Meet ‘Survivor 43’s’ Teenage Pet Cremator

CBS Sami Layadi's official "Survivor 43" cast photo.

With season 43 of “Survivor” on the horizon, fans are anxiously anticipating the release of the September 21 premiere. Ever since the release of the season’s cast photos and videos, fans have been examining what each of the 18 castaways have to say about their strategy and chance in the game.

Sami Layadi, a 19-year-old from Las Vegas will be the youngest contestant this season, and among a handful of the youngest contestants ever. So what does he have to offer this season? Well, he is certainly unique in more than one respect.

Sami Layadi Believes His Unusual Job Suits Him for the Game of ‘Survivor’

19-year-old Sami Layadi will be going into the Baka tribe with a very unusual distinction: not only will he be the only teenager on the island, but he also has a rather unusual job: he will be “Survivor’s” first-ever pet cremator. And Layadi believes that that will provide him with a distinct advantage during the game.

“I always say people are at their lowest of lows when they lose a pet,” Layadi said in his pre-season Parade interview. “And so, being able to conversate and talk with people in these negative and dark times, I think I’ve really been able to tap into people’s emotions.”

He added in his introductory video that, as a pet cremator, “you gotta be able to read the room, go in there and get the job done. In fast-paced, high-pressure situations, somebody like me, I run off of pure adrenaline all the time.”

Layadi added that, despite his age, people should not underestimate him, as he is “willing to learn” from his older peers. He explained, per Parade:

I know I don’t have all the answers. I know that I’m not out here with the most. I haven’t ever seen somebody dying on the floor or ran into a burning building or any of that stuff. But I’m going to be with people who might have before. And so I want to learn from those people. That’s what I’ve been able to do my whole life that’s actually helped me to get to this point, is learn.

Sami Layadi Intends to Be the Youngest ‘Survivor’ Winner Ever

The odds are indeed stacked against Layadi; not only is he among the youngest castaways to ever compete, but he would be the youngest winner in “Survivor” history if he pulls off his goal; the youngest winner so far (Jud “Fabio” Birza, of season 21, “Nicaragua”) has only been 21. However, Layadi is nonetheless confident about his chances. “I 100% believe I will be the youngest winner in ‘Survivor’ history,” he said in his introductory video. “That’s not cockiness. I truly believe I have what it takes to come out and outwit, outplay, and outlast everybody else.” 

Fans, however, are not so convinced of Layadi’s chances, with most presuming he will suffer the fate of most other teenagers and young adults who have played the game before. Most fans agreed with the comparison to Will Wahl, the 18-year-old Millennial on season 33, “Millennials vs. Gen X,” with one fan simply writing, “He’s not winning this game.”

Will Layadi indeed prove that he has what it takes to outwit, outplay, and outlast all the rest, despite his youth? Only time will tell.

Be sure to catch our live coverage of the two-hour “Survivor 43” premiere on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, at 8 p.m. Eastern.