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The Challenge All Stars is back — and this time it has a theme.
Where previous seasons relied on the nostalgia high of seeing OG players back in action, this outing is deepening the gameplay by identifying rivals and pairing them up. If they can overcome their differences, they’ll win, as host T.J. Lavin would say, “big money.” It’s a classic Challenge gimmick, sure, but one that always pays dividends.
While a few contestants are pushing the definition of “all-star,” the majority are proven competitors who know how to crank up the drama. If you’ve seen even a single season of The Challenge over the years, you’re bound to recognize a face or two.
Read on for everything you need to know about MTV‘s The Challenge All Stars 5 cast.
Adam Larson
Paramount+
First appearance: Road Rules: The Quest (2001)
Last appearance: The Challenge: All Stars 4 (2024)
Rival: Steve Meinke
What to know: It’s been nearly a quarter century since Adam Larson debuted on MTV, but he’s still got that fight in him. He made a fine showing on 2024’s All Stars 4, outlasting legends like Syrus, Kam, and Brad. Through a series of targeted votes, Adam made an enemy of former The Quest castmate Steve, who would go on to steal his game-saving Star and cost Adam his place in the finale.
Amber Borzotra
Paramount+
First appearance: Big Brother 16 (2014)
Last appearance: The Challenge: World Championship (2023)
Rival: Faysal “Fessy” Shafaat
What to know: Amber Borzotra and Faysal have clashed (and bonded) across several seasons of The Challenge, but their rivalry crystallized after Faysal shocked Amber by voting her into an elimination round on Spies, Lies & Allies.
Aneesa Ferreira
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: Chicago (2002)
Last appearance: The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras (2024)
Rival: Ashley Mitchell
What to know: Aneesa Ferreira has been a regular presence in the Challenge-verse since debuting on the first Chicago Real World season. It’s unclear why she’s beefing with Ashley (especially since Ashley has plenty of other enemies in the game), but Ashley did call Aneesa “fake” in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, so expect to see the expletives fly.
Ashley Mitchell
Paramount+
First appearance: Real World: Ex-Plosion (2014)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies (2021)
Rival: Aneesa Ferreira
What to know: Despite getting kicked off of her Real World season after, like, one episode, Ashley “Millionaire” Mitchell fought her way to becoming one of the most successful female competitors in Challenge history. Her return this season is notable, as it’s her first since she was unceremoniously kicked off Spies, Lies, and Allies. Her rivalry with Aneesa seems to spring from a personal dislike — in a recent interview, she told us her rival is “fake” and an “ass-kisser.”
Ashley Kelsey
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: San Diego (2011)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros (2017)
Rival: Dario Medrano
What to know: Ashley Kelsey hasn’t competed in years, but, unlike some of her competitors, she’s a Challenge winner, having come out on top of 2012’s Battle of the Seasons. She and Dario are exes — they started dating after Invasion of the Champions — and we all know exes make the best rivals.
Beth Stolarczyk
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: Los Angeles (1993)
Last appearance: The Challenge All Stars 3 (2022)
Rival: Jonna Mannion
What to know: Yep, it’s that Beth Stolarczyk, the one who first graced our TVs the year Bill Clinton was elected to office. This season, she’s paired with rival Jonna, who Beth claims “messed with her game” during All Stars 3. (She neglects to mention the rumors she spread about Jonna cheating on her husband.) Honestly, you could pair Beth with just about anyone in this game — you don’t stay on a franchise this long without making a few (okay, many) enemies.
Corey Lay
Paramount+
First appearance: 12 Dates of Christmas (2020)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (2023)
Rival: Tula “Big T” Fazakerley
What to know: Corey Lay came out of nowhere — what the heck is 12 Dates of Christmas? — but impressed during The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion, making it to the finale. He also, unfortunately, made an enemy in Big T, one of the sweetest people who’s ever been on the show. He openly said he “used” her during that season, and she didn’t fully accept his apology at the reunion. (She probably has since, though. Like, Big T is really nice.)
Dario Medrano
Paramount+
First appearance: Are You the One? 2 (2014)
Last appearance: The Challenge XXX: Dirty 30 (2017)
Rival: Ashley Kelsey
What to know: An early Are You the One? ex-pat, Dario Medrano was always a bit of a jerk, which, of course, made for pretty good TV. Though he never made it to a final, he was always a solid competitor. His rivalry with Ashley stems from a relationship they had six years ago. Guess some wounds don’t heal so easily.
Da’Vonne Rogers
Paramount+
First appearance: Big Brother 17 (2015)
Last appearance: The Challenge: War of the Worlds (2019)
Rival: Shane Landrum
What to know: Da’Vonne Rogers, a Big Brother veteran, only had two Challenges under her belt before Rivals, though she made a splash in both. Her rivalry with Challenge vet Shane goes back to 2018’s Final Reckoning, when, in her words, she “didn’t kiss the ring.” Essentially, she refused to work with Shane’s alliance, resulting in retribution, elimination, and a whole lot of fighting.
Devin Walker
Paramount+
First appearance: Are You the One? 3 (2015)
Last appearance: The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras (2024)
Rival: Leroy Garrett
What to know: Devin Walker is one of the craftiest (and most entertaining) players in the last decade of Challenges, having ruffled the feathers of even the most intimidating players (see: Johnny Bananas). His rival is another legend: Leroy. Their rivalry began during 2020’s Double Agents, when Leroy (wisely) sent Devin into elimination against Devin’s ally, Wes Bergmann. It’s thin stuff, admittedly, but this is still a team to watch — brains and brawn.
Faysal “Fessy” Shafaat
Paramount+
First appearance: Big Brother 20 (2018)
Last appearance: The Challenge: USA 2 (2023)
Rival: Amber Borzotra
What to know: Always a finalist, never the finalist. Faysal “Fessy” Shafaat is a strong competitor with a raging libido and a penchant for blowing finals. This season, he’s beefing with his old Big Brother castmate Amber, who’s still sour about Faysal sending her into elimination on Spies, Lies & Allies.
Frank Fox (née Sweeney)
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: San Diego (2011)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Free Agents (2014)
Rival: Sam McGinn
What to know: He’s back! Frank Fox (formerly Sweeney), a past champion, may be one of the most chaotic people to ever play this game, capable of shouting down even the most formidable opponents. Just ask his rival, Sam, who suffered his wrath during 2012’s Battle of the Seasons. We can’t imagine these two will stay mad at each other long — they were Real World housemates before ever coming on The Challenge — but we can imagine Frank making a few new enemies this season.
Jonna Mannion
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: Cancun (2009)
Last appearance: The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras (2024)
Rival: Beth Stolarczyk
What to know: Small but mighty, Jonna Mannion is an All Stars queen, having won both the second and third seasons. Her rivalry with Beth is one of the most legit in this game, as Beth spread rumors that Jonna was cheating on her husband during All Stars 3. That’s a tough one to overcome, even for a champ like Jonna.
Katie Cooley
Paramount+
First appearance: Road Rules: The Quest (2001)
Last appearance: The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras (2024)
Rival: Veronica Portillo
What to know: Katie Cooley, a former champion, has been a consistent challenger since the early 2000s, when her and Veronica’s rivalry first flared up. In an MTV promo for the season, the pair recalls how Veronica was trying to jettison Katie from 2003’s The Gauntlet via the game’s “secret ballots,” resulting in some epic shouting matches. Per the promo, it appears they still disagree about who was trying to screw who.
KellyAnne Judd
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: Sydney (2007)
Last appearance: The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras (2024)
Rival: Sylvia Elsrode
What to know: KellyAnne Judd, a three-time finalist, spent most of All Stars 3 on edge, as her rival, Sylvia, did everything in her power to send KellyAnne home. “She really hated me and made sure everyone in the house knew it and that I was always at risk for going in,” she said in an MTV promo. She came out on top that season, sending Sylvia home and making it to the finals. It’s hard to see these two playing nice together.
Leroy Garrett
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: Las Vegas (2011)
Last appearance: The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras (2024)
Rival: Devin Walker
What to know: We’re old enough to remember when Leroy Garrett made a big show about retiring a few years back. Well, he’s back now, and we’re not complaining. His rivalry with Devin isn’t particularly juicy given that it stems from the kind of crafty gameplay that could benefit their game this season.
Melissa Reeves
Paramount+
First appearance: Ex on the Beach UK 2 (2015)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (2023)
Rival: Nicole Zanatta
What to know: Melissa Reeves, a former finalist, knows how to fly under the radar while staying competitive in challenges. Her rivalry is one of this season’s most scandalous, as Melissa’s friendship with Nicole has soured after she became tight with Nicole’s ex, Challenge legend Laurel Stucky. Did we mention Melissa also hooked up with Nicole? Messy.
Nany Gonzalez
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: Las Vegas (2011)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Ride or Dies (2022)
Rival: Turabi “Turbo” Çamkıran
What to know: Everyone loves Nany Gonzalez, a four-time finalist and Challenge mainstay. Well, everyone loves Nany but Turbo. Turbo used to love Nany, but after he showed up to Ride or Dies with a massive chip on his shoulder, the two got into a nasty argument that resulted in Nany getting him eliminated. According to Turbo in an MTV promo, they haven’t spoken since.
Nicole Zanatta
Paramount+
First appearance: Real World: Skeletons (2014)
Last appearance: The Challenge: All Stars 4 (2024)
Rival: Melissa Reeves
What to know: Nicole Zanatta is a great player, a three-time finalist who nearly won All Stars 4 last year. She’s also very, shall we say, romantically inclined, which tends to get her in trouble. That’s the case with her rivalry with Melissa, which began with a 2018 hook-up and became more complicated when her ex, Laurel, became friends with Melissa. Nicole would be wise to focus on the game — not the ladies — this season.
Sam McGinn
Paramount+
First appearance: The Real World: San Diego (2011)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons (2012)
Rival: Frank Fox (née Sweeney)
What to know: Sam McGinn competed in just one season of The Challenge, which she won alongside Frank. You’d think this would bring the former San Diego housemates closer, but Sam still harbors animosity for how Frank treated her during the game. We can’t blame her.
Shane Landrum
Paramount+
First appearance: Road Rules: Campus Crawl (2002)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Final Reckoning (2018)
Rival: Da’Vonne Rogers
What to know: Shane Landrum, patriarch of the Lavender Ladies, may not be a Challenge winner, but he’s good TV and that’s maybe (definitely) more impressive. Shane, to his credit, doesn’t even try to paint himself as the good guy in his rivalry with Da’Vonne, which ignited during 2018’s Final Reckoning. “She decided she did not wanna work with my alliance, so I decided to use my alliance to punish her,” he says in an MTV promo. At least he’s honest.
Steve Meinke
Paramount+
First appearance: Road Rules: The Quest (2001)
Last appearance: The Challenge All Stars 4 (2023)
Rival: Adam Larson
What to know: After an 18-year hiatus, Steve Meinke showed up to All Stars 2 ready to play. While he underperformed in his comeback outing, he made it to the finals for All Stars 4. Now, after stealing Adam’s Star and clearing his path to success last season, he returns hoping to once again best his old Quest castmate.
Sylvia Elsrode
Paramount+
First appearance: Real World: Skeletons (2014)
Last appearance: The Challenge All Stars 3 (2022)
Rival: KellyAnne Judd
What to know: A former finalist, Sylvia Elsrode plays a ruthless game, and perhaps no one has suffered her wrath more than KellyAnne. During All Stars 3, Sylvia famously told her alliance to “step on KellyAnne’s f—ing throat!” Yeah, it’s likely Sylvia’s entering this season with a chip on her shoulder.
Tula “Big T” Fazakerley
Paramount+
First appearance: Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands (2019)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (2023)
Rival: Corey Lay
What to know: Beloved in the game for her cheery demeanor and never-quit attitude, Big T Fazakerley is a solid competitor who may not have the killer instinct required for a win. Too often, she’s screwed over by players like Corey, her rival this season. One imagines, though, that she won’t stay mad at him too long, which could be good for their game.
Turbo Çamkıran
Paramount+
First appearance: The Challenge: War of the Worlds (2019)
Last appearance: The Challenge: Ride or Dies (2022)
Rival: Nany Gonzalez
What to know: Turbo Çamkıran is weird, man. On War of the Worlds, he won the whole game while becoming a fan favorite. When he showed up on Ride or Dies, however, he seemed like a totally different player, picking fights and getting eliminated early as a result. It was Nany who made sure he got the boot, and Turbo claims they haven’t spoken since. Fingers crossed his attitude has changed. Otherwise, there’s no way they make it through this season.
Veronica Portillo
Paramount+
First appearance: Road Rules: Semester at Sea (1999)
Last appearance: The Challenge: All Stars 4 (2024)
Rival: Katie Cooley
What to know: Veronica Portillo’s been in this game longer than nearly anyone, having debuted on Road Rules in 1999. She’s had plenty of fights over the years, but few as vicious as those she had with Katie on The Gauntlet, when Katie was under the assumption that Veronica was trying to oust her via secret ballots. Veronica disputes this, while Katie clings to the official story. We’ll see if they can sort it out — more than two decades later — as partners this season.
