Cory Wurtenberger Says His 'Big Brother 25' Showmance Did Not Affect His Gameplay

Cory Wurtenberger

Big Brother’s house is open once more! Every week, Parade.com’s Mike Bloom will be bringing you interviews with this season's houseguests as they get evicted from the game.

Cory Wurtenberger underwent the biggest transformation of the season between Day 1 and Day 79 of Big Brother 25. He entered the house a babyfaced eager superfan, only to get dragged away to the "Nether Region" in his first few hours as a houseguest. By the end of his tenure, the college student was more experienced in a different type of nether region, shacked up with America Lopez and cementing himself as one of the biggest strategists of the season. Unfortunately, Cory growing a moustache corresponded with him getting in a very hairy position. After weeks of dodging the block, his game finally ended with a shocking blindside when "invisible" HoH Jag Bains revealed himself to be the nail in his coffin.

Cory's preseason strategy was clear. As the youngest houseguest this season, he would use his age to endear himself as the house's "kid brother." And though he found himself on the block on the very first night, he also quickly utilized his championship speaking skills, talking his way into a safe position. As the weeks went on, while Cory became the target of ire from houseguests like Hisam Goueli, he got in good with the majority, forming an alliance with Cirie Fields, Jared Fields, and Izzy Gleicher. Additionally, he was getting closer to America, slowly breaking down the walls of his vow to not get in a showmance. On Day 44, he was at a crossroads with his "Crossroads" alliance. Realizing his position was not as strong as he thought, he worked alongside America to flip the house against Izzy. In that moment, constitution lover Cory had declared independence.

Hearing about the flip, Jared angrily confronted Cory, who then outed all of the alliances that he was a part of. Cory's position had permanently changed, with his closest allies now being his worst enemies, and him co-helming the biggest move of the season. That led to him being talked about as the person to go every week thereafter. Cory kept skirting eviction, though, mostly due to the larger target of Cameron Hardin (and Cameron himself backing off of a Cory backdoor). That all came to a stop during "Comics Week." Jag won the invisible HoH and told Cory and America, taking aim at his former BFF Blue Kim. Looking to target Jag and Matt Klotz next week, America tried to rope in Blue to her side. But Blue immediately let the "kitty kitty" out of the bag and told Jag, who suddenly changed his target to the showmance. Cory and America were stunned when the double vetos put them up together. Despite his dreams of winning Big Brother being crushed, Cory walked out with a kiss from America and, as always, a joke.

Now on his way to the jury house, Cory talks with Parade.com about why he said Jag's double blindside was a "bit much," how his gameplay changed getting into a showmance, and how he looks back on flipping the game on Izzy.

Related: Everything to Know About Big Brother 25

You’ve mentioned understanding Jag nominating you, as you were targeting him. But, in your interview with Julie, you said that the double backdoor of you and America was “a bit much.” How do you feel about the move from both a personal and strategic perspective?
I don't know, I don't really stand by what I said. If you're going to make the move against me, you have to do a double backdoor. There's no reason not to. On a personal level, there's no problem with that. I think obviously, it's sucked being up there with America. But, if you're going to make the move, that's what you're going to do. Because America would have been a vote for me. You have two vetos it's the more theatrical thing to do. So, you know, I'll retract that. I think that's fine.

From a strategic level, it was definitely the right move, because I would have won HoH and put up Matt and Jag probably this week, definitely at the final seven. So they definitely made the right move. I think they made the right move based on less information than they had, though, because it was just basically America talking to Blue, which I really did have nothing to do with. So that part of it is kind of interesting. They made the right move without all the information. But again, sometimes you have to go with your gut. So I fully respect that move. It was the right move personally; it's fine. It just obviously sucked to experience. But it was always on their radar. Maybe not the double backdoor, but I always thought there's a good chance that I could be named as a replacement nom.

You were initially hesitant to get into a showmance, but eventually you and America got together, and officially became boyfriend and girlfriend. This week, you said that she meant more to you than the game. How much did your gameplay change once your feelings for her got incorporated into it?
It actually didn't change that much. I think the way I like to think about my comment of America is it was a really strong Final Two that everyone knew about. I could have done like a Kevin Jacobs Big Brother Canada 10 Final Two that no one knows, like Danielle and Jason or something. But that's not the reality. People even knew about the me and Jared Final Two. Obviously in America, we're very transparently out in front; we're a showmance. But I don't think it changed my strategy that much.

Saying I care more about her than the game. the truth is that, if there was a world where I can stay over her this week, I would have gone for it. The only path I had, I think, was making America feel guilty and then basically giving up. That's the line I wasn't willing to cross. I want to do whatever it takes to win within reason. And that just feels kind of cruel. And I was I was never going to do that. So I think that might have been what I'm referring to. But yeah, she's incredible. And I kind of was able to read the room about how the votes were going this week. And I tried my hardest to flip the votes towards my side. But I don't think there was a real path outside of me, again, going down that route I already talked about.

You clearly had a lot of reverence for Cirie as a Survivor legend, especially considering your brother’s history with the show. Talk about the relationship you had throughout your time in the house, and how you view her game now.
Yeah, I mean, Cirie's incredible. I think she's been having a tough time in the house recently, because it's just not what she expected. Especially after being on Survivor four times, Traitors, Snake in the Grass. Big Brother--sorry, Survivor people--is the most intense of all these shows from what I hear from everybody. Just the duration, the "always on camera" factor. So it's been really nice to talk to her about that. I think we've been experiencing similar struggles when it comes to that.

I will say, at the start of the season, I was like, "Wait, Cirie is not nearly as good as I expected. She was being super flip-floppy and antsy and trying to flip these votes for no reason and seemed frenetic and all over the place. But as the season went on, I started to realize, "Oh, shoot, I understand why she's such a good player." Because you talk to her one on one. No matter what, you walk away from that conversation thinking, "Well, I feel great about Cirie. I can take her to the Final Four, Final Three, or Final Two. So I can see why she's such a great player.

But she's going to have the same problem Cirie always has. How do you get from the final five and the final four from the final three to the final two? Because she's not going to win the competitions. Someone's going to have to take her, and no one's going to take her because there's going to be someone easier to take. So that's the Cirie game. And I hope I'm wrong. I hope you can figure it out. But she's been incredible. It was so cool walking in because I was pulled into the Nether Region. And walking in and seeing her, I was just trying to wrap my mind around. "Oh my god, I'm playing with Cirie Fields from 12, 16, 20, and 34." It was crazy. It was awesome.

When Izzy and Felicia were on the block, you chose to help flip the house to get Izzy out. In the process, you got into an argument with Jared, where you outed all of his alliances. How do you look back on those moves to change your status quo, considering what happened in the six weeks that followed that day?
So here's why I don't regret it. Number one, it was fun. It was a great time flipping the vote. I was playing so hard, talking to everyone. The fight was fun, maybe unnecessary. But I think Jared came at me pretty hot. And maybe I have an ego; maybe it's toxic masculinity. I don't know. I just felt like I had to defend myself at least to make sure Matt and Jag didn't flip back to Jared. The reason I can't regret it is, again, I was evicted six weeks after. Literally the next week, Jared won HoH, and I was able to make it through that with all the relationships I had formed. So the game completely flipped, and I went from probably a 7 out of 10 position to a seven out of 10 position. And then it didn't work out because of competition outcomes, twists, and some of the smaller decisions I made.

If I stuck it out with Jared, Izzy, and Cirie, I might have had more security. I probably would have been able to lay low for a little bit longer. I think it just would have left me with a group of people that I didn't have a strong relationship with compared to Jared and Izzy. Felicia is closer to Izzy and Cirie. Meme's closer to Cirie and Jared. Bowie probably would have been there who, at that point, was probably closer to Cirie. There's just so many players who would have been left, and I would not have had relationships with them. As opposed to Jag and America and Cameron, who were Cirie and Jared's next targets. So I'm like, "Wait, these are people I can actually work with, who have relationships with me before these people." So I thought to give myself more agency so I can play more actively. It was a move I had to make. And I think I really could have worked out things if things were different. If I can make it through this week, make it through the double, all of a sudden I'm in the final five. I don't regret that. I regret how it played out, but not the decisions I made.

Let's finish with some rapid-fire thoughts on each of the houseguests. Starting with America.
Incredible.
Blue.
[Pauses.] Hmm. Passionately frustrating.
Bowie Jane.
Australia.
Cirie.
[Pauses.] Super solid.
Felicia.
[Pauses.]Turbulent. [Laughs.]
Jag.
[Pauses.] Cock-a-doodle Zoom. [Laughs.]
Matt.
Really impressive.

Next, check out our interview with Cameron Hardin, who was evicted during Big Brother 25 Week 10.