The Circle just wrapped its sixth season on Netflix, which invited a fresh batch of aspiring influencers to compete for the show’s coveted $100,000 prize. Here’s every player who entered The Circle chat in the reality show’s most recent season, from the real to the artificial.
Kyle Fuller (& Deuce)
Overseas point guard Kyle Fuller joined Globetrotter Crissa Jackson as another Circle player to hail from the world of professional basketball. The married hooper entered The Circle as himself, but modified his profile by changing his career to basketball trainer and his relationship status to single. Strategy aside, the endearing epicenter of Fuller’s stay in The Circle came from his loyal canine companion, Deucey.
Lauren LaChant
Former Twitch streamer and anime convention regular Lauren LaChant likewise slid into The Circle chat as herself. Unlike Fuller, LaChant was earnest about her “super single” status and planned to wear her nerdy heart on her sleeve. Though LaChant’s from Philadelphia, she lacked the palpable accent of past Circle alums from her neighborhood, such as the memorable Ed Eason and his mother Tammy.
Myles “Yung Papi Fuego” Reed
AI engineer by day and self-described party boy by night, Myles Reed lived up to both his “Water Gun Kelly” and “Yung Papi Fuego” monikers during his Circle journey. Though his career took center stage given the season’s contentious twist, there were many aspects of Reed’s multi-faceted personality left relatively understated in The Circle such as his Jewish identity, musical aspirations, and ability to “flirt in foreign languages”.
Brandon Baker AKA Olivia
The first catfish of Season 6, nursing assistant Brandon Baker entered The Circle as his friend Olivia. “It’s my opportunity to be hot, ’cause I haven’t gotten to do that before,” Baker proclaimed in his Circle introduction. Despite his Circle subterfuge, Baker led with his heart (and trusty plush sidekick Frank the hot dog), quickly becoming a fan favorite among Season 6’s lineup.
Cassie Saylor
Kentucky mom Cassie Saylor brought an authentic ya’ll and Barbie-esque aesthetic sensibility to Season 6 of The Circle. The 29-year-old left her personal history with catfishing in the rearview, hoping her Southern charm would score her coveted Circle popularity. Saylor shirked a Circle precedent by setting her relationship status as engaged, rather than masquerading as single like Fuller (and many past contestants who hoped to curry favor through flirtatious DMs).
Stephanie “Steffi” Hill
Though the new age Stephanie “Steffi” Hill made bold choices that demonstrated her passion for yoga and astrology, she was not entirely honest in her Circle profile. Similarly to Fuller, Hill expressed concerns that her career as an evidential psychic medium could hurt her Circle odds. Ultimately, viewers found Hill (and her Emotional Support Skeleton Herbert) a polarizing Season 6 entry.
Caress Alon AKA Paul
Another Circle catfish arrived in the form of Texas-based motivation speaker Caress Alon, who entered the social media competition as her younger brother, Paul. Alon saw mixed success in navigating the unique obstacles of playing a single rapper over a decade younger than herself but ultimately became a fixture of Season 6.
Quori-Tyler “QT” Bullock
Perhaps one of the savviest strategists in recent memory, Quori-Tyler “QT” Bullock flexed her self-proclaimed super fandom of The Circle in her Season 6 run. The book lover and former Laker Girl struck up many alliances over the course of the competition, the most notable of which being her flirtationship with Yung Papi Fuego.
“Max”, the Controversial AI Chatbot
Circle fans have come to expect twists from the social media competition, but the inclusion of artificial intelligence in Season 6 was widely received as one of the show’s least inspired gimmicks. While some saw The Circle‘s AI catfish a transparent and clunky attempt to jump on a trend, others cast doubt on whether “Max” was even an open source Chatbot at all. The Chatbot completed its disguise as a 26-year-old dog dad and veterinary intern with the help of comedian Griffin James, whose photographs were used by the Netflix production. In a fitting microcosm of fan reaction to Max, James addressed his inclusion in The Circle in a TikTok video that cast dry scrutiny over AI.
Jordan “Big J” Staff
The audience’s distaste for Hill and even “Max” was small potatoes compared to Jordan “Big J” Staff, who made a villain run in the home stretch of The Circle‘s sixth season. The 24-year-old entered as a quasi-catfish, presenting as the pre-weight loss version of himself at 22. Staff’s initial introduction presented an interesting juxtaposition to Season 1’s Sean Taylor, a plus sized woman who first catfished using her friend’s photos before unexpectedly unveiling her identity. Unlike Taylor, Staff’s stir-the-pot style of gameplay was not nearly as endearing to fans.
Autumn Ann Nielsen
Tennessee ranch hand Autumn Ann Nielsen brought a double helping of Southern slang to The Circle, accompanying Staff as the final addition to Season 6’s cast. Nielsen was the youngest Season 6 competitor and, as with many of her Circle peers, shared a strong foothold in social media prior to the game. Between her Western Spitfire brand and popular fitness content, Nielsen was primed for her Circle debut.
