Caelynn Miller-Keyes, 24, is joining several other Bachelor Nation alum for a second shot at finding love on season six of Bachelor in Paradise. Viewers first got to know Caelynn when she fought for Colton Underwood’s heart on season 21 of The Bachelor. The two formed a quick connection, but Colton sent Caelynn home heartbroken after the hometown dates (final four). Now, Caelynn has moved past the breakup and is ready to look for her soulmate. Here’s more to know:
1. She’s actually good friends with Colton now. After The Bachelor ended, Colton started a relationship with his final pick, Cassie Randolph, although they decided NOT to get engaged on the show. Caelynn and Cassie became super tight during filming, and recently moved into the same apartment building in California. So, Caelynn is friendly with Colton through her friendship with Cassie. That’s not awkward or anything, right?! Welcome to Bachelor Nation!
2. Caelynn was Miss North Carolina 2018! She competed in the Miss USA pageant and was the runner-up to Miss Nebraska, Sarah Rose Summers. Caelynn grew up in Fredericksburg, Virginia, but lived in Charlotte, North Carolina at the time that she competed in the pageant.
3. Caelynn and ‘Bachelorette’ Hannah Brown knew each other before the show. Caelynn and Hannah Brown, who was also on Colton’s season of The Bachelor, competed in the Miss USA pageant together. They used to be friends, but had a falling out after Caelynn was named runner-up during Miss USA. This led to some tension between the show. “We’re not necessarily the best of friends,” Caelynn said about Hannah on The Bachelor. “We were roommates at Miss USA. We were super close, and then she wasn’t happy that I was first runner-up. She was mad that she didn’t place, for sure. There were a lot of hurt feelings.” She also said Hannah “kind of snapped” and “flipped a switch” after the pageant. As for Hannah, she wasn’t too happy to see Caelynn as one of her fellow contestants — again. “It’s just so funny because there’s not one person in the world that I have a problem with, except her,” Hannah said. “It totally scares me for Colton.” She also called Caelynn “fake!”
The ladies agreed to bury the drama after a few weeks of filming, and at the Women Tell All special in March, Hannah told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, “We’re not going to be besties for the resties but we can be in the same room together and we respect each other.”
4. She is a sexual assault survivor. Caelynn revealed she had been sexually assaulted when she was a sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University during her “Meet Miss North Carolina” video. She now speaks to high school and college students about her experience. “Every single time I’ve told my story, at least one survivor has come forward, as well,” Caelynn said in her video. “This is a huge issue, and I want to be an advocate for those survivors.” Caelynn also bravely opened up about her experience while getting to know Colton on The Bachelor.
5. She loves to travel. “I’m happiest when I’m traveling,” Caelynn admitted in her intro video for The Bachelor. “I kind of travel for a living right now.” She enjoys “getting to meet new people” and “experience new things.”