CBS"Pathologic."
"Psychotic."
"Heartless."
Last night's Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains double eliminees just couldn't stop when I asked them for a single word to describe Villain mastermind Russell Hantz. (For the record, neither said cuddly. True story.)
Is this more than a grudge against the guy who engineered both their ousters? Read on for more on their nemesis—and the real story about that infamous catfight...
Hero Candice Woodcock and Villain Danielle DiLorenzo played very different games, but both agree that Russell is the most "ruthless" of them all. Danielle, however, took it personally, and she's got a lot to say about it. (Candice does chime in...once.)
Why were you so upset at Tribal Council?
D.D.: By not showing any humanity, not playing with any integrity, some of the things he did, he crossed the line. It makes you think how he is in real life...Unfortunately I let him get to me. I was just really upset that he was doing that. I felt like I had been so loyal to him, I didn't understand why he was testing me. I was really affected by that emotionally.
It felt like being in an abusive relationship. He's so controlling. You couldn't do anything without him psychotically staring at you throughout the entire day. God forbid you went over and talked to somebody, he'd be right up there with you. And as soon as you walked away from that person, he would say, "What did you just say to her?" Then he'd run up to you, and if the stories didn't match up, he'd automatically start trying to get you voted off. He was threatening everybody. It was just crazy.
So why did Russell target you instead of Parvati?
D.D.: I think he was threatened by me. After the fight with Amanda, he saw that I was starting to get control over the game. He knew he couldn't control me anymore. I think he knew me and Parvati had a really tight alliance and were going to get him voted off next. That was the plan. Me, Parvati and Sandra spoke about it, right before we went to Tribal Council, that we needed to get Russell off—now was the time. I think he sensed that. He said in the beginning he doesn't like to play a game for a million dollars against strong females.
Is Russell the best player in the history of Survivor?
C.W.: Russell definitely believes he's the best player in history of the game. He's a very aggressive player. He has really muscled his way to this point in the game. He muscled his way to the end of the previous season, but he's playing with a different group of people now. I don't think he had much competition in Samoa, but on Heroes vs. Villains he's got his work cut out for him.
D.D.: The greatest player to me is having respect when you get to the end of the game. You have to keep in mind ultimately the people who make the decision [about whether you] deserve a million dollars. Russell played a ruthless, devious game. If he thinks that's being the best player—it didn't do him well the first time he played. He got himself to the end, but he didn't win the million dollars. Winning the million dollars is being the best player in the game.
Finally, Danielle, how'd you end up in a catfight with Amanda over the hidden Immunity Idol clue?
D.D.: I was so blown away. I did not see that coming. The look in Amanda's eye when she grabbed that clue from underneath me. They edited it—[the Idol] wasn't on the floor, it was actually behind me, up against the pillow, so I was almost sitting on it. She literally grabbed it from underneath me. I could not believe she did that. I know we're playing a game for a million dollars, but I wouldn't have done that. I would've tried to figure out another way to get it, or have her let me read it. I was shocked. I felt like she invaded my space.
Kristin Dos Santos will never invade your space on Twitter.
________
Only six remain! Pay tribute to the fallen tribe in our Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains photo gallery.