Abi-Maria Gomes of the Tandang Tribe during the sixth episode of Survivor: Philippines. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS© 2012
This week on Survivor: Philippines, Brazilian business student Abi-Maria Gomes was voted out of the game after an emotionally charged Tribal Council.
From day one of Survivor: Philippines, Abi-Maria became the season’s villain after clashing with several members of the Tandang tribe. It all started when Abi-Maria had trust issues with early ally, Roberta “RC” Saint-Amour, before subsequent conflicts snowballed into a larger divide with other tribe mates. As it turned out, Abi-Maria became the Survivor that everyone strategically loved to hate.
Although Abi-Maria made a last ditch attempt to save herself by trying to form a late alliance with returning Survivor, Michael Skupin, and former Facts of Life star, Lisa Welchel, the remaining players chose to keep sex therapist Denise Stapley in the game.
The day after being voted out of Survivor: Philippines, The Deadbolt caught up with Abi-Maria for a quick look back at the game, how she was portrayed, her true thoughts on Michael Skupin, and what it was like to play Survivor without any allies.
THE DEADBOLT: Was that the real Abi-Maria we saw out there in the game? What would you like people to know?
ABI-MARIA GOMES The Abi-Maria in the game, that was one layer of Abi-Maria. It was Abi-Maria injured. I got injured on day one.
I tore my ACL on the island and I was trying to cover up the injury. That’s why I didn’t want to be seen as weak. But it was definitely the devilish Abi-Maria that you guys saw on top of the way it was edited.
Abi-Maria Gomes and Michael Skupin during the thirteenth episode of Survivor: Philippines. Photo: CBS© 2012 All Rights Reserved.
THE DEADBOLT: Do you still think Skupin’s an idiot and a moron, or were you just frustrated by what was going on?
ABI-MARIA: I was just frustrated. Of course he’s not. None of that! He’s a very honorable man and a father of seven. I love him to death. That was playing the game of Survivor.
THE DEADBOLT: How hard was it to play the game knowing no one was on your side for the entire game?
ABI-MARIA: It was so painful being the unliked one! I put it on myself the way I was acting. I mean, so abbrasive and so passive aggressive. But knowing that nobody likes you, and you have to stay around people that don’t like you in the game, it was just so hard.
What did you think of how Abi-Maria played the game this season on Survivor: Philippines?