Survivor's Sierra Wright is one of Season 47's 18 castaways looking to take home the title of the sole survivor.
When Survivor 47 premiered September 18 on CBS and Paramount+, the long-running reality series introduced audiences to three tribes of fascinating cast members ranging from NFL reporter Sam Phalen to flight school owner Sue Smey to 27-year-old beauty queen, Sierra Wright.
Who Is Sierra Wright? Biography Details
Sierra Wright Was Miss Delaware in 2018
While Sierra currently lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, she is originally from Wilmington, Delaware, and represented her state as Miss Delaware in 2018's Miss USA, a journey that she documented on Instagram.
Before competing in Miss USA, Sierra was crowned Miss Delaware Teen USA in 2015.
While Sierra acknowledged she is typically seen as "a pageant queen," she explained to Delaware Online that her father "always wanted a boy" and "I just ended up being my dad's little boy:"
"I'm always looked at as like, 'Oh, just the pretty blonde with like a cute little smile. I was a pageant queen. I competed at Miss USA," she said. "But my dad always wanted a boy, and I just ended up being my dad's little boy. This is for you, Dad. Let's see if I can do it. I'm gonna try to make fire."
Sierra Used To Be a Phillies Ball Girl
Before competing in Miss USA and before appearing on Survivor, Sierra worked as a ball girl for the Philadelphia Phillies.
In addition to posting about her time with the Phillies on social media, Sierra has also shown that she still supports the team and thanked the Phillies on Instagram for "welcoming me back with open arms" when representing Delaware for Miss USA.
Sierra Works as a Nurse for a Plastic Surgeon
In talking to Gold Derby, Sierra revealed she works for a plastic surgeon and feels her experience interacting with patients is what she wants to employ on Survivor, saying, "I really want to be somebody that my tribe mates can turn to:"
“I work for a plastic surgeon, so I get to be that surgical guide to walk all of these patients throughout the process. I end up being a lot of time the therapist, and I really want to be somebody that my tribe mates can turn to and be like, ‘Hey, I’m feeling down.’ I feel like I can bring that to them.”
As for why she chose to pursue nursing, Sierra admitted (via Parade) that it "came natural to [her]," but originally, she was going to be "a news reporter:"
"So nursing, I mean, it's definitely something that came natural to me. I was always the one who would my family would call on. If somebody got sick, I would be the one going to take care of them. But I actually started off as a news reporter. That was my first career. I moved to upstate New York the day after I graduated college, and then I played that out for a little bit."
However, she soon learned it was "hard to even afford my rent," leading her to go back to school and enter "an accelerated nursing program:"
"But, I mean, you don't make any money in that industry. And I don't think anybody tells you it's not as glamorous as it looks. I mean, I was lugging around a big-a** camera. I'm doing all this stuff, and it's not a glamorous thing. And, for the pay, it was tough. It was hard to even afford my rent. So I'm like, 'Okay, we gotta make a switch. We gotta change something up.' I come from a family of nurses. My mom's a nurse. My cousins are nurses. So then I went back to school and took the chance. I did an accelerated nursing program, 17 months. Pretty brutal 17 months, but we did it. And now, I love being a nurse."
Sierra Wants To Win Survivor 47 To Pay off Her Student Debt
As for why she wanted to play Survivor, Sierra told Entertainment Weekly she was "born for the game" and revealed she applied "five years back," even though "people laughed at me:"
"I was born for the game of 'Survivor'! My social and physical abilities are about to thrive. 'Survivor' was such a big part of my upbringing, spending MANY nights with my fam, placing bets on our winners. Aside from that, your girl loves a good challenge! When I first applied five years back, people laughed at me and said 'you could never!' I said, 'oh, you watch.' Here we are!"
She also confessed she "could really use that mil!" to cover her $100,000 of student debt.
As for the life experiences that prepared her for the game, Sierra credits her 12 years "in the service industry" which granted her "skills you need to effectively communicate:"
"Working in the service industry for [more than] 12 years, no doubt! It really armed me with the skills you need to effectively communicate. Things can always change, so learning to roll with them and adapt quickly are qualities I am bringing with me to the island."
Her service background has also shaped her Survivor mentality, explaining how "if you want to make money, you had to bounce back:"
"No matter how difficult of a customer, if you want to make money, you had to bounce back quick. That’s my 'Survivor' mentality. Smile and wave, baby! Smile and wave."
How To Follow Sierra Wright Online
Those looking to follow Sierra can do so on Instagram at @sierra.wright.
Survivor 47 premiered on Wednesday, September 18. New episodes air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and can be streamed on Paramount+.
