Danny From 'Claim to Fame' Opens Up About the "Beautiful Experience" (EXCLUSIVE)

We aren't saying that Danny was the best player in Season 3 of Claim to Fame, but came pretty close to it. Maybe he had more people guessing his relative with confidence than, say, Adam, but Danny's celebrity relative hadn't been found out until the Aug. 14 episode, more than halfway through the season. That being said, who is Danny related to on Claim to Fame? Fans had some solid theories, and now we know.

Thanks to the clues Danny inadvertently and even purposely given out on the show — to the other players or to producers — there were some things to go on to figure out who he is related to. But, much like some of the other Season 3 cast members, Danny did a great job of keeping some of his biggest clues hidden. That is, until he didn't. And after his elimination, he shared exclusive details with Distractify about the experience.

For the majority of the third season of Claim to Fame, Danny did a good job of keeping his celebrity relative a secret. That doesn't mean some of his co-stars weren't suspicious of him, of course. However, unlike other contestants, Danny didn't find himself in the hot seat all that much, and it could be because he managed to align himself with the right people and make the right moves himself. That being said, in the Aug. 14 episode, he incorrectly guessed Mackenzie's relative, and his was revealed.

Though the initial clues about who Danny is related to were pretty telling in hindsight. In the two truths and a lie game, Danny said:

• My celebrity relative is my: Uncle.
• My celebrity relative is best known for being a: Pro wrestler.
• The biggest award my celebrity relative has won is: A Grammy.

Following Danny’s elimination on Claim to Fame, he spoke exclusively with us about the challenges of filming a reality show, who he keeps in touch with now, and why he thinks Adam’s game is actually going really well. Read on for our Q&A with Danny, whose real name is Nael Zayas, by the way!

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

Q: What went through your head when you realized your guess for Mackenzie's relative was wrong and Shane was wrong too?

A: I had no regrets. I felt like we did what we could in the time that we had. Super appreciative to my boy Shane for even showing me the clue and brainstorming with me about who it could be.

Q: At that point, without giving anything away, who did you think had what it took to win the season?

A: At that point, since it wasn’t going to be me, I think Shane has enough influence in the house to take it to the chip. There are some whispers about who your relative is, but no one really catches on.

Q: Did your uncle, Marc Anthony, give you any advice about filming Claim to Fame?

A: He’s always told me to just be myself and to let everything come to me.

Q: Do you share his connection to music in any way?

A: Besides loving music, I don’t actually dabble in the musical arts. But who knows, maybe I’ll drop a [Claim to Fame] greatest hits album.

Q: What made you decide to use a different name, going into the house?

A: My name is riddled throughout my family and I feel like if I used my real name I would be figured out sooner with the internet sleuths. I also didn’t want to expose my nationality in the house.

Q: Who do you still keep in touch with from Claim to Fame?

A: I keep in touch with everyone, that’s family. Especially after experiencing this together, we’re embedded in each other’s algorithms.

Q: Why do you think Adam is doing such a good job of hiding his celebrity relative but using other people's clues at the same time?

A: Adam is playing the game as best as he can. We might not like the way he’s playing it, but somehow it’s working out for him. I can’t knock his game. I just hope it keeps working.

Q: What was the most challenging part about being on TV and being in the spotlight?

A: The hours are exhausting. Just staring at the wall and trying to piece clues together every day is mind-boggling. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. It was a beautiful experience with a lot of beautifully talented people and I think we made good TV.

Watch Claim to Fame on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.