‘AYTO’ Host Reveals Why 1st Global Cast Can Make International Relationships Work (Exclusive)
‘Are You The One?’ is going international! We caught up with host Kamie Crawford about what to expect from cast members from various countries.
Season nine of Are You The One? features contestants from all around the world for the very first time. After nearly four years off the air, the show is back with a new host, Kamie Crawford. Kamie dished to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY about why the format can still work, even with each cast member’s perfect match possibly living in an entirely different country.
“For the most part, in the conversations I’ve had with the cast, personally, they are excited about the opportunity to meet someone from another place,” Kamie confirmed. “A lot of them are still in their early 20s or mid 20s and figuring things out, so maybe they aren’t sold on living where they’re from. They want to travel and they want to experience life with someone. So the ability to connect with someone from a different place that then puts you in that place is exciting for them. They’re down! I know a lot of people who saw it was going to be global were like, ‘How do I go on dates with my perfect match who lives across the world?’ But I’ll tell you, people are making it happen!”
Kamie also explained that choosing a global cast gave the contestants an important realization about the dating space. “I think that getting to know how much our experiences are so similar, no matter where you’re from or where you live, makes a lot of these people perfect matches,” Kamie admitted. “They never would’ve found each other if it wasn’t for the show, which is really exciting. You get to expand your dating pool. Your perfect match could literally be anywhere in this world, and unless you’re really putting yourself out there to find them, you may never know.”
Before coming on the show, each contestant is put through an “extensive matchmaking” experience to be paired up with their “perfect match”. Throughout the show, the contestants get to know each other and are tasked with trying to figure out who everyone’s perfect match is. If they guess all the perfect matches by the end of the show, they’ll win a large cash prize to split. As always, the process will lead to some tension amidst the cast, according to Kamie.
“You get into the house, you meet someone, you hit it off with this person, but then everyone else in the house is like, ‘This is not you’re match’ and you’re trying to fight back with them because you feel like you have a connection with this person,” Kamie explained. “We do that in regular life all the time. We date people our friends and family don’t approve of. But at the end of the day, in real life, there isn’t a million dollars on the line, and everyone doesn’t have to be on the same page to make that happen. But here, it’s a team game, and everyone has to be playing. There’s definitely moments where I was like…I don’t know if they’re going to do it. But I will say, for the most part, the cast experienced a lot of growth and I’m very proud of that.”
Are You The One? is streaming on Paramount+ beginning January 18.