Battle Camp brings together some of the best of the best in the Netflix reality TV universe, like Cheer’s Gabi Butler and Too Hot To Handle’s Louis Russell, who spoke to Screen Rant about their time on the series. While both Gabi and Louis come from reality TV backgrounds, the pair couldn’t have come from two more different experiences getting into the genre. Gabi, a world champion cheerleader who won two NCA titles with Navarro College, has been documented on Cheer in the past, while Louis, a model and influencer, has appeared on Too Hot To Handle and Perfect Match.
While both have come from different backgrounds, their appearances on reality TV brought them into a similar space with Netflix’s Battle Camp. A competition designed to feel like summer camp, Battle Camp season 1 placed its contestants into teams to strategize and compete throughout a series of intense games. While the physical side of things was obviously going to be a breeze for Gabi, Louis had been more strategic in his past experiences on reality TV. Both placed on the same team, the pair got to know each other quickly. Almost as quickly, unfortunately, they were each eliminated in shocking blindsides.
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Although Battle Camp has an element of competition within the game, it also relies on a wheel to do its bidding, bringing in a game of chance to shake things up. Both falling victim to the wheel landing on their names during an elimination spin, Gabi and Louis had very little warning or idea that they’d be getting eliminated in the competition. While they were both taken aback on being taken out early, the pair were happy to sit down with Screen Rant and chat about their experiences on Battle Camp, no matter how short.
I was not a fan of the wheel…it takes one bad spin and you’re out.
Screen Rant: So, Gabi and Louis, both of you come from very different shows in comparison to Battle Camp. How did it feel coming into this new environment? Did you feel prepared?
Gabi Butler: I definitely felt prepared, but when we got there and got told that there was going to be a wheel system, I was like, “ooh, okay.”
Screen Rant: That was a surprise.
Gabi: Yeah, it was. It was a very big surprise, but honestly, otherwise, I felt as prepared as I could have.
Louis Russell: I felt prepared until the first challenge. Yo, as soon as I got in that damn kayak, yeah, and I couldn’t breathe. I’m like, “oh, I’m not ready for this.” [laughs] But you know, I’ve low-key, I ain’t got much of a dog as Gabi, but I’ve definitely got a hound in there that comes through [in competition]. So, I managed to get through it. I could say I’m prepared mentally, but physically.
Gabi: [laughs] Yeah, we got that dog mentality, Louis.
Screen Rant: You both do, and it was great to see both of you really just get to compete. Gabi, obviously we’ve seen you compete physically with Cheer, but it was new for Louis. Now, obviously the wheel element of the game both kind of took both of you by surprise. In terms of being eliminated more on chance than on your own skill, how did you feel about that?
Gabi: I thought it sucked. I was not a fan of the wheel at all, just because I’m like, if we’re really physically fit, if we’re really mentally, you know, locked in, if we’re good with everybody, that now doesn’t matter. It takes one bad spin and you’re out.
Louis: I’ve got bad luck. So when I heard that wheel, I was like, “there’s nothing I can do. I can’t change my luck.” And the way I got voted out as well is crazy because I didn’t vote. Getting done by your own teammate is just, is even worse, bro. It’s even worse.
Gabi: That was crazy, yeah.
Louis: I didn’t even know! I came up to the wheel and I see Louis, Louis. I turn around and I’m like, how? Who? What? Then I found out it was Trey [Plutnicki]. I was like, “Trey taught me how to juggle!” He took me from day one and put intelligence in my brain and showed me how to play the game. Then he played the game that he taught me against me. I was [shocked].
Screen Rant: That’s a gamer for you – he’s a gamer.
Louis: Crazy plays.
Screen Rant: Gabi, we saw kind of how your background helped you in the game. Do you think it worked against you in any way, though?
Gabi: On the physical side? No, not at all. I think it definitely helped, but on the mental side of things and the psychological side, I definitely don’t think it helped me. I was very emotional, especially when it came down to the voting process. I think it was very tough because I am such a team player. Like I’m the type of person that my team, I will, we’ll all be running, let’s say, and I’m the person that goes to the team member in the back that’s struggling and pushing them and being like, “hey, come on, let’s go, you can do it.” So I’ll do anything for my teammates. I’m a very big ride or die type of a person. I don’t like to betray people, especially on my own team. So when we had to vote [people out], I would have voted for myself every time [instead of someone else], but that wasn’t an option. That was the sucky part.
Screen Rant: That’s tough, especially coming from that team mentality. Louis, we’ve seen a lot of different sides of you on your past reality TV appearances. What do you think was different about the way you performed on Battle Camp?
Louis: Well, flirting wasn’t really a good option. So, that’s probably my main tool and I couldn’t really use it. It’s definitely like a weird, weird place to be in, and even though it was weird, I had a great time too. Too Hot To Handle didn’t help in the slightest. It had nothing in common with Battle Camp. Except for when Bri Balram walked in, and then she was in my bed. Other than that, there was no crossover. So I can’t really compare the two on how it helped because it literally had nothing to do with the same thing.
Screen Rant: They’re completely different sides of the coin, so that’s understandable. Both of you had really emotional, surprising eliminations. Going into those moments, did you both feel safe that night or those nights?
Gabi: Going into elimination, I never really felt safe just because obviously I don’t know what everyone else is thinking. One minute you can be really close with somebody and be like, oh, this person’s totally got my back. And then the next, it could be completely opposite and you’re like, whoa, that person actually is the one coming for me. So I don’t think anybody felt safe at any point unless you literally won a challenge. I was still stressed, even when we won, I was stressed for everybody else because I’m like, oh my God, I don’t like this.
Louis: Such a team player.
Gabi: It’s a great thing, but it’s a bad thing when it comes to stuff like that. Yeah, it’s hard.
Screen Rant: Last question for you both – would you play something like this again?
Louis: Yeah, run it back. Run it back.
Gabi: I would. No, 100%. I would do it all over again with that same group because I felt like I just got to know everybody, and it sucked because I had to go so early. I wish I had more time with them. Maybe we can get another season of this and just bring back the same, bring back the people, but without the wheel.
Louis: Gabs, you literally manifested your elimination that night. I remember being, I remember she was like, “I’m going.” I’m like, what? She’s like, don’t worry. I’ve got this brave face, but I just got a feeling. I’m like, you’re not going anywhere. She went, well, got put up once on the wheel. One name. One.
Screen Rant: Well, next time we’re manifesting a win, okay?
Gabi: Definitely, I’m not saying anything negative anymore.
All episodes of Battle Camp are now streaming on Netflix.
