Inside Survivor has recently learned that screenwriter-actor-producer Mike White is one of the new castaways on the thirty-seventh season of Survivor. The 47-year-old is best known for writing the Jack Black comedy School of Rock and co-creating the Laura Dern-fronted HBO series Enlightened, which he also wrote and directed.

White has worked in the TV and film industry since the late 90s with writing credits on shows such as Dawson’s Creek and Freaks and Geeks and movies including Nacho Libre, The Emoji Movie and Pitch Perfect 3. He’s also appeared in front of camera, most prominently in the dark comedy-drama Chuck & Buck, for which he also wrote the screenplay. The film won the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award in 2000, an accolade presented to low-budget independent movies.

Reality-tv fans might recognize White from his two appearances on The Amazing Race where he was paired with his father, Mel White. The father and son team lasted seven legs on the fourteenth season and then returned four seasons later for Unfinished Business where they became the second team eliminated.

White is a self-confessed Survivor fanatic and previously made an appearance on the Survivor Roundtable where former castaways Parvati Shallow, John Cochran, Sandra Diaz-Twine and Rob Cesternino joined Jeff Probst for an in-depth discussion. Also, in an interview with EW, Probst credited White for getting rid of Redemption Island, a much-maligned Survivor twist.

Season 37, titled David vs. Goliath, recently wrapped up filming in Fiji and will feature 20 brand new players. The show will air on CBS this fall.

Stay tuned to Inside Survivor for more updates in the coming weeks.

Header Photo: YouTube/Academy Originals

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