In January 2020, Netflix introduced a new reality series, The Circle, where players are competing for $100,000. However, there’s a catch. The players never see each other and communicate through an app rather than meeting each other face-to-face. This means they can be themselves or be anyone they want to be and catfish their way to the prize! This social reality game leaves its viewers with laughs and tears as they see their favorite players thrive or fall to the bottom.
Season three of The Circle was released in September 2021 and starred 20-year-old Daniel Cusimano as one of the competitors. Daniel instantly caught the audience’s attention with his confidence, big personality and his bond with other competitors in the game. I got to speak with him about all things The Circle and his experience on the show!
Her Campus (HC): How and when did you decide to audition for The Circle?
Daniel Cusimano (DC): It’s actually a really funny story. I just got laid off from Disney due to COVID-19 since I was doing the Disney College Program as a character performer. My brother’s wife’s friend (I know that’s a lot!) tagged me in a tweet that The Circle posted saying, “Tag someone who would be perfect for The Circle.” The next thing I knew, I filled out the application, binge-watched the show and the rest was history!
HC: What was the audition process like?
DC: The audition process was lengthy. I applied in April and got my first phone call during May. I did Skype interviews, background checks, psych evaluations, talked to a therapist, signed an 18-page contract, made it to finals and then got told in September I was flying out to the UK in two weeks, and still, I wasn’t even for sure on the show!
HC: What’s some advice you would give to anyone thinking about auditioning for The Circle?
DC: My biggest advice would be to be yourself and bring the energy. Over 100,000 people applied for the show, so you need to show all the reasons you stand out. The original process is a 60-second video so bring the realness, energy and life to every second of it!
HC: What was your immediate reaction when you found out you were cast?
DC: I actually found out I was officially going to be on the show 12 hours before I moved in because that’s how the show works. Even when I was in the UK, there was a chance I wasn’t going to be on the show. So, I applied on Apr. 4 and then got told I was going on Nov. 4. I was happy, relieved, stressed and blessed. It has been my dream to be on a reality tv show ever since I was a kid, and it was finally coming true!
HC: What’s your best memory from being on the show?
DC: My favorite memory from the show was in episode eight when I became an influencer and met one of my best friends, Ruksana. It was a bittersweet night because I had become one of the most popular players in the game and got to meet my best friend. It showed that I was good enough to be there and that I was thriving in one of the toughest social reality games out there and just being 20 years old.
HC: Who were you most shocked to find out was a catfish? Who did you suspect was a catfish all along?
DC: I would say I was most shocked by Matt being a catfish. I knew Ashley wasn’t who she said she was, but it was still a shock because I liked “her” either way. But I called all the catfishes even though I didn’t intend to. I didn’t care if you were real or fake, as long as you were keeping me in the game, LOL.
HC: Was it weird spending the entire season of the show interacting with the other competitors online?
DC: Absolutely not. Honestly, I feel like we interact with people online all day, every day. Except for this time, you didn’t know if they were real, and you are competing for $100,000. Especially after being in quarantine, I felt like it helped me train for this moment, so I was well prepared for it!
HC: It’s clear that you and the entire season three cast are a tight-knit family. Do you all still keep in touch?
DC: We all keep in touch and talk every single day. I think that is because we had so much time to get to know each other and have this secret together. We filmed in November 2020, and the show came out in September 2021. I was traveling around the country visiting my new family in secret, and it just made all of our bonds that much stronger.
HC: What did you learn from this experience?
DC: I learned how independent and smart I am on my own. During the whole experience, I was able to get newfound confidence within myself that I didn’t know I had. This is the craziest, scariest and best experience of my life, and it makes you analyze every part of who you are in the process.
HC: What is next?
DC: What’s next… such a good question! There’s nothing I can say now, but some things are definitely in the works. You may see me with someone from my show, you may see me alone. Who knows, but I can for sure tell you the journey does not end here.
If you haven’t watched The Circle season three yet, (first off, why not?!) you can stream it on Netflix!
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