Kacie From 'The Anonymous' Discusses Her Treacherous Elimination (EXCLUSIVE)

It pays to be shady on USA's The Anonymous, so long as the shade remains behind closed doors. The reality TV competition is a 24/7 game of deceit. The 12 players picked for the show play in the real world, where they band together to secure their prize fund of $100,000 by playing games and forming alliances. However, when they go into Anonymous mode, all bets are off, as they each compete to be the most anonymous player, as they are the ones who can eliminate the competition.

The Anonymous debuted with a three-part premiere that ended with the first two eliminations.

In a surprising twist, Episode 3 resulted in Kacie Mize being the second contestant to leave the competition. Following Kacie's exit, she spoke about her time on the show with Distractify and shared why she thinks she was eliminated so soon.

Kacie joined The Anonymous, ready to put her D1 skills and experience as a clearance coordinator for a murder mystery podcast to the test.

She quickly formed alliances with several people in the house and seemed safe from elimination. However, after the contestants' second group challenge, she was up for elimination later that night, along with Lilly Jenkins, Marcel Cunningham, and Andy King.

Simultaneously, one of Kacie's allies, Jack Usher, had become the anonymous player for a second time.

Jack shockingly used his power to eliminate her because he saw her as a threat. Before going home to her wife and farm of chickens, cats, dogs, and frogs, Kacie left the competition wishing she could've shown more of her personality and revealed she was the one behind and revealing she was the one behind the shark, one of the contestants' assigned emojis.

"I think I would've been better at a game where I could be myself," she admitted to her castmates. "I hope there's no hard feelings."

Distractify spoke to Kacie about her experience on the show, being the only lesbian competitor, and finding out Jack had eliminated her. Keep reading below for her full Q&A!

(Editor's note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)

Q: What made you decide to ‘The Anonymous?’

A: I decided to join The Anonymous because my wife and I had previously applied for a reality show and were almost cast. When that show's format shifted to singles, we were no longer a fit, but we had caught the bug at that point. The concept of The Anonymous felt both fun and engaging, and I was thrilled about the chance to be a part of it.

Q: What were your initial thoughts about being on reality TV, and how did those feelings change after your experience?

A: I've always been a huge fan of reality TV, so I was genuinely excited about the opportunity to be on the show. While I did experience some anxiety after filming wrapped, the overall experience was incredibly rewarding, and I would definitely do it again. It was a thrilling journey that exceeded my expectations.

Q: Can you speak about the representation you provided to the competition as a member of the LGBTQ+ community?

A: As the only lesbian on the show, I was proud to represent both the queer community as well as represent being a gay from the South. Being gay in the South isn't easy. I think I have it easier than others because I have surrounded myself with like-minded queer people.

Being the only lesbian in the group did make me feel a bit misunderstood and lonely at times, but I aimed to be an authentic role model and show that acceptance and understanding can thrive everywhere, even in the South. Contributing to a narrative underscoring the importance of diversity and inclusion was a privilege and demonstrating that our experiences and identities enrich every corner of the country.

Q: How did your day job as a clearance coordinator for a murder mystery podcast influence how you played the game in The Anonymous? Do you feel you used those skills effectively during the competition?

A: My role as a clearance coordinator for a murder mystery podcast involved strategic thinking, attention to detail, and problem-solving—skills that I hoped would be useful on The Anonymous. While I'm not sure those skills had quite enough time to shine through in the fast-paced game, they at least helped me navigate the chaos without accidentally turning the competition into a real-life murder mystery!

Q: You formed connections with several people in the house, including Jack and Nina. Did you feel safe going into the Ep. 2 elimination? Especially after Nina told you she hadn’t heard anyone talk about you negatively?

A: I did not feel completely safe – in this game, I don’t think you ever can!

Q: Several of your castmates felt your character, Shark, didn’t speak up in Anonymous mode. Do you agree? Why or why not?

A: Yes, I agree that I didn’t speak up as much in Anonymous Mode. I’m a horrible texter and find it challenging to not let my personality shine through. I think I ended up spending too much time talking to myself rather than engaging with others. It was a tough adjustment for me, and I can see how that might have come across as being less vocal.

Q: Why do you think being yourself during Anonymous mode was more difficult?

A: I don't think I was myself at all. We couldn’t be ourselves without risking revealing who we really were behind our handles. We had to lie no matter what.

Q: Can you share how you felt after realizing you would be eliminated and that your friend Jack selected you to be eliminated?

A: I was shocked and genuinely surprised to find out Jack had sent me home, especially since I thought we had made a small connection earlier that day.

Q: Did you expect to follow Sydney in being eliminated so soon after voting her off?

A: I had a feeling, but I don't think my putting Sydney at risk affected my elimination too strongly.