'The Challenge: All Stars' Season 4's Jasmine Reynaud Reveals a Last-Minute Deal Led to That Elimination Switch-Up
Jasmine Reynaud
The Challenge: All Stars Season 4 is here! Throughout the season, Parade.com will speak with the challengers who were eliminated from the all-star competition.
Though Jasmine Reynaud is far from green to The Challenge, she came into All Stars Season 4 as a completely different woman. In the premiere, she declared the season her divorce party, and she was ready to prove her independence. Jasmine made it her mission to play a game she always wanted, making many powerful connections to be protected on all sides. And, when she found herself in power, she took a shot at someone who knew that game all too well, Cara Maria Sorbello. Though Jasmine succeeded in her goal to put star holders Cara and Rachel Robinson against each other, it left an irate Cara standing with a vengeful extra star in her hand.
Surprisingly, Cara gave the star to Jasmine, having the latter remark that her enemy just gave her a ticket to the final. But her revenge was far from complete. The "starget" was now on Jasmine to the point where Cara was able to coerce most of the voters to throw her in against fellow star holder Veronica Portillo. But everyone was thrown for a loop at the elimination, as Nicole Zanatta threw herself in to get a star. Though she initially took Jasmine's place, a last-minute sway by Veronica got in her ear. As a result, she called an audible, dragging Jasmine out of the game as she did attached to a giant rope.
Now out of the game, Jasmine speaks with Parade.com about what led to her different gameplay style, her conflicts with Ayanna and Cara, and whether social media reaction means she won't be returning for another season.
Related: Everything to Know About The Challenge: All Stars Season 4
You said multiple times this season that you wanted to play a game you were never able to play before, that you could only watch others do. Did you come in with that intention, or did that just happen once you wound up in the house?
No, I knew going into this game, I wanted to play things differently. I'm just coming off of a really bad divorce. I'm bitter, I'm a woman scorned. All these things I should have done when I was married. All these things I should have done when I first played The Challenge. This is my opportunity, this is my time, and I'm going to do it.
So what did that consist of? We see this past episode that Cara says that Derek, Ryan, Kam, Laurel, and Jay all won't say your name. Were you building on previous relationships, or looking to make new bonds?
Once I saw what the lineup was, and saw who was there. I was like, "Okay, how is this gonna work for me?" I already knew the "Mean Girls" are gonna be together. And I was like, "We've got to eventually break that up. Just got to figure out who do we go for first." I've never played with Kam, Averey, Jay, and Nicole. They're new people to me. But I know they've all kind of played together. So I didn't know how that dynamic was gonna go. I knew I had friends as far as Derek and Ryan and Brandon. And I knew Averey was friends with Ryan and Derek. So I knew I had some ways. But I was never aligned with anyone. I just had associates and friends and people. So I had to just kind of maneuver my way through and see what worked best for me and how people were really thinking.
You mention how you weren't in any explicit alliances. Did that incorporate into the decision to vote Cara into elimination against Rachel? What went into pulling that trigger?
It wasn't that simple. Like this vote went 1000 different ways. At that point, you have some of the strongest girls at the bottom. You've got Cara, Rachel, and Nicole. So we played a lot of different scenarios how this was going to go. Because at one point I was thinking, "Why not Rachel and Nicole? That might be a pretty good one. Why not Nicole and Cara?" So it was definitely got played around with. And I had to do what was best for me. I don't want to see Cara in a final. I've already seen her in elimination before. So I definitely don't want to see her in the final. So for me, it wasn't personal. It was business.
And I think she uses the word "friendship" a little loosely. We are friendly. We have never had a problem on any Challenge together. When we do Challenges together, we don't really talk and hang out personally. But we don't have a problem with each other. At the end of the day, you're a co-worker. So that's what it is. I'm going to use you to the best of my ability any way I can, and you're going to use me. At the end of the day, I've always been just a number for Cara. And that's fine. I don't take it personally. It's a game. She took it personally. So it is what it is.
What was your reaction when she went down to the elimination and said, "I definitely created a monster" in reference to you?
First of all, "created a monster"? You mean someone that had an attitude? That stands up for themselves? That will go after anybody and stand on their 10 toes? Oh, I've been doing that since Rivals.
Oh, I remember. That mirror will never be the same!
Yeah. You didn't create me. Rhonda Foreman created me, honey. So you need to give her her props. So I don't want to go there. [Laughs.] But I was just really shocked that Cara all of a sudden went from, "You've done this personally to me" and crying to now having some balls because you're in front of TJ. TJ can't save you, not from my mouth.
Speaking of another conflict, you and Ayanna end up getting into it while she's in the house. Prior to the season, I know that she had been with you through some very difficult times. But when you get into the house, there was this conflict with Janelle that we didn't see the full extent of, but we know you were involved in. And then, in another conflict, Ayanna mentions you and your conversations preseason, which had you going after her. How tough was it to negotiate the support she gave you before the show to all the sloppiness and drama she was bringing on the show?
Yeah, I mean, the whole Janelle thing was hard. because Janelle and Ayanna were both there for me outside of the show, people that I could talk to, call, and reach out to when I was going through one of the worst things of my life. So to see two people that I care about and I had both met at the same time on All Stars 2 going at it. And one person wanting to leave, and then Ayanna just going on this off-the-wall type of situation, it was just mind blowing. And then to watch her just attack everyone, I'm sitting there. And then you look at me, and just to come after me. What I have done?! I said nothing. I have been completely quiet. I tried to help mediate things, but it's just not working. So for you to attack me and come after me when I've done nothing.
Going back to the Cara/Rachel elimination, Cara decides to give you a star to put a "starget" on you. In the moment, you say it's a mistake, since that just gifted you a final. And, for what it's worth, you nearly didn't go into elimination. But you could argue it's one of the reasons why you were voted in. Did you have to change your game once you were given the star?
Yeah, it definitely did change things. I kind of had to take a step back and re-analyze things. Because once I got that star, people that I was working with's attitudes changed. We're talking about people like Jay and Averey. [They were] like, "Oh, why did Cara give her a star when I saved Cara?" So it made I think people think that I had all these other deals. Because that's something that I did hear people floating around, that I was making deals here and deals there. And I'm like, "What deals am I making?" So Cara handing me the star really hurt my game in more ways than I thought. I thought it was a helpful thing. But now watching and seeing what everyone is saying, it hurt my game. I took a shot. It didn't work. She took a shot. And she nailed it right on point.
Well, let's talk about that. Because we see Cara really maneuver that vote to put you in, telling Jay that you had a bunch of deals and he was at the bottom of your pecking order. And she promised Averey she would give her a star the next chance she got. So were you surprised to be sent in against Veronica?
I was not surprised to see my name. Absolutely not surprised. I was surprised that she picked Veronica, as I thought, Cara was taking this very personally. I thought she'd want to pick someone a little bit stronger to maybe take me out. Because I kind of think that me and Veronica, as far as our heights, that might work out in favor for each other. So it can be anyone's game. But I was not surprised to hear my name whatsoever. I knew it was coming. I knew it was happening. I mean, you take a shot and you miss, you better be prepared for the retaliation back.
When Adam voted for you, he said that he wanted to get rid of a "mouthpiece of Kam." Does that perception surprise you?
You know, I was really shocked that everyone thought I was a mouthpiece of Kam, because that wasn't the case. A lot of times whene I went talk to Kam, it was just we were both bouncing ideas like, "Oh, I was thinking that too. Yeah, that could work." I wasn't anyone's mouthpiece. And so with Adam, I was a little offended. Because Adam makes it seem like he wants to get to know people and all this type of stuff. Anyone who knows me and has watched my resumé knows no one speaks for me. I do what I want when I want how I want. Even if it's it goes against the grain or I fall on my own sword, I do what I want. No one has ever spoken for me. So, Adam, you don't know me enough like that to even say that.
Of course, we have to talk about Nicole choosing to go into elimination. At first she replaces you. But, when Veronica tells her she's working against Cara, Nicole switches to put you in and send you out. Talk me through that emotional journey you went on.
I was not surprised that Nicole did that. Because Flora had worked out a deal for me and Nicole to make that happen when we were on the buses headed to elimination. And we shook on it. So I was not shocked. But, obviously, I have to play the shocked role. Then when I get up there, and we're standing there, I'm like, "This is taking way too long. Why are these two talking? Why are we not doing this? Let's wrap this up, TJ." Then they told me that I'm going down again. I'm fuming angry on the inside. On the outside, all I can do is laugh. I mean, if I was Cara I would have been like, "Checkmate." She didn't have to do anything; other people did it for her to get me out. It was crazy. Everybody was shocked.
I have to go back to this bomb you dropped. So you, Flora, and Nicole made a deal before the elimination that, sight unseen, Nicole would go down and take your place?
Yeah. Because me and Flora were also close. We were roommates; we stayed in the same room. And her and Nicole were close. And so Flora was like, "Hey, I've worked out this deal. Nicole will go down. And, if you ever get the opportunity, you won't take her star. You guys will work together. Blah, blah, blah." And I was like, "Okay, cool." We shook on it on the bus. So when she said my name, I'm like, "Great. Yes, perfect, I'm safe." And then Veronica, I gotta give it to you, girl! You literally created a lie. And she believed you. And it worked. I gotta give Veronica her props. That's why she's an all-star. That's why she's an OG. I can't even be mad at the game.
On your way out, you talked about how you were already ready to come back for another season. But I did see on social media, after receiving many personal attacks against you and your family following your move against Cara, you said that All Stars 4 would be your last season. What's the temperature check on your chances of returning now that we're a couple of weeks removed from that?
I mean, you know, it's social media. Sometimes you then can you say things and you're in the moment, and it's hard to just see that. And I've kind of been a little quiet. I've just been posting about my daughter and her dance competitions. So you take a step back, and then you realize why you do this, what you do it for, what's the bigger picture. You can't let someone who's over a phone screen get in your face. Because if they had to go out there and do what you do, they would cry the moment their foot hit the ground. So it just depends on the timing. If everything works out for me and my kids, they're in their competitive mode right now with dance and karate and baseball. If the timing is right, and I can do it, you'll see me again. This isn't the last time you'll see me. I've got something to prove. And I've got a few people I've got to go after.
Finally, in honor of the infamous "[expletive] They Should Have Shown" episode of the old-school days of The Challenge, what's one moment from your time on the show that you wish you had made the edit?
I wish they maybe would have shown a little bit more of Brandon and I both talking about how we wanted to play a different game. How we did maneuver, we did talk with other people. We did present these things to Kam and Leroy. I just kind of wish people got to see that a little bit more. I wish people got to see how annoyed we all were with Laurel and Nicole. [Laughs.] We kept telling Nicole, "If you don't stop talking about her, don't come in this room again talking about that." [Laughs.]
