35-year-old Dani Beau is making waves on Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing as viewers scour the internet for information about the contestant.
The Last One Standing spin-off of Naked and Afraid pits 12 survivalists against one another in a brutal competition in which they have to prove themselves in an unforgiving wilderness. Using any necessary means over 45 days, the winner is awarded $100,000 and a perfect 10 Primitive Survival Rating.
This year includes Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native Danielle Beauchemin (born April 14, 1989), better known to fans as Dani Beau, amidst Season 2's 12 brave competitors.
5 Things To Know about Naked and Afraid's Dani Beau
Dani Graduated from Wilmington University
Speaking previously with The Montgomery Sentinel, Dani Beau gave insight into her life before reality TV fame.
The survivalist was born in Philadelphia and grew up in south New Jersey. Following her high school graduation, she worked "in wilderness emergency medicine and search and rescue."
She also earned her bachelor's degree in management from Wilmington University in Manor, Delaware.
Dani Used To Be a Girl Scout
Beau first became interested in survival skills and the wilderness at a young age when she joined the Girl Scouts of the USA.
In a chat with Nicki Swift, she reflected on being a Girl Scout for years and explained how she was "very into backpacking and hiking," which came from her father. She was also particularly interested in "Native American history and culture," including how they made tools out of natural elements:
"Just from a young age, I was in the Girl Scout troops for many, many years, and I was just very into backpacking and hiking, and my father got me into a lot of that. I was fascinated with Native American history and culture and just how they can make tools out of bones or wood and just make everything from your materials in the environment."
Dani Became a Vegetarian at a Young Age
On top of her interest in the wilderness, Beau embraced a new diet when she was young and became a vegetarian.
In her chat with The Montgomery Sentinel, she noted how she was only four years old when she first asked her parents "about hunting, trapping, and eating animals." She quickly became the only vegetarian in her family, although she would still "eat animal products that did not hurt the animal:"
"I was only four when I started questioning my parents about hunting, trapping, and eating animals. I remember asking them at home about chicken nuggets and where they came from. I thought of animals as my friends and was a stubborn kid, so I quickly became the only vegetarian in my family. I would still eat animal products that did not hurt the animal, such as milk and yogurt.
She reflected on completing Naked and Afraid's 21 and 40-day challenges eating completely vegan, remembering how great she felt afterwards. Now, she is a purely vegan eater and tries to avoid any processed foods:
"After completing the 'Naked and Afraid' 21 and 40-day challenges on a 100 percent vegan diet – no animal products were available -- my body and mind felt incredible, and that motivated me to cut out all animal products entirely. So now I am a pure vegan. And I try to avoid all processed foods. I feel better now as a vegan, both physically and mentally, with more energy, than even when I was a vegetarian."
Dani Got Cast in Naked and Afraid While Working as an EMT
In an interview with Reality Wanted, Beau shared how she first found her way into the Naked and Afraid cast.
While working as an EMT, Beau went to "wilderness medicine school to upgrade to a wilderness EMT," where she found the show's team scouting students. From there, she was recruited into the cast.
She also cracked a laugh remembering how she was "also recruited through a wilderness skills group" she was in, taking it as "a sign that [she] was meant to do this."
When she was hired for the show, she only got "about two weeks notice" that she was heading to Columbia, although she "did not know where in Colombia" she was going.
Unsure of what to expect in Colombia, Beau prepared by focusing on what she could do physically with her training and eating along with her mental strength and focus:
"Well, I prepared mentally most of all. I was confident in my skills and my knowledge. Going to a country in South America I did not know what to expect. So I just focused on gaining body fat, cutting out sugars, cutting out caffeine. Just cutting out anything that could affect my health during the challenge. I really focused on my mental strength and how to keep a positive attitude while I was out there."
Dani Sells Her Own Survival Gear
Through her Etsy store, Beau promotes and sells her line of survival gear.
The website offers various blades, foraging kits, shears, and fire starters. She also sells jewelry, largely necklaces and earrings, inspired by the wilderness.
How To Follow Dani Beau Online
Those looking to keep up with Dani Beau on social media can do so through her Instagram (@xdanibeau), X (formerly Twitter, @danibeaudrill), Facebook (xDaniBeau), and TikTok (@xdanibeau).
New episodes of Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing Season 2 premiere every Sunday on the Discovery Channel at 8 p.m. ET.
