The “Survivor 46” final 5 speak!

Liz, Ben, Kenzie, Charlie, and Maria spill the beans in an exclusive pre-finale interview.

They did it! They made it all the way to Survivor 46 finale, airing Wednesday May 22 on CBS. Congratulations to them all. But for Ben Katzman, Liz Wilcox, Charlie Davis, Maria Shrime Gonzalez, and Kenzie Petty, there are still three more days in the game, and two more chances to be eliminated before the final three is set in stone.

And that final three will then be on the receiving end of some probing questions by a jury looking for answers as they determine whom to award a million dollars. But we too have questions! And we too demand answers! That’s why we reached out to the final five with a few questions of our own. Questions about their greatest strategic triumphs and lowest personal moments. We also wanted to know who among the jury played the best game and who they considered to be their biggest threat. Couple that with what the finalists already told us about how they wanted to address the jury, and you are starting to get a pretty good picture as to who may or may not have what it takes to take home the million dollars.

Read on for our exclusive pre-finale interview with the Survivor 46 final five! (And also make sure to check out our exclusive chat with the jury.)

What is the move you were most proud of in the first 23 days?

BEN KATZMAN: The Q smoke screen without a doubt. I know it seems like I was very harsh on Q at every Tribal, but what is missing in the context is that Q and I had a conversation beforehand about working together in a very bizarre capacity. I thought the only way to sell the idea that Q is the vote every night is very publicly at Tribal. I have the loudest and harshest words before the vote, but as the audience can see, I didn't write his name down (even though he wrote mine).

There is a short mention of it in episode 11 where I say, “Who would've thought” to Q and he says “We rockin' now, Ben” — but that had been the move for quite a while. So many people on our season were playing so hard they failed to see the one big move that was happening right in front of them like 4 tribals in a row. Sitting on the outside looking in, I could see why it would look harsh to the audience, but I had been comfortable with being around Q for quite a few days.

I think to me the most fun moment was the idea of putting on a fashion show at the final 6 Tribal to disarm Q and Maria. I had Kenzie wearing my vest, I painted a rice is power advantage for Liz, Charlie wore my handkerchief, Maria wore my overalls, and I wore a Q Skirt! It was lit, and I don’t think even Jeff knew what was going on!

LIZ WILCOX: Just one?! Ah! This is so hard. I could say anything about the Tevin vote — putting my neck out there when I was suspicious that Tevin and Hunter weren't actually working with me, sticking to my guns and making sure the vote was still Tevin when Q tried to quit, all that.

But really? I'm most proud of my unique gameplay. I think playing so "out of the box" is a move in itself. Like, who in their right mind would come into a game like Survivor exaggerating their wealth instead of trying to mask their success? Who wouldn't want to look for idols? What type of person thinks out there "I can get to the end without any allies. In fact, I should put my entire tribe on the jury?" Oh hey. That's me. Liz Wilcox. I'm the one you've been dismissing this whole time as a little off, but here's the deal...

Related: Survivor 46 exclusive deleted scene shows more Liz poop celebration

CHARLIE DAVIS: I am really proud of my strategy the last two episodes, which I am grouping into one move because that’s how I thought about it out there. As soon as we got back from the Tiff tribal, I went into overdrive blowing Maria up as a threat, and later convinced people that Q and Maria were tighter than me and Maria. Then, at the final seven vote, my whole strategy was to keep Q and Maria in the game as my shields going into the final six — all while creating a hidden alliance of four that was ready to vote out whoever lost immunity out of Q and Maria. It went off without a hitch, but it was not easy!

It was particularly difficult to get Kenzie and Liz on board with this plan at seven, and Ben accidentally voting Kenzie did not necessarily help (Q was going to vote Kenzie to further drive that wedge, but when Ben accidentally did, Ben told Q, and Q switched to Venise). This kerfuffle is why I picked Liz and Kenzie for the family reward! So, when all this work came together and we voted Q out, all while blindsiding Maria and avoiding my own vote-off, I was ecstatic.

MARIA SHRIME GONZALEZ: Winning the first individual immunity was incredible. I had such an intense moment right after it happened, remembering the power I have always had inside of me to center, drown out the distractions, and focus on the inner strength. I had watched so many past players getting that necklace around their necks and I couldn’t believe it was actually me standing up there now.

KENZIE PETTY: I’m very proud of the fact I managed going from “getting away with murder,” “mastermind,” and a huge threat to being everyone’s bestie. I was able take my threat level from so high to having everyone forgetting all about that and thinking I was just a floater.

Here’s a perfect example: Our crazy clothes at the Q tribal were actually part of the plan pre-Tribal. Liz and I wanted to keep everyone at camp so no one could scramble or get paranoid — because things with 46 would always go bats--- insane literally 10 minutes before we had to leave. So she was playing up being weak and needing help with stuff, and when that wore off I came up with the idea to keep everyone IN CAMP and DISTRACTED with a fashion show.

We started going through everyone’s clothes that they had left from the clothesline, which we called the thrift store. And we wrote a whole club mix with one liners like “cancel Christmas,” and then the bass would drop and then we’d yell “I’m pissed!” We called it Club Snuff and everyone was so distracted thinking I am just a big dummy wanting to do a fun thing, when really it was me just keeping everyone where I could see them with my favorite thing — island fashion. No scrambles, no side convos — just the six of us trying on a bunch of dirty clothes. Strategy with a smile, wouldn’t have it any other way.

What was your favorite non-game related interaction you had with someone out there over your first 23 days?

BEN KATZMAN: I don't know if there's a specific one, but probably the entire time on Siga. Everyone was so excited to just be on Survivor and out in the elements. Above the song naming battles, the salsa dances, the snorkeling, and whatnot... I think my favorite was just seeing six people try to vibe and work as a tribe. When I look back on the fun stuff, it was Tim and I going fishing, Charlie wearing Jem's crop top, Mo coming up with creative ways to cook coconut. I know some people come out to Survivor to play hard, but I think what kept us motivated and in the game was actually chillin' hard!

LIZ WILCOX: Oh my gosh! It's not nice to pick favorites, Dalton! Other than laughing a lot with people like Kenzie, Venus, and Ben... I loved when Tevin would sing. It's making me tear up just thinking about it right now. Tevin made up two songs about our experience. One for the morning (which you got to hear in an earlier episode) and one for the evening.

The evening one was so peaceful and slow and beautiful. I have a voice meant to be stolen by Ursula the Sea Witch, but I still sing it to my daughter a few times a week. It's a gorgeous lullaby and something I will treasure my entire life. It's unique to us. To our season. To Tevin freaking Davis. It's a true honor to know this song, be sung to, and have it with me forever.

CHARLIE DAVIS: There was a really fun moment at camp where Q and Maria were playing checkers, and Tevin and I were commentating their game like sportscasters. Then we pulled in Tiffany to be the sideline reporter, and she also went all in. It was just so fun because we all got super into it! When Maria pulled off an epic double jump on Q, we went wild! That was really memorable.

The honorable mention would be when Ben, Liz, Venus, and I were left back at camp while everyone else was at Applebee’s. We caught crabs for Liz almost right away. And then we all ended up just having some really great conversations. This was the same night Venus’ jacket caught on fire, which was insane! She was so funny about that. It was just a really wholesome and fun day despite the fact we did not get to eat good in the neighborhood.

Related: Survivor 46 recap: Liz is pissed, and Applebee’s is to blame

MARIA SHRIME GONZALEZ: On Siga beach, Mo, Jem, and I spent a lot of time connecting on a deep, personal level. We talked, laughed, and cried sharing some beautifully vulnerable things about ourselves and our families with each other. These moments were never shown on TV which make them even more special because they truly were only meant for us to share together. We bonded at a depth that transcended the game.

KENZIE PETTY: Oh my goodness — it’s hard to pick just one because I had so many fun and meaningful moments. Bhanu taught me a Bollywood dance, Q and I talked about going home and starting our families when the game was over all the time. Every moment I spent with Tiff felt like I had known her for 10 years and she made me laugh so much constantly. Hunter showed me these flower fields on Siga beach he found, and when I told him I wanted to wear a flower crown to tribal, he immediately just helped me make it. Which was so funny because he’s like a foot taller than me and like a strong buff guy, being so delicate making me a flower crown.

Venus and I would talk about boys while I braided her hair, and that just felt like home to me. Ben and I had a moment where we talked about the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kid Rock until we were laughing so hard we were CRYING. Tevin and I talked about his dad and how butterflies always make him think of him, and to this day I still think about his dad sometimes when I see them. Soda actually caught me and carried me off the boats at the merge like we were newlyweds, and it was such a beautiful welcome.

Liz and I built up a beautiful, hilarious, special friendship based on Mountain Dew, money, and Michigan that still makes me chuckle when I think about what we initially bonded over. The best moments are the non-game moments, where you really get to know someone, and I’m grateful for every single one I had with each one of my tribemates.

What was your lowest moment out there over the first 23 days?

BEN KATZMAN: My lowest moment of the first 23 days was when Siga was decimated three tribals in a row and I lost one of my favorites in the game, a.k.a. Tim. The same people had drawn the same rocks twice at the merge which were me, Tim, Q, Hunter, Tiff, and Kenzie, so for two days I was separated from Charlie and Maria. When Tim got voted out, I really didn't trust anyone. The not so secret Plus One alliance was in full force, and the fact they took out Tim and not me was a huge red flag in terms of trust. Q had told people I not only had an idol but played it on Tim to go home. So for a day or two no one really wanted to talk to me, and when they did, it was just to press on the fact I might have had an idol.

Feeling like an outcast, I was just hoping to have a safe moment to tell Maria and Charlie what had happened, but I couldn't get a break with the tribe separations, and when I finally did, Maria had pretty much told me she had no trust in me based on the lies going around. I really felt like I had no one. It's hard in Survivor when you are by yourself and immediately dropped to the bottom, so I just drifted to the water and immediately started crying my eyes out.

While it did hurt immensely, I think that's where Charlie and I's friendship really took off beyond Metallica and Taylor Swift. Charlie came to me in the water to check on me, and you could tell the game sort of felt paused for a moment. I know it's in a secret scene that's been released outside the show but it really shows two homies being there for each other and having a human connection in a game of deception. We played a covert undercover game together that relied on trust, and I don't think it would have happened to the level it did if not for that moment. We were Dumb and Dumber from day one, but now look at us...chillin hard in the final five!

Related: Survivor 46 cast reveal their most embarrassing moments ever

LIZ WILCOX: Oh lawdy! As if you ain't seen me get low enough, now you want more? My lowest moment for sure was somewhere around the merge when we were painting the flag. It was an off-day, and everyone was talking about home. Their hobbies. Passions. What they did for fun. People are painting their little torches on the flag and they all look beautiful. And for some reason, I just started getting super down on myself. (Maybe the lack of calories? I digress...)

 "Liz, you suck. You can't even paint something on a flag. All of these folks talking about their friends and hobbies and you don't have either one of those. You were a loser and outcast in school and you were cast on this show to be the loser and outcast."

But honestly? Kenzie saved me from myself that day. I opened up to her about how I was feeling (even though I really didn't want to because I had Bhanu's voice in my ear!) and she sat with me for a long time and listened. She encouraged me and told me how brave I was to have put my personal life aside to get my family out of poverty. She was a real one that day, for sure.

CHARLIE DAVIS: I would say my lowest moment was when Tim and Mo were voted out back-to-back (and counting pre-merge, Jem before them). It was just a bummer to say goodbye to three Sigas in a row. It also was the beginning of Ben and Maria splintering big time, so it really felt like Siga was destroyed. (Be sure to watch the CBS secret scene with Ben, Maria, and me after the Tim/Soda boot episode to understand this context).

The silver lining was that it was the rekindling of the Dumb and Dumber alliance/bromance, and me and Maria were of course still going strong. Ben was having panic attacks every night out there, and we had some truly hilarious/wholesome moments when he would need a friend. Any Barlie shippers out there?

Related: Survivor 46 finalists reveal how they want to handle the jury

MARIA SHRIME GONZALEZ: Well, I am pretty sure that was abundantly clear after the last episode! I was absolutely devastated not being able to read my babies’ letters. I was crushed, knowing how much time they probably spent on them and how much care they would have put into writing them and drawing pictures for me. We had talked about this moment before I left for Fiji, and I knew they were excited to see me reading their letters on TV. It shook me to my core knowing that I would have to tell them that I never got to read those letters when I needed them the most.

KENZIE PETTY: The night of the storm on Yanu beach. I was freezing, I was soaking, our shelter was terrible, we still had no fire. I couldn’t tell if it was rain on my face or my silent tears. I just laid there staring at nothing and told myself if I could make it one more day, I was one step closer to the end. If I could survive this, I could pull through to the finale. And when you’re out there and you’re in it, it becomes your reality. I felt like I was fighting for my life with the cold, but I knew I could come out stronger if I could just get through.

At one point, I would just count 10 seconds at a time and shiver so hard I was sore the next day. I imagined making enough money to be able to take maternity leave someday and that really kept me pushing through that night. I’ll never forget how low, alone, and scared I felt that night, but also how proud of myself I am for holding out to get to the final five.

Of the six people already on the jury heading into the finale, who was the biggest threat to win the game?

BEN KATZMAN: I personally think for me the coolest threat to win the game was Tiff. Everyone on the jury had a great personality, was lovable in their own ways, and I think would have had a great social game regardless of their position, However, Tiff had the attitude, had the idol, and could rock hard with whomever. You see in one episode where we do that challenge together that we were tight for a minute. In truth, we had a couple days where we chilled hard, talked strategy, and bonded on things from making art, and being obsessed with random pop culture things like Harry Potter/Ninja Turtles.

Sometimes there's people that play a social game with brute force, sometimes there's people that hide in the bushes and don't raise red flags, but Tiff had the brute force and the ability to vibe while being part of the big tribe. I think our cast was just so unpredictable one Tribal to the next that Tiff's idol became a major point of concern for everyone involved. If it hadn't become public news, no one really would have targeted her at the level that they did. Would love to see her rip another season.

LIZ WILCOX: My brother in Applebee’s, of course! I know it sounds wild, but after Q was used as a smokescreen for so long... I got this sense that the jury was thinking "If y'all don't get his booty outta there, I'm gonna give him the million dollars just because I can! Quit playing around!" In other words... "You used Q to get me out and now Q is at the end? You can cancel Christmas if you think I'm voting for you!"

Related: The Survivor 46 jury speaks!

CHARLIE DAVIS: Frankly, everyone on the jury is smart and savvy in their own way, but I think some of the earlier jurors didn’t get the chance to really show their full chops. With that said, Tiffany definitely stood out to me. She is really smart and savvy, and she’s very fun to talk to and hang out with. I’ll show some love for everyone else too: (1) Soda — smart, fun, charming; (2) Tevin — hilarious, social, driven; (3) Hunter — jack of all trades, wholesome, thoughtful; (4) Venus — witty, creative, scrappy. (5) Q-skirt — madman in the best way, hilarious, ambitious.

MARIA SHRIME GONZALEZ: This is a really hard question to answer because every single person playing this game is a threat to win in a different way. In reality, those on the jury bench are sitting there because at one point in time they showed how charismatic, social, funny, strong, sneaky, athletic, or strategic they truly are and that made someone uncomfortable sitting next to them at the end. For me personally, Tevin was unbeatable. He is such a well-rounded player, he understands how to maneuver the game in all aspects, and I knew I never would’ve been able to beat him.

KENZIE PETTY: All of them were a threat, that’s why they were sitting over there. But in my opinion, the biggest contender was Tiff. She’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met and a lot of people share that sentiment. She’s so funny and so strong and social, I was in awe of her. Tiff was great in challenges, she always had the most perfectly timed jokes, and is so self-aware. She found her idol, had a great read on the game, and the girl came to play. She’s someone that people not only respect, but also like. Tiff is just a baddie in every sense of the word, and I think she was crushing it physically, socially, and strategically.

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