Meet the Full Cast of 'Survivor 47'

The past year has definitively stepped up the "new era" of Survivor . Seasons 45 and 46 made 90-minute episodes a mainstay, allowing us even more access to beachside living. We saw incredibly colorful characters craft shocking moves, creating some of the show's biggest moments in recent memory. And Survivor 47 plans to continue the momentum, as another new group of 18 players hit the sands of Fiji to play on the CBS reality stalwart.

As usual, Survivor has assembled a group of individuals from different walks of life, as they're forced to build a society together while voting each other out in pursuit of a million-dollar prize. They've come from the ER, flight school, and the locker room to the island to find their voice as a castaway. Interestingly, though, this particular group is rather experienced in finding their voice.

Despite the new era continuing to not contain any themes, a handful of contestants have something in common: Being comfortable behind a microphone. They range from an esports commentator to a beat reporter to the Tennessee Titans, a Baltimore radio host to a reality TV podcaster. And, of course, there's former Obama speechwriter and co-host of the podcasts "Pod Save America" and "Lovett or Leave It" Jon Lovett , arguably the most famous face to play in the new era.

Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 47

"It was not planned on our part," Survivor host and executive producer Jeff Probst tells Parade was asked about the casting commonality. "And we do evaluate everything, and we look for commonalities and things that are different as well. But I think it's a 50% coincidence, and 50% this is what a lot of young people do. I mean podcasting and [esports], that's more in this newer era of young people. So it probably won't be the last time that we have somebody who's a social media influencer or something like that on the show. And it's not a bad thing, because those types of people tend to be really good storytellers."

Launch the gallery below to find out the 18 players competing in Survivor 46 , including photos and bios. And be sure to check in with Parade.com throughout the preseason as we bring you exclusive interviews in Fiji with the cast and crew. Survivor 47 premieres on Wednesday, September 18 at 8 p.m. with a special two-hour episode on CBS.

Next, check out our interview with Survivor 46 winner Kenzie Petty .