Meet the 'Survivor 45' Cast! Kendra McQuarrie Hopes to Keep Her Tribemates Laughing
There are two selves that exist within Kendra McQuarrie. The bartender has an intense, competitive drive that had her manifesting she'd be on the show before even applying. But she also a goofy, happy-go-lucky energy to her. The 30-year-old hopes the space she takes up with both her physique and personality will be balanced by her self-proclaimed spiritual "woo girl" energy to give the astrology lover a good Survivor horoscope.
Read on for my interview with Kendra, and check in with Parade.com every day for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 45 premieres on September 27 with a 90-minute premiere on CBS.
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 45
Interview with Kendra from Survivor 45 cast
So, I have to start with something I saw from your bio. You left college right before it ended to build Earthships in the middle of the desert. I am just astounded by that sentence and what it might mean.
[Laughs.] That was the beginning to my crazy Kendra shenanigans, let's just say. So, I learned what Earthships were because I was in Environmental Studies in college. But basically, they're self-sustained houses made out of recycled materials. So you dig into the ground a little bit, and then you get car tires, essentially. Places will actually pay you to take the car tires from old tire warehouses. And then you spend all day pounding these tires. You have a dirt bench; the dirt bench gives you the dirt to pound the tires. You create these tire "bricks," you build up a wall, cement in the holes, and that's the basic foundation of an Earthship.
They collect rainwater. There's three cycles that the water goes through, and it basically goes outside, and usually that's where you can grow flowers or whatever. There's passive solar for the house, so it's always built at a south-facing angle. There are Earthships in the middle of Taos, New Mexico that grow bananas year-round. So you have this symbiotic relationship with the house. It's like when I shower, the shower water goes to the plants, and then the plant water goes to the toilet, and the toilet goes outside. So it's just really amazing. And they're all off-grid, solar ran. There are just amazing houses, and more people should know about them. The best part is that you have to drink to build your house. So we'd get a 30-pack and crush a couple of cans. One of my friends has a whole wall of Bombay Sapphire bottles. It's super pretty in his bathroom.
So, what has brought you from constructing Earthships in the desert to constructing shelters on Survivor?
What brings me to Survivor is that same kind of gut feeling, excited feeling that I tend to follow in my life, if you're not picking that up already. The same thing that happened in Taos, New Mexico; I was like, "This is something I have to do." Everyone thought I was crazy. They're like, "Kendra, what do you mean? You're gonna go build what? What are these?" [Laughs.] It's just a feeling that I get about these adventures that I go on. It's just like, "This is what I have to do, and nothing's going to stop me."
Same way with Survivor. I hadn't watched in a while. I put on an episode last summer to watch before I went to bed. I didn't go to bed. I stayed up for eight hours, completing the entire season. It was like seven o'clock in the morning, the damn birds are chirping, and I'm lying there. [Mimes laying in bed.] This is verbatim what I say: "I could win this [expletive] game." And that was it. I'm bartending. They're like, "Kendra, what are you up to?" I'm like, "I'm gonna be on Survivor." I hadn't even applied yet. But I knew that I was going to be on this [expletive] show. Then, I submitted my audition tape.
Fast forward four months. I'm walking across [expletive] Spain and during the Camino de Santiago by myself. And I finally find WiFi.I check in and have an email from [expletive] Survivor. And I knew, "I'm in." I already knew it when I had applied. So I'm walking cross country, this country that I've never been in before, taking Survivor interviews at these hostels. [Laughs.] I'm staying with all these strangers. There's one day where they're like, "Oh, we need a cover picture for you. It has to be vertical." And I was there alone. So I had to ask these strangers. I was like, "Hey, really weird question. Will you do a photo shoot with me on the roof? [Laughs.] I can't really explain why." It was so weird.
I mean, what better way to prepare yourself for Survivor than asking complete strangers to help you out? Can you give me one winner and one non-winner who you identify with the most?
So maybe not outwardly, but inwardly, I definitely relate to Natalie. Her determination and drive and the fact that she was first on [Edge of Extinction] and came all the way around and made it to the Final Three. The fact that she would give up her rewards to her alliances. Just being smart and being a good social player and also being a beast on the on the challenge side of it, I definitely relate to her a lot—just that inner strength and inner fire. I am super, super competitive. And once I get my mind set on something, it's over. I will accomplish whatever is in front of me. I will tackle any mountain. I literally do anything so I can win. And then a player that I associate with in another way is Cody from season 43. [Laughs.]
I did notice you have some tattoos. I will not pry as to where yours might be in comparison to his. [Laughs.]
[Laughs.] No butt cheek tattoo yet. But just his wanting to have fun. I feel like I've used two different things inside of me. I have this really driven, passionate, determined part of me and then this part of me that just wants to have fun. I want to make alliances and do well in the game, but also just enjoy every single moment and not take a moment for granted. And I feel like Cody definitely played in that way. His ability to laugh about everything. The way he got those beads from everyone, that's something that I could pull off. And people didn't even know; they just thought he was being funny, Cody. Just like I hope people are thinking, "Oh, she's just being Kendra." I really hope that people underestimate me because I'm happy-go-lucky.
To that point, how do you think people will perceive you in this game?
I've been told I'm intimidating. I stand at around 5'10". I have broad shoulders. I am confident; I definitely walk into a room with purpose. I hold myself very high. And I have a big personality. So, I take up a lot of space, but I'm hoping that I am also really goofy. I was the class clown in elementary school, middle school, high school. I was a stand-up comedian. I'm always trying to do something to make people laugh. And so I'm hoping that my goofiness, lightheartedness, and ability to make literally anything into a joke kind of takes that off.
And I'm a spiritual "woo" girl. I freaking love astrology. I'm wearing coyote teeth on my earrings. I have all these tattoos; I have crazy hair. I can also pretty much recite any rap song that you throw my way. So I am a lot in one. And I hope that people don't see the competitive, intimidating part of me. I'm trying to give off more, "I'm happy-go-lucky. I love to travel. Astrology." I'm trying to play not as aware and observant as I am, but also still be myself because that is still myself. But I try not to be so serious because I am just so determined. And I want to win so bad. I've never wanted anything more in my life.
Well, let's talk about the people who can hopefully get you that desired win. What are you looking for in an alliance partner?
Who knows? I become friends with so many different types of people that it's just really going to depend on that chemistry. And I would love to find this partner in crime that's fun like me. But because I'm so extroverted and outgoing, I also tend to attract more introverted people and more quiet, calm people. I would love to go to the end with two pals. Two people who I'm like, "Genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, I would be happy for any of us to win." I really hope that's the case. Obviously, I'm an optimist. I'm a dreamer. It's probably unlikely, but not impossible. Having somebody a little bit more grounded because I'm very emotional. I feel everything really big. So I feel like my answer to this question is to find a partner who's grounded and calm and can kind of take me down a level and be like, [Leans forward.] "This is reality. What you're saying is not reality." But who can also trust me because I do get these really strong gut instincts, and someone who values that.
Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 45
When it comes to perceptions, is there anyone at this time before the season that you're eyeballing as people you do or don't want to work with?
So it's funny because I haven't gotten huge red flags right away. But as the days go on, I've kind of seen it a little bit more. It's funny because some of the more extroverted people like myself I'm kind of keeping more of an eye on. But there are definitely more people that I feel like I've made eye contact with who I feel like they feel the same way. Like, "I got you girl." I feel like there's a vibe between a couple of us. I could just be thinking that because I'm like, "Who doesn't want to work with me?" [Laughs.] And I'm sure there's people are like, "That girl with the crazy curly hair and the [expletive] teeth earrings, she seems weird." Which I am. There's vibes. There's definitely vibes. [Laughs.]
Let's say a boat shows up to your camp on Day 2, asking for one person to go on a journey. How would you approach the situation?
I am a diplomat, and I love fairness. I'm a Libra. So my vote is no matter what people say, I'm gonna say we pull sticks or pull rocks for who goes. And then if somebody resists that, I'm going to let them go, and I'm gonna use it against them.
Is that diplomacy going to carry over to you looking for idols and advantages, too?
I actually took a nap today and envisioned me and another person. I'm like, "I really want to go look for idols." I'm gonna bring somebody with me and be like, "No, we're just gonna go on a walk. We're not looking for idols." Then I'm like, "We're looking for [expletive] idols." And it's somebody I'm obviously in with already. But for the most part, my gut instinct going into this is I'm gonna keep that quiet. I'm gonna be like, "Oh, it'd be so cool to find an idol," but not really care that much. Be like, "That would be amazing," as if it's like a far-fetched dream. But I know that I'm going to find an idol. Because that's just who I am. I won't say I'm lucky, but I'm a little lucky, you know? [Laughs.]
What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
It's so hard. Oh, man. [Laughs.] This is a hard question. There's so many people running through my brain right now. But I'm gonna go with fictional character. I'm gonna say Hagrid from Harry Potter. [Laughs.] I'm such a Harry Potter nerd, and that was like one of the first fictional characters that came to my mind, so we'll just go with that. I'm not going to be not stoked for him, even though it'd be a little hot for him. So maybe not Hagrid; I wouldn't want him to be uncomfortable. But if we have to do water challenges, like he can basically just carry me above his head and walk through all the water because he's part giant.
Next, check out our Survivor 45 interview with contestant Kellie Nalbandian.
