The newest winner also gives an update on her relationship status with Austin.
And the woman doing the slamming was Dee Valladares.
At the next vote, she betrayed her island boyfriend once again by voting out his ally inDrew Basile.
Dee Valladares on ‘Survivor 45’.Robert Voets/CBS
And the jury responded, giving her the million-dollar prize in a 5-3-0 vote over Austin and Jake OKane.
(Also check out our finale interviews withAustin,Jake,Katurah,Julie, and hostJeff Probst.)
Robert Voets/CBS
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, congratulations!
Dee Valladares and Jeff Probst on ‘Survivor 45’.CBS
DEE VALLADARES:Thank you so much.
How confident were you walking into that final Tribal Council?
So I was feeling pretty confident.
Dee Valladares on ‘Survivor 45’.CBS
I definitely knew that Julie was voting for me and Drew was voting for Austin.
That’s a given.
It made him look like he didn’t really know what was actually going on out there.
CBS
Was that the plan always to reveal that at Final Tribal?
Oh yeah, that was definitely the plan.
I mean, if I revealed that beforehand, I just blow up my game.
Dee Valladares and Austin Li Coon on Survivor 45'.CBS
You’ve got to let silence be your strength sometimes.
And like you said, I do feel like that was my biggest strength heading into Final Tribal.
I was definitely not going to tell him at the final breakfast.
That was meant to be at final Tribal.
I don’t even remember at one point.
So I’m like, What’s one more day going to do?
I mean, I still would’ve gone hard, but it just wouldn’t have been the same.
Does that make sense?
It wouldn’t have been as fun.
Yeah, it wouldn’t have been as fun as with two men.
What happens if youre sitting next to Julie at the end?
That would’ve been a tough one because everyone loved Julie.
The entire jury loved Julie.Iloved Julie.
She was going to go home that vote.
Did you ever even consider putting Austin in at fire?
Oh, hell no.
I was not going to give him something to put on his resume.
No, of course not.
Only because I also knew what I was waiting to unleash finally at final Tribal.
I’m like, Oh, this is crazy.
You cannot go into fire.
And I said, I don’t know Jeff.
I just didn’t know how to articulate myself.
And he dug in deeper and he’s like, Where’s this coming from?
How can I let that happen, Dee?
But had it not been for my tears, Katurah would’ve never changed her vote.
And it was just absolutely insane.
But you know what?
I am so proud of the game that I have played."
But I did not know how close it was to it being me.
I don’t know.
You’re a little feisty.
You’re saying we wouldn’t have gotten aWhat the hell, guys?if you were voted out?
I don’t think so.
I think in that moment I would’ve been content.
I had done so much and been so proud of myself.
And also, anything could have happened in that final five.
So that’s a pretty good way to go out in my opinion.
Yeah, it was because of that.
It’s because I knew Julie was going home and I was crying a ton.
But that’s where we’re coming from.
Go ahead, spill the beans.
Okay, Dalton, you’re not going to like my answer.
This has been a whirlwind of emotions and we have decided to keep it low key for now.
It’s been too crazy and it’s getting crazier.
So we’ve decided to keep it low key for now, only because it’s been insane.
What does keep it low key mean, Dee?
Anything that didnt make it to air this season that you wish we had a chance to see?
Oh my God, there’s so much.
I would definitely say two things.
We’d only get up in the middle of the night completely sleep deprived.
So I wish that would’ve been shown more.
I would steal papayas so that the Reba four could eat them.
And I was like, Sifu, it’s been game on for you!
Tell me about the rest of the night.
And then I’m like, No, Jeff, thank you for changing my life.
This is a thought you had 24 years ago.
And it changed my life 24 years later.
They know everything about us and we know nothing about them.
And when you meet them, they’re such cool people.
So that was really fun.
I’ll never forget that.
What are you doing with the money?
I am not planning on spending it.
I’m trying to make more.
Okay, what happens if and when they call and ask you to play again?
I’m there yesterday.
I would love to play again.
Is that the bottom line here now that you’ve wonSurvivor?
I say do what you got to do.
It was a big bump, but just go apply.
This is the greatest game in the world.
But yeah, do what you got to do.
