Netflix's reality competition Million Dollar Secret returned for its second season in April 2026, dropping a new cast of strangers into a lakeside mansion to compete for the titular fortune. After seven episodes of manipulation and betrayal, four players were left standing during the season 2 finale: content creator Kat Ellis, stay-at-home mom Lauren Gierth, cattle farmer Kaleb Moon, and pageant bro Nick Pellecchia.
Even though Nick ultimately walked away with the million-dollar prize, 26-year-old Kat was the biggest threat heading into the final episode, having been outed as one of the season 2 cast's most cunning players. But who is the bubbly blonde outside of the game? Below, read on for what to know about Kat Ellis, from her exciting career in sports to her thoughts on the power move that got her eliminated.
Kat Ellis is a content creator who celebrates women in sports.
Though Tudum described Kat as a "beverage cart attendant," the Boston native has an impressive social media career. According to her LinkedIn, Kat studied media and broadcasting at the University of Alabama before transferring to Boston University in her sophomore year. After earning a degree in television and film in 2021, she worked as on-air talent for companies like Barstool Sports and Fallen Media, hosting podcasts and Snapchat shows.
Since late 2023, Kat has been a full-time lifestyle and sports content creator, working with the MLB and the NHL, as well as companies like ESPN, Betches, and The Today Show. She's also the creator of Out of His League, an independent series highlighting women in sports. In one standout episode, Kat covered the first-ever all-women broadcast of a Boston Red Sox game by the New England Sports Network in 2025.
Kat and her hockey-player boyfriend are devoted dog parents.
In addition to being a sports content creator, Kat is also dating a professional athlete. She met her boyfriend, Jake Wise, while attending Boston University, and they've been together since 2019. The 26-year-old forward currently plays in the American Hockey League (the NHL's developmental league) for the Colorado Eagles.
In 2024, the couple adopted a puppy named Rookie from their local Humane Society. Since then, Kat has been a vocal advocate for pet adoption. She wrote in a recent tribute, "2 years ago today, we made the best decision of our lives.. to spend $175 on the oldest dog in the shelter. This little rascal has made me smile every single day since. Please consider adopting if you’re looking for your soulmate!"
Kat has second thoughts about the "million-dollar mistake" that got her eliminated.
Kat entered the game with a strong strategy, pretending to be a harmless "dumb blonde" at first. She was able to fly under the radar, even as she formed strong alliances and survived eliminations. "I really just want to cruise along as a passenger princess for as long as I can, until I am forced to take over the driver’s seat and start making big moves," she said on the series.
Her gameplay changed in episode 7, when she received a clue that would make everyone think she was the millionaire. Instead of leaving herself vulnerable, she decided to make up a fake clue on the spot to target Daisy Skarning. The ruse successfully got Daisy eliminated, but on her way out, the stay-at-home mom revealed the fake clue to the rest of the cast. Ultimately, Kat was the next person eliminated and missed out on joining the top 3.
Speaking to TV Guide, Kat reflected on the fake clue, which she described as her "million-dollar mistake."
"With six people left, I didn't think it was good to still be looked at as a suspect for the millionaire," she explained. "And off-camera 24/7, all I was talking about was fashion, so I really thought the clue was going to point to me. But maybe in hindsight, I should have just told them the real clue. And maybe everyone would have kept me around if I was the millionaire, because they would have thought it was easier to get the money from my box to theirs at the end."
Kat really did skip her brother's wedding to compete on 'Million Dollar Secret.'
Before she went home ahead of the final round, Kat made it clear how much she wanted to win by revealing that she had missed her brother's wedding to compete on the show. In an interview with Decider, Kat revealed that her brother, whom she called her best friend, was actually "so supportive" of her decision.
"He was like, 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is life-changing, opportunity-wise. It could be life-changing money-wise,'" she told the outlet. "They were so, so supportive."
Her family also took the news well when she revealed she didn't win. "When I FaceTimed them after getting eliminated, the first thing I said was, 'I lost,' because I didn’t want them to have hope for one second," she added. "They didn’t care at all."
