NetflixThe best competition shows are based on love or money. When it comes to Million Dollar Secret, no prizes for guessing it’s the latter, with the new Netflix show introducing a cast of contestants as they battle it out for a million-dollar jackpot.
But it’s a battle of wits rather than brawn (for the most part), kicking off with one person secretly bagging the prize money. The aim of the game for the rest of the contestants is to figure out who has the cash in a bid to secure it for themselves.
If the secret millionaire is able to make it through the competition undetected, they’ll go home with the winnings. It’s all about lying, deception, and strategy – basically, if you’re a fan of The Traitors, this show is for you.
The first three episodes landed on Netflix on March 26, with new batches dropping weekly until the finale on April 9. Alongside the host – British actor and comedian Peter Serafinowicz – the Netflix series starts off with 12 contestants, who you can learn more about below.
Jaimi
Netflix- Age: 42
- Occupation: Life coach
- Social media: Instagram
As a life coach, Jaimi has skills in communication and connecting with others, which will undoubtedly come in handy in this game. She has another advantage, too: being the eldest daughter in her family, meaning she was raised to be a leader.
“This is all about deception. This is why I’m excited to play,” she says in Million Dollar Secret. “I am willing and ready to do anything I have to do in order to win. At the end of the day, it’s about me and this money.”
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Sydnee
Netflix- Age: 32
- Occupation: Medical sales
- Social media: Instagram
Sydnee is also using first appearances to her advantage in the game. “My greatest strength is my looks,” she told Netflix. “Everyone dismisses me based on my outward appearance. It’s happened my whole life and can serve its purpose when needed.”
She’s hoping that this will cause others to have their guards down around her. When first entering the game, she describes being there as surreal, adding, “I don’t anticipate losing.”
Se Young
Netflix- Age: 35
- Occupation: Systems VP
- Social media: Instagram
Initially, Se Young feels nervous. “Everyone here is super fancy, and I’m just like, ‘Oh my god, there’s not a single other nerd here.’ I hope that I can pull that sociable part of me out of my butt and chat about, freakin’, I don’t know, make-up brands and the Kardashians,” she quips.
However, she creates strong bonds with the rest of the group, and her knowledge as a video game researcher will definitely come in handy when it comes to gameplay. She wants to “avoid being annoying” to stay in the competition for as long as possible.
Kyle
Netflix- Age: 27
- Occupation: Construction worker
- Social media: Instagram
Kyle has a sunny disposition, and since he’s not very good at lying, he’s going to try his best to fly under the radar. As a construction worker, he believes he’s got the skills to adapt to the twists and turns of the competition.
Plus, he’s just happy to be there taking part, which may take the pressure off when it comes to getting to know people. When he first shows up at their home for the duration of the game – a lakeside estate called The Stag – he says, “This is probably the nicest place I’ve ever been in my whole life. Maybe the nicest place I ever get to be in my whole life.”
Lauren
Netflix- Age: 35
- Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
- Social media: Instagram
Meet our secret millionaire. In Episode 1, Lauren is handed the box containing a million dollars – but how long can she keep up the facade?
Her first task is to hug everyone in the group without raising suspicion, which isn’t easy given Lauren isn’t a natural hugger. “I have no idea how I’m gonna do this,” she says. Whether she makes it through or not, that’s for you to find out as the series progresses.
Lydia
Netflix- Age: 64
- Occupation: Retired escrow agent
- Social media: Instagram
In the new TV show, Lydia says, “I think at first glance everybody sees me as this sweet lady from Texas, and that’s exactly what I want them to see.” Although her fellow contestants might not realize straight away, there’s far more to Lydia than meets the eye.
Lydia’s been playing poker for the past three decades, having competed in multiple professional tournaments. However, she’s keeping her cards close to her chest, stating, “I don’t want the other contestants to know that I’m smart, well-traveled, and fairly sophisticated.”
Phillip
Netflix- Age: 41
- Occupation: College professor
- Social media: Instagram
While Lydia’s playing a good game, Phillip’s an astute player and is already catching on to her. “I can’t say with 100% certainty that I trust Lydia,” he says. “She’s so friendly. She’s so nice. She’s the grandma. And you wanna trust grandma… this guy might not believe grandma.”
There’s a reason Phillip is good at reading people: he has 15 years of experience working as a therapist. However, this could also be his downfall. “My biggest weakness is and probably will always be overanalyzing,” he admits. “I tend to think through every possible scenario, and sometimes the simplest answer is the right one.” Hopefully he’ll keep this in mind as the game continues.
Samantha
Netflix- Age: 41
- Occupation: Police officer
- Social media: Instagram
Sam is using the “the stay-at-home mom bit” to try and convince the others she needs the prize money. What she’s not revealing is that she is an experienced cop, meaning she has a strong BS detector.
“I’m excited to get to know everybody and, more importantly, figuring out who’s the liar,” she says. “Oh yeah, by the way, I’m a New York City cop. I’m not telling any of these people that. Cops know things. We’re really good at reading people.”
Cara
Netflix- Age: 29
- Occupation: In-N-Out cook
- Social media: Instagram
Speaking with Netflix, Cara says her relationships are what matter to her the most. That being said, she’d love to win the cash prize, and she’s been unintentionally prepping for it her whole life.
“All those game nights were training me for this moment,” she says. In Episode 1, Cara explains, “As much as I want to be the millionaire, I don’t want to be the millionaire yet. It is a lot of pressure.”
Chris
Netflix- Age: 34
- Occupation: Beverage brand CEO
- Social media: Instagram
Even before the games begin, Chris proves to be one of the most strategic players in the Million Dollar Secret cast. In a bid to gain everyone’s trust, he’s presenting himself as a struggling entrepreneur rather than a successful CEO.
In Episode 1, he says, “I really hope that when I open the box, the money is not in there. I want to lay low, learn people’s tendencies, learn how they play the game, and then get the million dollars as close to the end of this game as possible.”
Corey
Netflix- Age: 28
- Occupation: Builder
- Social media: Instagram
Corey is a confident player, even getting himself into the mindset before entering The Stag. “I wrote these words down in my journal as a reminder before entering the house and will read them every night before bed: ‘Let them judge you, let them misunderstand you, let them gossip about you. Their opinions are not your problems,’” he said.
He goes on to state, “Strategy can only take you so far in this cutthroat house.” We’ll see how well he fares in the episodes to come.
Harry
Netflix- Age: 59
- Occupation: Photographer
- Social media: Instagram
Harry is another confident player, saying in Episode 1 of the new Netflix series, “The beauty of being a natural photographer is that I am the king of nonverbal communication. Nobody can hide all their tells. Nobody.”
He went on to tell the streaming service, “I am good at putting people together and at ease, but that could make me an immediate target, too.” The issue is, he’s already raised suspicion among the other players by asking everyone to say grace before lunch, leading some to believe it’s the secret millionaire’s task.
Million Dollar Secret Episodes 1-3 are on Netflix now, with Episodes 4-6 dropping on April 2. Until then, check out the other new TV shows heading to streaming this month, the best series of 2025 so far, and our full 2025 TV calendar so you don’t miss a thing.