Chris Underwood

They look the same as before, except, there’s a bunch of holes. Survivor 38, E5

Winner

Played on

39 days played

Game record

Vote alignment80%of 5 ballots

74th percentile of 423 castaways

Immunity record1career immunity win

77th percentile of 751 castaways

Jury vote share69%of 13 jury votes

79th percentile of 125 finalists

Occupation at casting District Sales Manager Hometown Greenville, South Carolina

Beyond Survivor

The Challenge

Played with 17 castaways across 1 season See every connection ↓

Underwood has shared a beach with seventeen other castaways.

Biography

Chris Underwood is the winner of Survivor: Edge of Extinction (Season 38), and one of the most controversial champions the show has produced. Voted out early on Day 8, Chris spent most of the season on the Edge of Extinction before battling back into the game near the end, then rocketed to the title, becoming the first person to win after being eliminated during the season.

His victory, sealed by a bold fire-making move and a persuasive final Tribal Council, sparked fierce debate about whether the Edge twist gave returnees an unfair path.

Divisive by design, Chris Underwood's win remains a lightning rod in Survivor discussion, a champion whose improbable route from early boot to Sole Survivor is unlike any other in the game's history.

Get to know Chris Underwood

Chris Underwood's own answers from the pre-game cast profile CBS published before the season aired.

Claim to fame: My professional career. I went from being a barista to managing the #1 sales team in my solar company within a year.
Hobbies: Surfing, sailing, camping, anything outdoors!
Pet peeves: Laziness, political Facebook posts, people who are all talk and no walk.
Inspiration: The people who have taught me to get back up when I'm knocked down, to fight for the things that matter in life, and to never let my goals get away from me, no matter how big or small.
Castaway they say they are most like: Malcolm because of his charm, Rob because he is a leader but also manipulative, Spencer because of how well he understands strategy, and Ozzy because of his skills in the water.
Why they wanted to play: My primary motivation is to say that I accomplished the goal that I was set out to do—win! Even if the grand prize was $1,000, if I say I am going to do something, then I am everything in my control to achieve it.

Alliances fans have named

Survivor never names an alliance on screen. These names, and who counts as a member, are how the fan community records the game rather than an official record of it.

Birthplace, pre-game profile and alliance facts adapted from Survivor Fandom and Wikipedia, retrieved 2026-07-21. Licensed CC BY-SA.