Traitors’ Eric Nam Reveals Why He Never Betrayed Rob Rausch

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Eric Nam stayed loyal to Rob Rausch throughout the entire season of The Traitors for another key reason.

Besides disagreeing with the other contestants on where to draw the line, the K-pop star also worried about how American viewers would perceive him on his first reality show.

I didn’t want people to think of me as dishonest when I first came to America,” Eric explained to TopMob News. “That was really important to me.”

Additionally, the 37-year-old felt betrayed by Rob, 27, believing Rob had convinced him to go against his former allies just before the fourth season of the Emmy-winning show ended.

Eric explained he wanted to work with Rob to win, saying it felt wrong to betray him so soon after bringing him onto the team. He worried that if he went against Rob, viewers would really dislike him.

That’s why the singer was relieved things turned out differently, and Rob ultimately won the entire $220,800 prize.

“I trusted wrong, but it’s fine,” he shared. “It’s a game.”

It’s amazing to see Eric getting the last laugh! He’s roped in some of the best – Ron Funches, Natalie Anderson, Yam Yam Arocho, and even Maura Higgins (who, like so many of us, Rob totally fooled into thinking they were allies!) – for the music video to his new song, “How the Fire Started.” It drops on March 3rd, and I can’t wait to see it!

After being on The Traitors, Eric hinted that the upcoming season will feature a lot of payback. He explained, “We’re all out for revenge because someone really wronged us, and we’re determined to get even.”

As for where he stands with Rob IRL?

Eric explained that the animosity expressed in their new song is just for show. “We pretend to dislike each other for the song, and I even playfully wish him bad things,” he said, “but honestly, we get along really well in real life. We’re close friends and I genuinely like him as a person.”

For more behind-the-scenes secrets about The Traitors, keep reading…

Deception is a key part of the game in The Traitors, but players are randomly assigned to be either a Traitor or a Faithful member. Starting in season two, contestants like Phaedra Parks and Kate Chastain had the opportunity to try and convince host Alan Cumming of their innocence.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the casting process for this show closely, and it’s fascinating! The producers, like Mike Cotton, told Variety that choosing who plays the ‘Traitor’ is a really big deal. It’s almost like a thorough job interview – they consider everything! They’re looking for a dynamic mix of personalities and unique skills to really make the game interesting and keep viewers hooked. They make the final decision right before the pick, ensuring the best possible player for the role.

The players didn’t initially know how many Traitors were among them. Cirie Fields, a winner from the first season of Survivor, explained to TopMob News in 2023 that they were told at the start of the game there could be three to five Traitors.

Players were also asked to take the Traitor’s oath, which involved promising to lie and deceive others throughout the game, being willing to eliminate other players each night, and keeping both their own and other players’ identities secret.

To get a sense of who might be good at deceiving others, the show uses a personality test to assess the contestants. As Cotton Variety explained, this helps identify traits that could indicate someone is a skilled liar. However, the producers don’t actually know who the Traitors are until the moment Alan Carr secretly selects them.

Alan Cumming was thrilled to join the project, enjoying the over-the-top nature of his character. He told The Daily Beast in 2023 that when he first heard the pitch, he envisioned playing a Bond villain and even bringing his dog as a prop. The producers loved the idea, and that’s what convinced him to take the role.

While filming with his rescue dog, Lala, he fully embraced his on-screen role, playfully quoting lines from the works of William Shakespeare and Plato. He described his performance as having a dramatic, intense energy, admitting he often improvised. ‘I was basically making things up as I went,’ he explained. ‘Sometimes they were even feeding me lines through an earpiece, so it felt a lot like doing stand-up comedy – you’re just thinking on your feet!’

While the actors are filming at the beautiful Ardross Castle in Scotland, they aren’t staying in their own private wings of the castle.

Cumming told the Daily Beast that the cast and crew didn’t stay at the castle itself. Instead, they stayed at a hotel near the Inverness airport. He personally had a room in the castle, which he used to get ready, noting it had a large bed he’d often nap on, but he didn’t spend the night there.

The show almost featured a much more dangerous challenge! Creator Marc Pos told Variety his original idea involved filming on a ship off the coast of Australia. If a contestant was eliminated, they would have to swim to a nearby island. However, he realized this would be too difficult and expensive to actually film.

Contestants didn’t have access to the entire castle. According to Cotton, who spoke with Variety, they’re using just one section – a wing of the castle – as the designated game area. Players are also free to explore the outdoor grounds.

He pointed out that with room for around thirty bedrooms, complete privacy would be difficult. While people could spread out and talk separately, the space was still small enough that conversations could be overheard, and it would be easy to notice if someone left to have a private discussion.

It makes sense that Rachel Reilly, a former contestant on Big Brother, found car rides to and from challenges to be the perfect opportunity to strategize with other players. She told Reality Blurred that “You’re separated, and nobody can hear what you’re saying,” which was much easier than having to whisper in the house.

Players weren’t allowed to discuss strategy at the hotel. According to Dan Gheesling, a contestant from season two, this was because anything important said off-camera couldn’t be used in the show. He told Business Insider, “You’re not supposed to talk about the game when the mics aren’t ready or the cameras aren’t on, because if we say something that’s important and it’s not on camera, they can’t use it on the show.”

Chrishell Stause, from season three of the show, also shared that they weren’t provided with a hair and makeup team. She told Us Weekly that she “would’ve died to have glam in the castle,” but Alan, the show’s creator, didn’t allow it.

Getting the ‘Faithful’ to their separate rooms for the nightly murders and then bringing the ‘Traitors’ back out for their meeting is a huge undertaking,” Cotton explained to Variety. “It’s like a large-scale military operation each night.

Even though Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan were a couple during season two of the show, they weren’t permitted to share a hotel room. According to executive producer Sam Rees-Jones, producers felt allowing them to share a room would have given them an unfair advantage over the other contestants.

Reza Farahan from Shahs of Sunset tried to add some playful mischief during filming. He told Digital Spy that he attempted to leave anonymous notes under contestants’ doors, jokingly referencing the show I Know What You Did Last Summer and signing them as ‘The Traitors.’ He explained he was just trying to have fun when the rules discouraged it.

The show moves at a fast pace, filming roughly one episode each day. According to producer Rees-Jones, this intense schedule helps the cast stay focused and creates a fully immersive experience. While demanding, they believe it’s the best way to maintain the quality of the show. Each day typically involves breakfast, a planning session, a mission, and a murder mystery, before starting the process all over again. Stause mentioned that filming sometimes ran so late they didn’t return to their rooms until 2 a.m.

According to Cotton, who spoke with Variety, breakfast on set is carefully scheduled with actors arriving at different times. However, the meals themselves are kept to a maximum of one hour from beginning to end.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always been fascinated by the realities of reality TV, and it’s interesting to hear how contestants are managed behind the scenes. Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu recently shared with Entertainment Weekly that they really kept things controlled – even limiting contestants to just one drink per night. She described the experience as quite restrictive, which gives you a little insight into how they maintain everyone’s focus and, let’s be honest, keep things interesting for viewers!

While it’s often tough to find genuine support from other players, everyone on the show is paired with a dedicated member of the welfare team. According to Mercedes Javid, a popular contestant from last season, these team members are constantly checking in on participants. She described them as upbeat and professional, adding that she always felt well-cared for.

When it comes to building relationships on camera, contestants don’t find out who their competition will be until they arrive in Scotland. Casting director Deena Katz told Time that this is intentional – they don’t want anyone researching each other or making plans beforehand. However, once the game begins, players are given information about each other and a journal to keep notes.

Cumming jokingly identifies as a “Traitor,” referencing the social deduction game he enjoys. In a 2023 interview with The Daily Beast, he explained that players often accuse each other of being traitors based on flimsy evidence. He gave the example of someone being labeled a traitor simply because he touched them, highlighting how easily accusations can be made in the game.

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2026-03-03 06:48