Which castaways caught Maria Shrime Gonzalez’s eye before beginning her ‘Survivor 46’ journey?

Everyone knows that you need strong allies to be successful on Survivor. Fortunately, Maria Shrime Gonzalez was sizing up her competition before her stint on Survivor 46 even began.

Because of this, fans of the franchise have just one burning question: Who instantaneously caught her eye — for better or worse — upon arriving in Fiji? Prior to fighting for the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar cash prize, castaways are forced to interact with one another during press days — or while simply getting meals at the hotel before the beloved competition series begins — however, they are unable to speak to one another. Because of this, contestants tend to analyze their future tribemates from afar, determining who they would love to align with, as well as who they would love to stay far away from. Yikes!

Maria — a 48-year-old parent coach from Dallas, Texas — was no exception, sharing with longtime Survivor reporter Mike Bloom in an exclusive interview with Parade who caught her eye right off the bat. Keep scrolling to find out for yourself…

Which castaways instantaneously caught Maria Shrime Gonzalez’s eye?

Without naming any names, the “determined, loyal, and resilient” individual described two of her fellow castaways that she would love to get to know once the game begins, who we ultimately pinpointed as Hunter McKnight and Tiffany Nicole Ervin.

She began by gushing about Hunter — a 28-year-old science teacher from French Camp, Mississippi — however, the feeling was far from mutual.

“There’s a guy that’s got a beard, scruffy beard, maybe late 20s, early 30s, like most people out here. I get a good vibe from him. He definitely makes good eye contact. He has a very animated face. I like him.”

She continued by raving about Tiffany — a 33-year-old artist from Franklin Township, New Jersey — as well, but rather than aligning with her, she feels as though she is public enemy number one.

There’s another woman, she’s taller than I am, braids. She’s got a nose ring, and she looks super strong. I admire strength in a woman, and so I feel like if she were on my tribe, I would go for her first.”

“There are a couple of other women that I have noticed. The ones that make eye contact with you. It’s the ones that look like they’re engaged. Those are the ones that I’d like to get to know,” she concluded passionately, offering no description of these individuals. Because of this, it is safe to say that we’re on the edge of our seats!

With a cast that spans a wide range of generations, Maria is the oldest individual competing on Survivor 46 — followed by 41-year-old Bhanu Gopal — but will this help or hinder her ability to form strong allies who will help her coast her way to the coveted Final Tribal Council? We will just have to wait and see…

To find out for yourself if she manages to bring home the bacon to her three children — ultimately taking home the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar cash prize in the end — catch the highly-anticipated premiere on CBS at 8pm ET/PT on Wednesday, February 28, as well as brand new episodes every Wednesday afterwards. With the return of Jeff Probst’s sassy side, Survivor 46 is sure to knock your socks off!