Greer native Maria-Grace Cook is always up for a new challenge.
The 21-year-old worked as a full-time firefighter for three years before becoming an emergency medical technician for the Boiling Springs Fire District in Greenville. After coming off a 48-hour shift, Cook was taking a bath when she saw a TV commercial about applying for the second season of “Deal or No Deal Island,” NBC’s hit reality competition show.
“I was thinking, you know, this might be fun if I get it. It would be a cool experience,” Cook said.
Photos by Monty Brinton/NBCOn a whim, she filled out the online application and received a call a few months later to do an official Zoom audition for the show. Cook ended up being selected as one of the 13 contestants to compete for millions of dollars on “Deal or No Deal Island.”
The show’s second season premiered Jan. 7 with new host Joe Manganiello. Along with Cook, the season featured Pavati Shallow from “Survivor” and “Dr. Will” Kirby from “Big Brother.”
“This cast is amazing. They are all so different,” Cook said. “There’s drama. There’s show-mance. There’s everything in this one show.”
Cook’s strategy while on the island was to play into the “sweet Southern girl” stereotype to fly under the radar. To accomplish this goal, Cook told the other contestants she was a nanny instead of disclosing her true occupation. Cook explained she knew her physical strength would be a benefit when it came to the challenges but didn’t want to be perceived as a threat.
Each episode, contestants compete in challenges to retrieve the highest-value briefcase to earn immunity. One player is chosen to enter the “Temple” and play a round of “Deal or No Deal.” If they lose, they are eliminated. However, the player can eliminate another contestant if they beat the banker. The winnings from each round are added up to be the final prize money amount.
Cook was chosen by Kirby to be eliminated from the island on the show’s fifth episode which aired Feb. 4. Looking back on the experience, Cook believes she was too nice in some instances compared to the other players who acted more strategically and “shady.”
“In a strategic game for millions of dollars, you probably need to be a little more cutthroat,” Cook said.
Since filming the show, Cook moved to Los Angeles and now work in sales for LaserAway, a California-based aesthetic dermatology company. Cook is grateful for the experience of being on “Deal or No Deal Island,” saying it changed her life.
“Deal or No Deal Island” airs on NBC at 9 p.m. Tuesdays.
