When the final votes were cast on Big Brother 27, fans didn’t just celebrate the winner—they rallied behind a different hero. While Ashley Hollis claimed the $750,000 grand prize with a 6–1 jury vote, it was Keanu Soto who captured America’s affection, winning the Big Brother 27 Fan Favorite title (also known as America’s Favorite Houseguest) and $50,000.
Keanu’s Rise to Fan Favorite Status
Keanu’s win of the fan vote was emphatic: he secured over 65 percent of the vote. Entertainment Weekly reported that “yes, I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that it was 65%,” Keanu said, calling it “very validating in the type of game that I played.”
Before that, in an exclusive interview conducted after the finale, Parade also detailed how Keanu framed the win in broader terms: “winning doesn’t mean anything if I have to change who I am as a person to do it.” He added, “Obviously, I didn’t win, but I definitely feel like I did being validated by so many people voting for me … that felt really, really good.”
TV Insider also weighed in, emphasizing that Keanu’s popularity was unexpected but rooted in his consistent presence. In their Q&A, Simmons noted that Keanu had an “inkling” he was in the running when host Julie Chen Moonves told him her son was rooting for him. TV Insider also confirmed he was in the top three with Rachel Reilly and Cliffton “Will” Williams.
Why He Voted Ashley Over Vince
Though Keanu was not in the final two, his vote was influential. He chose to vote for Ashley Hollis over Vince Panaro. His reasoning was half strategic, half moral. “If she was able to win the final HOH and take Morgan out … that would’ve to me personally been a bigger move,” he said, also citing Ashley’s cleaner, more honest gameplay. Entertainment Weekly relays this rationale, with Keanu contrasting Ashley’s “integrity, honesty” with what he saw as Vince’s emotionally manipulative tactics.
In that same EW interview, Keanu noted that though Vince and he had a “sibling-esque” relationship and that he had leaned toward believing Vince, he ultimately couldn’t reward behavior he deemed too disingenuous. He said, “Vinny owned up to his game … but … I felt like the relationship that I have built … was sincere … but we were still boys… but there were insincere moments.”
Rachel Reilly and Game Trust
Keanu’s relationship with Rachel Reilly also featured in post-show coverage, especially as their alliance shifted. In his TV Insider feature, he addressed her “betrayal” (as revealed in the finale) but took responsibility, saying, “It hurts a little bit … when she made a move without consulting me.” He admitted that alliance deals sometimes clashed with game priorities, and those moments strained trust.
Elsewhere, TV Insider published a different interview titled “Keanu on Feeling Hurt by Vince’s Nomination & Staying Loyal to Rachel,” where he acknowledged being hurt by Vince’s repeated nominations and defended his loyalty to Rachel—even though in hindsight, he sees some of that loyalty as overly idealistic in a game of shifting allegiances.
A Role Model in the Eyes of Fans
Keanu’s reputation transcended mere gameplay. Outlets like Us Weekly highlighted how fans praised him as a “role model” post-AFP win, citing his poise under pressure, consistency, and the fact that he kept much of his authenticity in a cutthroat game.
Across interviews, Keanu repeatedly emphasized that his personal standards mattered. He said in Parade, “winning doesn’t mean anything if I have to change who I am,” and pushed back on the assumption that one must embody duplicity to succeed in Big Brother.
What This Means for Big Brother (and Keanu’s Future)
The dynamic of Keanu capturing fan love even when he didn’t win changes the narrative arc of Big Brother. It suggests that a player’s character, consistency, and relatability can resonate beyond competition stats. The jury rewarded bold moves, but the public reward went to someone whom many felt stayed grounded.
As for Keanu’s next move, he’s already teasing more reality competition plans, and many fans are calling for his return as a future competitor or legend. If nothing else, Keanu Soto has secured a place in Big Brother 27 lore—not as champion, but as America’s favorite.
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