Hudson County has been the subject of many television shows, movies, and even song lyrics, and celebrities are constantly being spotted filming all sorts of projects. Our beloved area is also home to nearly two dozen residents who have graced the small screen on reality or competition television shows. From competitive chefs to individuals finding love, Hoboken and Jersey City have been represented well on some of the country’s favorite programs. We’ve rounded up all of the local residents who have been seen on television and even had a chance to hear from a few on their experiences.

Introduced halfway into season 7, 24-year-old Jersey City resident and full-time model, Andreina Santos, is Love Island USA‘s most recent bombshell. The reality TV dating show is based on the British version, Love Island UK. Love Island USA takes contestants from all over the country to date in a paradise-like villa.

Born and raised in Jersey City, Anthony “Tony” Vlachos has made multiple appearances on CBS’s hit show, Survivor. Tony is a Jersey City police officer and is the second person to win more than one season. He won both Season 28 and Season 40 Winners at War, where he beat out fellow Hudson County resident, Michele Fitzgerald. Tony also appeared on Season 34, where he was the second person voted off.

Perseverance truly paid off for this Hoboken resident, who landed a spot on America’s Game, Wheel of Fortune. Brian sent in his initial audition tape for Wheel in 2015, and after three attempts, he finally made it on the show. Brian’s episode aired in January 2020, and he represented Hudson County well by taking home $1,000 in winnings, which he donated to the Hoboken Shelter.

Chef and Hoboken resident Casey Repetti represented The Mile Square well on the Food Network’s Cooks v. Cons. She took home the big prize on Episode 11 of Season 4. When asked about her experience on the show, she said, “Competing on Food Network’s Cooks v. Cons was a dream come true. I live for the stress of a hot kitchen and fierce competition. Everyone was so nice, and even though the day was long, it was enjoyable. When I walked in and saw I was up against three men, I knew I had to win it! PS. There is no camera/TV magic when those timers [go off] – they mean business!”

Photo Credit: Food Network

Hoboken resident Christine Fiorentino is living out her childhood dream: cooking in Julia Child’s kitchen, or at least a replica of it. Christine was cast on the first season of Food Network’s cooking competition show honoring the cooking legend. Christine shared more about what she did after discovering she would be on the show. “I’m pretty sure I jumped up and screamed. Then I FaceTimed my mom, and we both cried happy tears. Julia had been in the kitchen with us forever, and now I was going to be in hers. It was a beautiful and emotional full-circle moment,” she previously shared with HG.

When The Rock is hosting a fitness competition, it’s sure to be intense. But it was not too intense for Jersey City resident Courtney Roselle. Courtney appeared on Season Two of NBC’s The Titan Games. The Titan Games is a series of some of the toughest fitness challenges ever seen on television. Individuals who have shown excellence in different areas of fitness compete head-to-head to advance through the competition. After defeating opponents throughout the competition, she was named Season Two’s ‘Titan of the East.’

Chef Dale Talde has a lot of experience cooking on television. His culinary talents can be seen on three seasons of Top Chef, and he is considered one of the show’s most popular chefs. He has also appeared on multiple Food Network programs, including Iron Chef and Chopped. He even came back as a judge on Chopped and has also served as a guest judge on Beat Bobby Flay. Chef Talde ran Talde restaurant in Jersey City from 2015 to 2019. 

Emma Taylor of Jersey City’s Milk Sugar Love is known throughout New Jersey as one of the best ice cream makers in the state. All of America got to see just how good her skills are as she competed on Food Network’s Chopped Sweets Showdown. The episode aired in 2019 and was all about Emma’s specialty, unique ice cream. When asked about her experience, she said, “I decided to be on Chopped because I was in the process of opening my second shop in the Heights in Jersey City (which closed due to the pandemic at the time). It was an amazing opportunity to market the new shop, and there’s no way I could say no. Plus, they were doing a new dessert challenge, an entire episode just on ice cream, which seemed tailor-made for my skill set. One of the best parts was seeing the judges and Ted [Allen] in real life – It was a huge fan girl moment for me.”

Photo Credit: @jordanandjoelle

Jordan and Joelle Hernandez, Hoboken residents, identical twin sisters, HG contributors, and owners of the home-based business Double Dough, competed on the first season of Baking It. This holiday baking competition show aired on NBC and Peacock in December 2021. Baking It, hosted by SNL Alumni Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg, showcased eight pairs of bakers as they participated in holiday-themed baking challenges and shared heart-warming stories. “It really was a dream come true,” Joelle shared. “To be in the same room as these talented bakers, Maya and Andy, was unbelievable and something I never thought I’d be able to do,” Jordan said. The twins both agreed that it was “totally worth the hard work!”

Photo Credit: Joelle Hernandez

Jordan and Joelle also competed against each other on Hulu’s Cookie, Cupcake, Cake, which premiered in November 2024. Hosted by Hoboken native + Carlo’s Bakery owner, Buddy Valastro, and renowned food stylist, recipe creator, + cookbook author, Samantha Seneviratne, this show puts the best bakers head to head in a three-round competition to determine who is the best at cookie decorating, cupcake baking, and cake design.

Julianne O’Connell won a life-changing amount of money as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune: $57,000 in cash and prizes, to be exact. The episode aired in September 2019, with the audition process starting nearly 18 months prior to that. In an interview with Hoboken Girl, Julianne shared what her plans were for the winnings. “My original plan was to save it all for a rainy day,” Julianne said. “But, since Margherita’s still isn’t open, I’m considering underwriting the rest of their construction so the people of Hoboken can get the penne vodka they all deserve!” Wheel of Fortune was not Julianne’s first time competing on television. She made an appearance on The Price Is Right back in 2012 as well.

Kaitlin Tufts is a Jane DO instructor who moved from New Jersey to Charleston, South Carolina, to open up the Charleston location of Jane DO. She was cast in the fifth season of Temptation Island on USA Network, which premiered on June 14th, 2023.

Photo Credit: John Tsiavis/USA Network

It’s not every day that love is tested on national television, but for Hudson County residents Kate Griffith and David Benavidez, this became a reality on Temptation Island. Back in 2019, the then-couple appeared on the reality show to take a stab at improving their relationship. In an interview with The Hoboken Girl upon the show’s launch, both individuals agreed that the show was a good opportunity for self-reflection and growth.

Chef Kiersten can be seen in the kitchen of Shaka Bowl while in Hoboken, on TV, and on Food Network’s wildly popular series, Chopped. Not only did she appear on the show, but she won. Krista’s sister and the business partner saw the initial email and called her screaming about it. Kiersten cooked her way to the top right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. “After getting rescheduled twice because of COVID, it finally happened in Tennessee in November 2020. My sisters traveled with me there to support me, and then later, the show aired in May of 2021, where I could finally share my win with the world. It was an extremely exhausting yet the most fulfilling/best days of my life to date,” Kiersten previously shared. When it comes to being a Chopped Champion, she said, “The euphoric feeling I still have is hard to explain. It’s such an honor, especially since I’m a self-taught chef and restaurateur, being able to have that a part of my journey.”

Kristin Hopkins (left) with Bachelor Matt James (right), Photo Credit: Bachelor ABC via Kristin Hopkins

Bachelor Nation welcomed Jersey City resident Kristin Hopkins to the show for Season 25. More than two dozen women were hoping to find love with Bachelor Matt James on the show, and Kristin was a part of the lineup. While Matt was not the one for her, she did learn a lot during her time on the show. She shared why she decided to participate. “Before being on The Bachelor, I had never seen the show, as there weren’t too many contestants who looked like me. When Matt James was announced as the first Black Bachelor, I was excited not only about the possibility of finding love, but being able to represent Black love and all the forms it comes in on a major network. While the season itself was tumultuous, I am glad that I was able to be a part of the conversation and the change about what representation truly means for reality television,” Kristin said.

Michele Fitzgerald is a Hoboken resident. While she can typically be seen around town with her new puppy, Michele knows a thing or two about making it in the wilderness, and she appeared on two seasons of Survivor. She won season 32 and came in as the runner-up of Survivor: Winners at War. Michele also appeared as a contestant on The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies, which was hosted by and aired on MTV. Despite being known for her mental strength on Survivor, she showed true physical ability on The Challenge to advance through the competition. When asked about why she made the decision to be on Survivor, she previously said, “Survivor checked every box for me because it challenged me mentally, physically, and emotionally. I loved that I was able to disconnect from the bustle of day-to-day life and connect with people from very different backgrounds. It gave me the opportunity to learn about myself and about how to be strong in difficult situations.” Michele competed on The Challenge again in 2023. This episode premiered on August 10th, 2023.

Photo Credit: Robert Voets/CBS

Hoboken native and retired firefighter Mike Turner is showing the world that individuals over 55 are a force to be reckoned with, even on Survivor. Mike was a contestant in season 42 of Survivor and faced opponents in both physical and mental challenges in Fiji.

Being a World Champion gymnast definitely helps when making it as a Ninja. Hudson County resident Paul Ruggeri did just that. As a four-time world champion gymnastics competitor, Paul decided to join the show after seeing many of his fellow gymnasts compete. His episode was a part of Season 10 of the show that aired back in 2018.

When Guy Fieri calls, Chef Stephen El-Hassan answers. Owner of popular breakfast eatery O’Bagel and the new Mile Square Cafe, Stephen has been able to show off his skills on television alongside some of the best chefs in the country as a competitor on Guy’s Grocery Games multiple times. He even got to show off the Hoboken staple twice on Man v. Food with O’Bagel being named in the show’s Top 5 Breakfast Bonanza.

Aside from being a fashion influencer, Victoria Alario is also an executive director for MONAT Global. The Hoboken local appeared on the first American season of MTV’s Ex On The Beach in 2018. Victoria moved to Hoboken from Florida in 2022 to be closer to her Northern roots – she’s originally from Staten Island.

Kelly Villares, a Weehawken native, is a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader as of July 2024. She’s been featured on Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. This docuseries follows the lives of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, from auditions to training camp to the current NFL season.

Bayonne resident Nicholas ‘Nic’ Barber is not only an Army veteran of the 75th Ranger Regiment, but a veteran of The Bachelorette. He appeared on season 20 of the dating show seeking love and a person who “[matched] [his] rhythm,” Nic shared with HG back in 2023. Nic may not have found his person on The Bachelorette, but, according to his social media, has been in a happy relationship for about three years.