Colleen Haskell

Colleen Haskell – Life, Career, and Public Presence

Learn about Colleen Haskell (born December 6, 1976), the original Survivor: Borneo contestant turned actress and producer, her early life, time in entertainment, decision to step away, and her legacy.

Introduction

Colleen Haskell rose to national attention in 2000 as one of the first castaways of Survivor: Borneo, where her affability, sincerity, and penchant for fairness earned her a beloved place in reality TV history. After a brief foray into acting and production, she opted to withdraw from public life and lead a private existence. In this article, we'll trace her journey from Bethesda, Maryland, to the island, Hollywood, and beyond — and reflect on her choices and impact.

Early Life and Family

Birth & Hometown
Colleen Marie Haskell was born on December 6, 1976 in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.

Education & Formative Years

• She attended Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda and graduated in 1994.

• After high school, she enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens, where she studied theater.

• During her college years, she spent six months in London doing an internship with the London Film Festival.

• After graduating (circa 1998), she traveled: two months in Ghana, and another two months in France.

• Before entering Survivor, she also studied design/advertising at Miami Ad School, relocating to San Francisco for further internship work.

These experiences hint at a young person with broad interests — theater, travel, cultural exposure — not someone solely seeking stardom.

Survivor: Borneo and Rise to Public Recognition

Casting & Participation
In 1999, while walking through the CocoWalk mall in Miami, Colleen and a friend discovered an open casting call for a new show, Survivor. She joined the cast for its first season, Survivor: Borneo.

She was placed in the Pagong tribe, which initially comprised mostly younger adults.

Gameplay & Outcome

• Colleen quickly became a viewer favorite thanks to her openness and likability.

• She formed a bond with fellow castaway Greg Buis, which was presented in media as a “showmance,” though both downplayed romantic labels.

• After the tribes merged, Pagong members were systematically voted out. Colleen was the last remaining original Pagong when she was eliminated — finishing in 6th place.

• At the final tribal council, she had intended to vote for Richard Hatch, but changed her vote to Kelly Wiglesworth, citing discomfort with Hatch’s answers and the dynamics of the meeting.

Her final words on the show included the phrase: “Be nice. Play fair.” which later became part of her legacy.

Public Reception & Role in Reality TV History
Colleen is often remembered as “America’s sweetheart” of early reality TV — a contrasting figure to the scheming and conflict that later would dominate the genre. Her relative innocence and sincerity made her iconic.

Producers later considered inviting her back for Survivor: All-Stars (2004), but she declined, citing she had “moved on” and did not want to revisit the experience.

Acting & Production Career

After Survivor, Colleen explored acting and media roles:

Acting

• The Animal (2001): Her most prominent film role, she played Rianna, the love interest of Rob Schneider’s character.

• That ’70s Show: She appeared in an episode (as love interest of Hyde).

• Maybe It’s Me (2002): She had a role in one episode (“The Rick’s in Love”) as Olivia Castle.

Production / Behind the Scenes

• In 2003, she worked as an assistant producer on The Michael Essany Show.

• After that point, she gradually stepped away from industry work and ceased public acting or production roles.

Her time in entertainment spanned only a few years. She never pursued a large portfolio of film or television credits, arguably by choice.

Privacy, Withdrawal & Later Life

Colleen Haskell is notable among early reality stars for how completely she withdrew from the public eye.

• She declined multiple Survivor comeback offers, including All-Stars, consistently choosing distance over further exposure.

• She also rejected a reported $100,000 offer to pose for Playboy, reinforcing her preference to maintain personal boundaries and dignity.

• According to more recent reports (e.g. in 2025), she lives a private life, far removed from the entertainment and reality TV worlds.

Personal Life

• She is married to Alan Hampton, a musician and composer, though details of when they married are not broadly disclosed.

• They reportedly have two daughters, named Jane and Catherine.

• Her residence is commonly said to be in the New York area, though exact location is kept private.

• She maintains no verified public social media accounts, further underscoring her intentional withdrawal from public scrutiny.

Because she has opted for privacy, many details of her current work, income sources, or daily life remain unknown or speculative.

Legacy & Public Memory

Though her time in the limelight was brief, Colleen Haskell’s impact is enduring in a few key ways:

• Survivor archetype: She remains one of the clearest embodiments of a “genuine, kind” contestant in a format that later favored strategy and conflict.

• Pioneering reality TV figure: As a castaway in the first Survivor season, she helped define what reality TV would become and what the audience might root for.

• Narrative of choice & agency: Her decision to walk away from fame—on her own terms—resonates with many. She shows that withdrawal can itself be a powerful statement.

• Mystique & fan fascination: Because she left so completely, fans remain curious. Her relative absence keeps her name alive in nostalgic retrospectives of Survivor: Borneo.

In lists of where are they now? or original Survivor cast, Colleen often stands out as a subject of intrigue because her trajectory is less about continued fame and more about personal resolution.

Notable Moments & Memorable Lines

• “Be nice. Play fair.” — Her phrasing of these words on Survivor became memorable.

• Her vote change at Final Tribal (from Richard Hatch to Kelly Wiglesworth) is often cited as reflecting her moral compass rather than pure gameplay.

• Turning down All-Stars invitations and maintaining lifelong privacy is itself a remarkable ongoing moment in her public narrative.

Lessons from Colleen Haskell’s Path

1. Not all fame is permanent—or desirable. Her case demonstrates that a person can enter the public sphere and choose to exit it on their own terms.

2. Integrity can define your public image. Her sincerity, kindness, and reluctance to play manipulative games earned respect rather than backlash.

3. Boundaries are valid. Turning down high-pay opportunities (e.g. Playboy, return to Survivor) reinforces that personal values often trump public opportunity.

4. Legacy can outlast visibility. She is remembered decades later, not for a long career, but for the quality and authenticity of her presence.

5. Privacy is a choice. In an era where many feel compelled to stay in public view, Colleen’s decision to step away underscores that silence can be a powerful and valid path.

Conclusion

Colleen Haskell’s story is in many ways more fascinating for what she didn’t pursue than for what she did. From being thrust into the early reality TV spotlight to choosing a quieter, private life, her arc challenges common assumptions about fame, success, and happiness. Her brief but resonant presence in television and cinema, and her decision to bow out gracefully, leave her as a memorable figure — not for a long career, but for a principled one.