Meet the 16 ‘Big Brother 26’ Houseguests Shaking up the Competition!
For the first time, the 16 ‘Big Brother 26’ cast members will choose the 17th houseguest!
![Elizabeth Randolph - Author](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/L4qIj2tZS/200x200/elizabeth-randolph-1653392724099.jpg)
Published July 16 2024, 3:45 p.m. ET
![Julie Chen Moonves for 'Big Brother' 26](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/480x251/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 480w, https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/640x335/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 640w, https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/768x402/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 768w, https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/1024x536/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 1024w, https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/1280x670/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 1280w, https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/1440x753/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 1440w, https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/1600x837/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 1600w, https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/Zz6yfWwKf/2160x1130/julie-chen-moonves-red-dress-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158026357.jpg 2160w)
It’s hard to imagine, but Big Brother is in its 26th season! After celebrating a milestone with Season 25, Big Brother is ready to prove there can be fun after 25 — no matter what meme tells you otherwise!
Season 26 will be different from others. While we’ll still have host Julie Chen Moonves to guide us, the new cast of thousandaire hopefuls will begin as a group of 16. Over time, the 16 cast members will have the power to vote for the 17th houseguest.
The new BB house will also include “BB AI,” another first for the long-running competition. The competitors for Big Brother 26 are ready to go beyond what their peers have done with the upcoming challenges. Before we monitor the new crew’s every move, let’s get to know them first, shall we?
Here’s the scoop on the Big Brother 26 cast!
Kimo Apaka
![Kimo Apaka](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/hGKjLJayY/0x0/kimo-apaka-bb26-promo-smiling-1721158677710.jpg)
Kimo, 35, is a mattress sales rep joining the Big Brother 26 cast from Hilo, Hawaii.
Chelsie Baham
![Chelsie Baham](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/SY4DH89e_/0x0/chelsea-baham-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158694927.jpg)
Chelsie, 27, from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. She works as a nonprofit director.
Rubina Bernabe
![Rubina Bernabe](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/oSymLlde8/0x0/rubina-bernabe-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158714698.jpg)
Rubina is a 35-year-old event bartender based in LA. Is there any chance she already knows fellow LA competitor Lisa?
Cam Sullivan-Brown
![Cam Sullivan-Brown](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/bSB5_G1PR/0x0/cam-sullivan-brown-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158733375.jpg)
Cam, a 25-year-old physical therapist, is from Bowie, Md.
T’kor Clottey
![T'Kor Clottey](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/zYIYkF97u/0x0/tkor-clottey-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158753593.jpg)
Pip, pip, cheerio! While T’kor’s hometown is Chicago, she and her family moved to the windy city from London. The 23-year-old crochet business owner now lives in Atlanta.
Matt Hardeman
![Matt Hardeman](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/dShC_F4IH/0x0/matt-hardeman-bb26-promo-smiling-1721158774203.jpg)
Matt is from Loganville, Ga., but now resides in Roswell, Ga. The 25-year-old works as a tech sales rep.
Cedric Hodges
![Cedric Hodges](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/sO55nruOl/0x0/cedric-hodges-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158791183.jpg)
Cedric is a former marine. The 21-year-old veteran lives in Boise, Idaho, but is originally from Running Springs, California.
Kenney Kelley
![Kenney Kelly](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/2F2aU7LJT/0x0/kenney-kelley-bb26-smiling-1721158810042.jpg)
Kenney, a 52-year-old Boston, Mass. native, is a former undercover cop who knows about strategy.
Tucker Des Lauriers
![Tucker De Lauriers](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/orAOz_7kS/0x0/tucker-des-lauriers-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158827088.jpg)
Tucker, a 30-year-old Boston, Mass. native, lives in Brooklyn, NY, and works as a marketing and sales executive.
Makensy Manbeck
![Makensy Manbeck](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/HlvjvHeeB/0x0/makensy-manbeck-bb26-promo-smiling-1721158850187.jpg)
Makensy, a 22-year-old construction project manager, is from Houston, Texas.
Quinn Martin
![Quinn Martin](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/08VFT9RQU/0x0/quinn-martin-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158869350.jpg)
Quinn is a 25-year-old nurse recruiter in Omaha, Neb. Quinn is originally from Lawton, Okla.
Angela Murray
![Angela Murray](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/7drhGHzs3/0x0/angela-murray-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158888462.jpg)
Angela is from Syracuse, Utah. The 50-year-old Long Beach, Calif. native is a real estate agent.
Leah Peters
![Leah Peters](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/uIQlfh8qq/0x0/leah-peters-bb26-promo-smiling-1721158905725.jpg)
Leah is a 26-year-old native of Pittsburgh, Penn. who lives in Miami, Fla. The VIP cocktail server is serving nothing but strategy on BB Season 26.
Brooklyn Rivera
![Brooklyn Rivera](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/gIpSoz7Q_/0x0/brooklyn-rivera-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721158922849.jpg)
Brooklyn is a 34-year-old business administrator. She's originally from Covington, Ga., but lives in Dallas, Texas.
Joseph Rodriguez
![Joseph Rodriguez](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/DKVn_5qqX/0x0/joseph-rodriguez-bb26-cast-photo-promo-1721159007060.jpg)
Joseph, a 30-year-old video store clerk, is from Tampa, Fla. No word on if he works as one of the only Blockbusters still up and running!
Lisa Weintraub
![Lisa Weintraub](https://media.distractify.com/brand-img/FZv_IXHvI/0x0/lisa-weintraub-bb26-promo-smiling-1721159068575.jpg)
Lisa, 33, is a celebrity chef from Los Angeles, Calif. We MUST know which A-lister is rooting for her from their mansion!
We’ll be watching this cast of housemates all season long!
Big Brother 26 airs with a two-night premiere event on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 and Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 9 p.m. EST.