'Claim to Fame's Miguel Says Filming Was "A Big Step out of My Comfort Zone" (EXCLUSIVE)

Season 3 of Claim to Fame premiered on July 10, 2024. The new season brought back hosts Kevin and Frankie Jonas, as well as 11 new contestants who have had brushes with fame due to whoever their celebrity relative is.

During the season premiere, one contestant, Bianca, was the first to reveal her A-list family member. The episode revealed that her famous aunt, who she said has a Peabody award, is none other than Robin Roberts.

Although Bianca's secret is out, there are still many more contestants to investigate, including Miguel, whose actual first name is Raphael. But now that his final Claim to Fame episode aired, we know who Miguel's famous relative is, and he spoke exclusively with Distractify about his time on the show.

Ahead of the Season 3 premiere, Miguel provided some clues about his celebrity relative while sharing two truths and a lie, including that his relative was his grandfather, an actor, and an Oscar winner. Of course, now we know, thanks to him incorrectly guessing Dedrick's relative as Little Richard, that Miguel's relative is his aunt, Jamie Lee Curtis.

So his lie in "two truths and a lie" was the bit about his famous relative being his grandfather.

Which, if we're being honest here, no one had figured out. Miguel shares in his final episode that his aunt was a source of help, emotionally and financially, when his mom got sick and had to spend a lot of time in the hospital, and he has a close relationship with her.

If Miguel had managed to correctly guess Dedrick's relative on Claim to Fame, he would have likely made it far. Before Miguel was sent home, no one had come close to guessing who his famous relative is, and that's a feat in itself.

Following Miguel's elimination on Claim to Fame, he spoke exclusively with us about what going on the show meant to him and if he still keeps in touch with anyone from the "wolf pack." Read on for our Q&A with Miguel!

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

Q: You admit after you’re eliminated that the other players saw you for what you are — a "sheep in a wolf's mask." Was playing the game like that your intention all along?

A: Stepping into the competition, [that] was my goal initially. It was something I had been thinking about a lot before, and wanted to implement it somehow. I wasn't entirely sure what I would do, but I went with the general flow and honestly had to play up my emotional side a lot more than how I usually am in person.

Q: It all comes down to who you think Dedrick is related to, and you say Little Richard even though you previously said out loud other names. What went through your mind when you realized you were wrong?

A: Honestly, I wasn't upset or dismayed by the guess, I gave it my gut feeling and intuition — it just happened to be wrong. Looking back now, I'm glad I didn't say any other names because I don't think I would've said the right name anyway... I just went with what felt right at the moment.

Q: Did you feel like Adam purposely misled you, or were the two of you close enough for you to trust him?

A: I really did trust Adam to begin with, but I never fully trusted him enough to form any sort of alliance or team. I couldn't necessarily trust anybody, not even Dedrick. I know how sneaky and deceptive people can be, so I tried to feed everyone with a long wooden spoon for the most part, figuratively speaking.

Q: Do you still keep in touch with anyone from Claim to Fame, namely Dedrick, who was part of your "wolf pack"?

A: Yeah, I keep in touch with the whole squad! Everyone's been busy stepping back into their day-to-day lives, but we've all been keeping in touch and sharing the excitement.

Q: Was there ever a time on the show where you thought the other players were close to figuring out who you’re related to?

A: There was a time in the living room where Danny had mentioned her name, but then I played into it and misled the conversation and it was ultimately swept aside apart from some minor mentioning and conversation.

Q: What was the hardest part about filming a reality show in a house where you lived with a group of strangers?

A: Living in a house with a group of strangers with cameras filming your every move was the hardest part. It's a weird feeling. I'm a very introverted and private person, so It was definitely a big step out of my comfort zone, but I still managed to do it regardless of the discomfort... It was enjoyable and fun, I felt very taken care of and accounted for by the staff and camera teams.

Q: Without giving anything away, which player do you feel has the power to make it all the way to the end and win Claim to Fame?

A: I think Dedrick has the potential to make it all the way through! He's got a good head on his shoulders, and he seems to know a lot about celebrities. I have a good feeling that he might win.

Claim to Fame airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on ABC. Stream the next day on Hulu.