Following pushback from viewers, Big Brother, along with several other reality series, has promised 50 percent diversity in players for its upcoming seasons. That includes Black, Indigenous, and people of color, known by the acronym BIPOC. It's no secret that the popular reality competition series, which has 22 seasons under its belt, has historically cast more white players than any other race. The show has also come under fire in previous seasons for racist comments, discrimination, and bullying, most of which is caught on camera during live feeds and some of which producers have decided to air. In several instances, players have even been called out by the host Julie Chen during the exit interview, with one particularly controversial player, Aaryn Gries, even getting booed by the audience at her live eviction.
Negativity aside, the series has had some amazing BIPOC characters in past seasons who are memorable for a variety of reasons, from their strong personalities to their fun-loving attitudes, strategic gameplay, and bonds they formed. And a few are worth highlighting, in no particular order.
Da'Vonne Rogers (Seasons 17, 18, 22)
A hands-down favorite player not only among BIPOC cast members, but of all cast members to date, Da'Vonne is a strong, independent woman who was never afraid to speak her mind, which, she admitted, may have cost her the game on a few occasions. Nonetheless, being vocal about her position was always more important than compromising her integrity.
And indeed, she played with integrity every time, forming close bonds with players like Jason in season 17 and Bayleigh in season 22 that she never strayed from. Despite never winning, Da'Vonne did take home the America's Favorite Houseguest award in the All-Star season 22, making her the first Black person to win the prize. She also used that season to bring to light racial injustices and double standards in the way she was treated or the things she did or said perceived by houseguests versus others.
Chima Simon (Season 11)
Chima gets a bad reputation because she is one of the few people to have ever been ejected from the game. It was for a good reason: angered by a switch in power that rendered her HoH reign useless (after she had made her nominations), she stormed off and threw her mic pack in the pool. A house rule is that all players must have their mics on 24/7, and they certainly can't intentionally damage property.
With that said, while Chima might have let her emotions get the best of her, as happens with many players on Big Brother, it was understandable that she would be upset. Jeff pulled out the Coup d'Etat power, which let him replace her nominees with whomever he wanted, and he chose her two closest allies. Agree or disagree with her actions, Chima remains one of the most memorable BIPOC players of the game who was put at a totally unfair advantage just when the underdog alliance had seemingly gotten the upper hand.
Alex Ow (Season 19)
Alex came across as the fun, positive, and outgoing woman anyone would want to hang out with to be sure to have a good time. She even formed a close alliance with the last person anyone would have predicted her to bond with, the cowboy, Jason, and they stuck together through thick and thin.
Alex played without fear. She was great in competitions and never afraid to make her true intentions known. She was a great strategic player who went by nicknames like "Tiger" and "Wonder Woman" for good reason.
Kaycee Clark (Season 20)
One of few BIPOC players to ever win the game (a Black player has still never won, with the exception of Tamar Braxton on Celebrity Big Brother 2), Kaycee was a strategic player who knew both how to win competitions as well as how to maintian a strong social game. No matter who her strongest allies were, there wasn't a person in the house who had a single bad thing to say about her.
She was easygoing, pleasant, and fun to be around. And when it came to physical competitions, she was an athletic beast who left competitors in her dust. She ranks among the most dominant players when it comes to veto wins.
Kaysar Ridha (Season 6, 7, 22)
Not only is Kaysar widely considered one of the best strategic players ever in the game, he also returned many years later for the All-Stars season 22 with one primary purpose in mind: to use the platform to discuss important issues about race, equality, and acceptance.
He had several on-camera conversations with fellow players like Da'Vonne and Ian, each one of which became among the best moments of that season. He helped bring awareness to things like autism, bullying, and self-confidence. Kaysar's influence goes beyond just his clever gameplay and moves.
James Huling (Seasons 17, 18)
James was the resident prankster in the house, most memorably being the first player who was still in the game (it was previously done by jury members) to ransack the house during the Hide & Go Veto competition. He had a showmance, strong alliances, and played under the radar as the most likable houseguest no one wanted to vote out because he had such a positive energy.
While he didn't win America's Favorite Houseguest, James was among the top three, ultimately losing to Victor Arroyo, another fan favorite. He always made the mood lighthearted and fun in the house, employing a social game that was one of the best ever on the show.
Chris "Swaggy C" Williams (Season 20)
"Swaggy C" at first came across as arrogant and over-confident, which ultimately ended his game when his own alliance member Kaitlyn voted him out, being unsure about his true motivations, a decision she later regretted.
He came out a winner in the end anyway, finding his future wife in Bayleigh. While he didn't last long in the game, had Kaitlyn not turned on him, Swaggy C might very well have gone far.
Faysal Shafaat (Season 20)
Faysal was a physical threat in the game, thanks to his strapping stature and good social game. He, however, got distracted with a showmance with Haleigh, which put a larger target on his back.
He was also manipulated by JC Mounduix, who influenced him to target the wrong person who was actually on his side. In the end, he was betrayed and evicted. He might not have been the smartest player, but he was kind, sweet, and well-liked.
Bayleigh Dayton (Season 20, 22)
Bayleigh played with grace and honor on both her seasons, most notably bringing awareness to the lack of diversity on the show in the All-Star season and forming a strong alliance with Da'Vonne.
She showed restraint by not playing into Christmas' outbursts and even pushed herself to complete a punishment that required her to ride a small bike in circles repeatedly. Even when one of the wheels fell off, she kept going, showing tremendous resilience and a never-give-up attitude.
Danielle Reyes (Seasons 3, 7)
Widely considered to be one of the best players to not win the game, Danielle arguably lost because she played in a season prior to sequestering the jury. This meant jury members saw all of her diary room sessions and learned of her true intentions and decided not to vote for her simply out of bitterness.
Had such a jury setup existed in recent seasons, chances are many of the past winners would not have gotten votes either. It was the realization of Danielle's unfair loss that forever changed the jury format for subsequent seasons.