Alex Nation Exit Interview | The Traitors Australia | Ep 7 | Beyond The Traitors

In this episode of Beyond Reality: Beyond The Traitors, TV producer Hayley Ferguson sits down with Alex Nation following her banishment from The Traitors.

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:16

This is Beyond Reality. Hi Alex. Hello, how are you? I'm good. Thank you so much for joining me. Last night was a really emotional round table. Before we get into your game, I just want to know, are you okay? How are you?

SPEAKER_01 0:32

I'm so good. I it was really nice to watch it back. I watched it back with, you know, family and friends at Reese's venue in Melbourne. So we had some casts there, my family were there, my friends were there, there was fans there. So it was it was really nice.

SPEAKER_00 0:47

Amazing. I've been seeing those events pop up on my social feed, and it looks like a time.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

It's great.

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Yeah, it seems like this has been like a really close-knit cast, which is really nice to see.

SPEAKER_01 1:00

Yeah, we're literally like a family. I don't think I've ever experienced a tighter cast ever.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

In the last few episodes, I feel like we saw you go from, you know, coming in as a traitor and like reveling in the duplicity of it all to kind of, I mean, I don't want to offend you, but it felt like you kind of imploded a little bit. So I want to ask you about that. What was going on for you?

SPEAKER_01 1:27

I think, you know, the first five days I felt like I was sort of thriving. I was still able to compartmentalize, show and like, you know, game and friendship and separate the two and the connections I was making on the show. And then it sort of got to day six and that experience with AJ where I physically could not lie to him and say I wasn't a trader. It it was so jarring for me the thought to sort of deny who I am and reveal, like you know, conceal my identity. I think that's when it's it became really mentally taxing for me to just, I think, lie to these people that I had created these amazing connections and friendships with. I really thought I would thrive in the role. I did at the start, I thought I was doing really well. And then, you know, combined with not much sleep, um, the paranoia of the show, it all gets a bit wild, I think, in the end. I it just it got too much for my my little heart.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Yeah, I mean, how do you explain it to someone watching at home? Because I guess for a viewer, like we see, you know, you are forming relationships with these people over five days. But how much more difficult is it to be a trader than you thought it would be?

SPEAKER_01 2:59

You know, I'd never seen the show before I did the traders, so I quickly sort of binged um the US one and the UK one. So as a viewer watching it, I just thought it looked really fun. They go to this special Heidi place, they're in their capes, and like it's all camp and fun and mysterious. I'm like, this looks really fun. And it's called the Traders, so I wanted to be a trader. So going into it, I really did not think that there would be a mental tax. You know, I really thought I would constantly be in game and remember it's a game and play a game. But I think to my core, who I am as a person, I thrive on human connection and I love getting to know people and understanding people and knowing who they are and where they came from and you know how they've come to be the person that they are right now. And that's who I am, and I think who I am to my core sort of rose above the role of trader, and I couldn't separate it anymore. And it was it was so difficult. Like the mental load is you can't even describe it. Like the Survivor players, they all said it's mentally harder than Survivor. Every single one of them said it was more mentally taxing than Survivor. You're constantly in your own head. I think, even, you know, as faithfuls, it's it's hard for them because they they're in their own head all the time. Like they they we know who the bad guys are. They don't, they're trying to weed them out. But people are gunning for you, and people are looking at you, and you get paranoid, and it it sends you into a spiral. You don't sleep because you're thinking about the game. There's no reprieve, there's no rest, really, you know. So it's an epic game, and I really, really didn't anticipate the mental tax of it all.

SPEAKER_00 4:53

Yeah, I mean, by nature, it's a confrontational game. I mean, you sit around the round table and you accuse people.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Yeah, I'm not a conflict-diverse person either. Like I'm usually, you know, in my day-to-day life, if someone is doing something wrong to me or if I believe in something firmly, I'm very vocal. I will stand up for that and I will speak to it. And, you know, there's there's times in the show where I do do that, but you do see obviously come to Epsyx, and I'm you can see it. I've got bags under my eyes, I'm tired, I'm defeated. Um, and it's like I just I didn't have any like any of that sort of fight in me. Um, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Yeah, I could definitely see that. I mean, in the sense that you kind of like you fell on your sword at that final round table. You were defeated. I mean, knowing what you know now, you obviously win this game wanting to be a traitor. If you had your time again, do you think you would like to be a faithful?

SPEAKER_01 5:56

I would go into it and I would love to be a faithful because I think my social play was super strong at the start. Everyone, trust me. I got along with everyone. I was a social player, and I'm really good at getting close to people. So I think as a faithful, that would have benefited me because I think I would be able to sniff out a trader.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

Yeah, I mean, we definitely saw that. I it was unexpected that you were banished and banished as a second trader. I really, you know, from the start of the game, you were playing so well, you had everyone on your side. So it's a shame that you're gone. I'd love to talk about what you actually loved about being a traitor. Because I'm sure, you know, at the start it felt like you really enjoyed the role.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

The best thing about being a trader was Conclave. So, you know, all the faithfuls go to their rooms and we do our secret squirrel business in Conclave. And it's when we could be just ourselves. It was so freeing. We laughed so much in there. Like we had so much fun. And like, and then also, you know, you don't see a lot of it, but we had so much strategy chat up there, like with the ideas we would bounce off. Like we were really thoughtful and in and intentional with those ideas when it came to, you know, murders or um, you know, the the death, the what was the beach one called? Death row. Yes. We were always super intentional about that, and all of that was so fun, and I loved it. And I love I also loved at the start being this, you know, baddie and also flying under the radar. And at the start it was so much fun until it wasn't.

SPEAKER_00 7:38

Yeah. You've touched on it a little bit. The AJ conversation where he confronted you and told you that he knew you were a traitor. It feels like that, uh, and also the the breakfast blow-up were were the moments where your game kind of started to unravel. Can you tell me about your relationship with AJ in the game and and how that changed?

SPEAKER_01 7:59

So AJ and I were really close from the start, like day one. And you know, hindsight is 2020. I look back now and I think AJ knew I was a trader from the start. I think he he knew. And what makes you say that? He would just he positioned himself close to me everywhere I was, AJ was here. AJ was always not too far from me. He would say things to me like, You're so smart, your social play is so good, everyone trusts you. He would say these things to me. And I thought he was sort of feeding my ego. So I'd be like, Oh my god, thank you so much. I thought he was being complimentary, and I'm like, oh my god, thank you so much. That's so lovely. I'm like, you're so smart. And there was just these little things that I look back now, and I'm like, he was actually, he was figuring me out. He was actually trying to unpack me as a person. And I think he knew I was a traitor from the jump. So, you know, and he also, we also have conversations together where he says, let's get to the end, we'll keep each other safe, don't throw out each other's names, let's back each other. And then all of a sudden he's throwing out my name. So I took that. I think I I struggled to compartmentalize game and taking that personal, personally, because I was like, hey, we've gotten really close. You're always so close to me everywhere I am, even though I am the bad guy. But I was like, hey, like you're saying these things. And then it clicked. I'm like, he's playing me. I think he's actually figured out what I am, and he's he's piecing the puzzles together. And I think he was doing that well before that breakfast. Conclave Alvin tells me my name was thrown around in the car by AJ. But before that, two other people had told me he'd said my name that day. So when I got to breakfast that next day, I was just I was pissed. I was like, I'm sick of this because it clicked to me that night. I'm like, he's been playing me the entire time. Yeah, and that just I guess betrayed. Yes, I felt so betrayed. I took it so personally, and I remember telling myself in the car, keep it cool, keep it cool, keep it cool, play it smart, play it smart, play it smart, don't do anything messy, don't make it messy. I was having this dialogue with myself before breakfast, and it was almost like as soon as I saw his face, I wanted to have out in.

SPEAKER_00 10:37

When AJ called you out and told you that he wanted you to recruit him, was there part of you, did you consider that? Was that something you absolutely yeah?

SPEAKER_01 10:49

Yeah, I the moment he pitches the whole, you know, idea that yes, you're a trader, you need to recruit me, we need to get rid of Kirby because she'll get rid of you. Um I I was so steadfast on Kirby, you know, our alliance was strong. I believed in us as traders together, and it was the first time I ever questioned that. And he got into my head so much about that. You know, I've never watched Kirby's season of survivor, and I've never watched AJ's season of survivor, so I don't know how they are as players. I go into this very green. I don't know any of these people and how they play. So I in that moment, I highly considered it because I was like, well, you know, this is a game for the individual. We're all in this for ourselves. There's $250,000 on the line. I came in this for my kids. I wanted to bring that money home for my kids, my family. I don't care what anyone says, it's big money, it's life-changing money. And I wanted to bring that home. So I looked at that as okay, maybe, maybe I could do this with him. And maybe he will take me to the end because he is so brilliantly smart. Like he's so, he's an incredible game player. And I totally respected him for his play. And I did think that could, that could be a really good option for me. But then ultimately, it just pissed me off so much that he'd played me so hard. And I did feel like that was a bit of an ambush, that conversation. I feel like he went about it a little bit wrong, wasn't sure about the crocodile tears. And so when I went away and thought about it, I was like, nah, this all feels a bit yucky. You're dead.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

I mean, it was such a roller coaster. It was, but it was great television, I have to say.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

It was phenomenal to like, and you know what? Like, I um there's a lot of people are all they all have their opinions on how people play these games or whatever, and you know, Reddit goes crazy for it, and ultimately at the end of the day, I'm so proud of what we've created as a show. Like, you know, we didn't know as a cast how this would translate, how this would land for the audience, you know, we'd seen the previous Australian um seasons, and you know, I sort of was like, oh, I'm not sure, do we, don't we? Like, how's this gonna land? But I think regardless of, you know, how we played or me tanking my game or whatever, I just think if I can go away with anything, it's I've made pretty good telly.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

Absolutely. And in regards to, you know, the AJ of it all, have you talked to him since filming? And and where does that relationship stand now?

SPEAKER_01 13:40

I haven't spoken to AJ. Uh well, sorry. The the day I was banished, so he's murdered, and then I think I'm banished the next day. Yeah. So he reached out to me the day I got out. We had a phone conversation then. Um it was nice, it was pleasant. He sort of, you know, said, Oh, I just thought you would would have recruited me. I wasn't expecting the murder. I obviously went about it wrong, and maybe I didn't go about it the right way. And I sort of said to him, I didn't like how you went about it. I just didn't actually sit well with me. Um, but we didn't end on a bad note or anything. It wasn't um, it wasn't negative. He was checking in on me, I checked in on him, but we haven't spoken since. I think he's I think he's been pretty busy, you know, doing his own thing with his poker and stuff. So I think he's diving into his real life now.

SPEAKER_00 14:37

And just seeing it all play out, obviously being pretty now to everything that went on, does that change anything for you? With AJ? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Um, look, definitely watching it back, the feelings were raw. Like I felt everything that I felt in the manner and on the show then when I watched it translate on TV, it was pretty raw. It was hard. It it honestly was really hard for me to watch. Um, I had to watch it by myself because I didn't want to watch it with anyone because I wanted to see it for what it was on my own first before I watched it with my kids. Um, and it was hard, but you know, it's a game. He played his game, he's and he's a player, and that's how he chose to play it. So, you know, no hard feelings. No hard feelings. Okay. No hard feelings. It's just sort of it is what it is.

SPEAKER_00 15:36

Yeah. Yeah. On a more positive note, obviously, I think something that really stood out is in your exit was quashing any negativity with Kira. What happened between you that I guess changed your mind about Kira?

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Yeah, I was really quite conscious of you know mine and Kira's history when I saw that she, you know, when she got got out of the car and she was in there, I was like, oh God, here we go. Because, you know, Kira and I hadn't spoken for like nine years. She had me blocked on Instagram. It was a whole beef. Um, but you know, time had passed, and it was actually really nice to get to know Kira for the woman that she is now, and I think vice versa with her, with me as well. And we actually became really close, Kira and I. Like she actually became, you know, one of my closest people. She never said my name to anyone. She would always want to talk game with me, she would always want to talk about, you know, what are you thinking? How are you feeling? And, you know, I think people anticipated that I would get rid of her straight away as a trader because I had that power. And day one, when I was chosen as a trader, I definitely thought it. I was like, oh, I could just get rid of her like that. But yeah, I chose to actually keep her close instead because she would she would defend me to people.

SPEAKER_00 16:59

I think that's great that you you kind of had that evolution and you know, all these years on, yeah, you could kind of quash that history you had.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

Yeah, and I think it was just like this really nice healing moment at that round table where, you know, I sort of grab her and say, I haven't been able to say this to you, but you know, I actually I think you're great and I think you're brilliant, and I think you're doing a good job. I think, yeah, watching that, I think that was probably one of my favorite moments of that round table.

SPEAKER_00 17:27

Yeah, I love that. I've got one more question before we get to the quick fire questions. Obviously, you were on The Bachelor, and now you're on The Traders. I want to know what show was more psychologically taxing? The Traders.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

And why? So The Bachelor is like, you know, you're with you're with multiple women competing for a male. So to me, it's sort of like it's a pick me thing. You want it's like you're like you're you're all pick me girls, because you're asking this guy to pick me and choose me. And I think, you know, I was 24 when I did that show, and I was young, and I think coming into a show at 35, coming into my own as a woman, I think the traders was harder because I just really knew who I was as a person, and ultimately that's what I struggled with. You know, um, having to lie and be deceitful and manipulate. I think the aftermath of The Bachelor was harder. I think that that was really, really hard. Whereas people generally are quite nice with the traders.

SPEAKER_00 18:44

Do you think Australia saw something different from you? Yeah. This experience?

SPEAKER_01 18:49

Yes. I think, you know, I was a 24-year-old young woman. I was a girl basically on The Bachelor, and you know, I hadn't come into my own yet. Like, you know, I was still me, I was still confident, I still wore my heart on my sleeve, but I think people saw someone who was, you know, confident, not afraid to take up space, not afraid to be vulnerable, not afraid to show that they're they have emotions and feelings. And I think it's nice for people to see me for who I am now, 10 years on after The Bachelor. And thank God there's no chocolate baths on the traders.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

I would love to get some quick fire questions. Who was your favorite person in the game? My favorite person was Gamble.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Like, I don't know, I loved Tully. Tully's like my bestie. Tully, Josh, Gamble, Rob, but like for like comedic value and just being in there with them, Gamble was amazing.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

Who do you think was the most dangerous in the game?

SPEAKER_01 19:50

AJ.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

Arriving at the manor, who were you most starstruck by?

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Probably Rob Farnum.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

Yeah. Were you a John Farnum fan?

SPEAKER_01 19:59

Oh my god. Through and through. And I was so, I could not believe it. So I'm telling these girls like Claudia and Rachel Lawson. I'm like, it's it's Rob Farnum, John Farnum's son. And they're like, who's John Farnham? And they did not know who John Farnum was. And I'm starting, I'm like singing, I'm like, you're the voice trying to understand it. And they didn't know. They didn't know. They didn't know. They're like, oh, okay. Like Chrissy thought Chrissy thought his dad was Daryl Braithwaite. Because he's she started singing horses. That's so that's so funny.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

I'm glad you could give that education.

SPEAKER_01 20:32

Oh, they did they had no idea who John Farnum was, and I think that is diabolical. That is unAustralian.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

Finally, which Australian celebrity would you most like to see play the traitors?

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Eric Banner.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

Oh, that would be a good one.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Yeah, Eric Banner, I would, because yeah, it's it's Eric Banner.

SPEAKER_00 20:55

Thank you so much, Alex. It's been so great to chat. I thought you were a brilliant traitor.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

Thank you so much. This is beyond reality.