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Christy Carlson Romano – Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test

This series stands out from the reality TV crowd given that you’re only competing against yourself. Everyone could potentially be a “winner.”

The show is not a competition — it’s a reason why I was really happy to go on it. So often, we think of reality shows as, “How do we get somebody voted off?” It was just not that kind of show. It’s more about bringing each other up, and how far we can all go together.

Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on CTV2 & Fox. Pictured: Christy Carlson Romano.
Courtesy of Fox Corporation

What do you think might surprise viewers about the Special Forces experience?

What I’ve been told is that people kinda think we go to a hotel after [each episode]. It’s not that. We are 24/7 on base, 24/7 living in barracks — running out of toilet paper and just fighting for our lives as the days go by [laughs]. It’s really not a “Hollywood version” of this. They’re putting us in it as much as possible so that they can get the most authentic reaction.

Just how intense was it working with actual military drill sergeants?

They were wonderful to get to know . . . They are tough and they do expect you to give 100 per cent. If you’re giving 100 per cent, they’re not going to be as hard on you. But you really do have to give 100, and maybe 110 per cent on some days.

Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on CTV2 & Fox. Pictured: Christy Carlson Romano.
Courtesy of Fox Corporation

Were there points you had to question, “Am I actually giving 100 per cent?”

For sure. It’s a mental game as much as it is a physical game. The longer that you last, the more you start to think to yourself, “Am I an imposter? Am I valuable to those around me?” You start to think very tribally in that way, and you get in your own head. So, you do need to know your “Why” — and you need to stick to your guns.

Even at age 40, do you still feel a strong connection to those old Disney shows?

I’ve been knocked down to being humble a lot by the industry. And then social media tries to knock you down — even if you’re feeling like, “Oh wow, I’ve found a community and I’ve connected with my fans.” It’s a give and a take in today’s society. But I am so proud of the work that I did touching people’s lives. I had no idea at the time I did it that it would end up staying with people in that nostalgic way.

You started in entertainment as a kid, which is a tough situation for so many performers Ñ especially as they grow into adults. How did you reckon with that?

Accountability is a big thing with being a high-performing child actor — or a teenager in my case. I think that it is thrust upon you, and it is a very confusing time. You’re like, “OK, where do I end, where do I begin? What are my values? Who am I meant to be? What is my brand?” All of those things are in constant conversation inside of your head; I call it a narcissistic purgatory, where so much of that is being negotiated with how the world perceives you and how they’re welcoming you. I am really encouraged by the fact that people are finally starting to understand that there’s a sensitivity issue with expecting kids to just perform as adult labourers.

I do think that quality of life breeds a certain resilience, and it doesn’t go away. It’s something that motivates me to do a show like this, because I want to prove that this is where I’m at now — I’m thriving and I’m sharing my resilience with the world.

The season finale of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test airs Wednesday, February 5, on CTV2 & Fox

MEMORABLE ROLES:

The native of Milford, Connecticut, got her first big break on Disney Channel in the early 2000s, co-leading family sitcom Even Stevens opposite Shia LaBeouf, as well as voicing the titular action hero in beloved cartoon Kim Possible. In recent years, Romano has turned her focus online, using social media to release wholesome comedy content, while delving into her experiences as a teen star via podcasts like Vulnerable and Even More Stevens. She’s also begun work on a memoir.

CURRENT GIG:

Married to a real-life Marine veteran, Romano is among the latest recruits on the Fox reality series that invites celebrities to endure the U.S. Special Forces selection course — jumping out of helicopters, dragging supplies up mountains and surviving interrogations until they voluntarily tap out or are medically unable to continue. Season three wraps up on Wednesday with one final two-hour gauntlet.

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