Printable Biography of Rob Mariano

Rob Mariano was catapulted to public awareness when he joined the reality series Survivor: Marquesas in 2002. While he was known for his strong alliance with his original tribe, he was the first contestant voted out post-merge. He returned to the show's first all-star edition in 2004, where he dominated the season, lasting until the final Tribal Council and finishing as the runner-up.

However, Mariano is perhaps best remembered for the romance that blossomed between him and fellow Survivor contestant Amber Brkich, who he competed against in Survivor: All-Stars. The romance reached a high point when, before the final vote was read out, he proposed marriage to her, which she immediately accepted.

The newly-engaged couple then participated in another CBS reality series, The Amazing Race: they finished second. They were married in 2005 -- it was, naturally, turned into a reality show -- and appeared in a Fox Reality series, Rob and Amber: Against All Odds, before abruptly ending the show when they decided to join The Amazing Race: All-Stars, where they finished in eighth place.

Mariano returned to Survivor's 20th season, Heroes vs Villains, in 2010; there he was known for his intense rivalry with fellow castaway Russell Hantz. Despite being the de facto leader of his tribe, he was the eighth contestant voted out. He is slated to return to the show's 22nd season, Redemption Island, with Hantz -- making him the only Survivor contestant to play four seasons.

Mariano also appeared in other television series, such as UPN's short-lived reality show The Player, and Sci Fi Investigates. He was also involved in the reality series Tontine, which promised a $10 million prize but failed to take off. A psychology graduate of Boston University, he and Brkich have two children.