergencies... and the personal fires that await them at home.
And of course, Joe is excited to share the series with the world. “The stories are real, and he saw something in me, and we've become really great friends. It’s gonna knock your socks off.”
We’ve seen past players receive cameos on shows such as The White Lotus, created by Survivor: David vs. Goliath finalist Mike White, but to get a leading role is an exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to learn more about the show and if there’s more acting in Joe's future.
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