“Thinker and a strategizer!”- Big Brother host Julie comments on Keanu’s wins on season 27

Episode 18 of Big Brother Season 27 was released on August 14, 2025. It saw Zach Cornell getting eliminated under Ava Pearl's Head of Household reign. Competing against him were Vince Panaro and Keanu Soto, and while the latter saved himself by winning the BB Blockbuster, the former was saved because he received fewer votes than Zach. 

Following Zach's elimination, Julie Chen Moonves, the host of the season, appeared on an Entertainment Tonight interview, published on August 15, 2025. Here, she discussed her thoughts on Zach's elimination and Keanu's strong winning streak. When the interviewer mentioned how slow Keanu was during the challenges, Julie said, 

"He is a thinker and a strategizer! Grace under fire". 

She referred to the fact that Keanu had saved himself four times, consecutively, from the chopping block. He either won the Power of Veto or the BB Blockbuster since the second week of the season and kept the HoHs gunning for him. His presence in the Big Brother house, at this point, is credited solely to his challenge-winning abilities. 

What else did Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves say in the interview? 

The interviewer was puzzled by Keanu's playing style. He didn't understand how such a slow player won every time. So Julie explained to them that Keanu took his time to strategize in his head, which contributed to his wins. She added that he didn't panic in stressful situations during challenges and thought every step through. 

She also revealed that Keanu was methodical and a D&D Master, and believed that it showed in his gameplay. Julie was also asked about her thoughts on Zach's elimination. The interviewer mentioned that Zach could have taken himself off the block by using the power he gained in the premiere episode. 

The power enabled him to take himself off the block in exchange for $10,000 he won in the first episode. He didn't use his power because Morgan, his ally, was likely to get nominated as his replacement. He sacrificed because he didn't wish to play the game selfishly, according to what he said in his exit interview. Plus, he didn't think he would get evicted because he thought Vince had more votes. 

Julie said in the interview that Zach's example showed that in the Big Brother house, the contestants didn't know who their friends truly were. She implied that they could get blindsided like Zach was. 

The interviewer also mentioned how Mickey told Ashley that she could control the entire house that week, and asked Julie who she thought held the most power in the house. Julie believed it was Vince. 

"This guy has the majority of the house under his spell," she added. 

She said that he could speak well and could make people feel safe with him, which was why they trusted him. The interviewer concluded the interview by asking her what Big Brother outfit she would choose for the week, out of the Butt-ler and the Hard Boiled Detective. 

She called it an "over-easy choice" and went for the "egg-cellent, egg costume". She said that it looked comfortable because it had no serving or cooking involved and was easier to sit in. She thought it looked so cozy that one could take a nap in it. 

"Also, no worries about how much you want to eat. Makes elastic waistbands look like child’s play!" said Julie. 

Stay tuned for more updates!