Keif Kratochvil Was Almost Cast On Love Island Before Love Overboard
He had a “hectic” time on the yacht.
Hulu’s latest reality show, Love Overboard, invited a group of 22 singles aboard a 280-foot super yacht in Malta — all in the pursuit of love. But it’s not all about flirting and sunbathing. The series, which premieres March 26, divides the contestants into Topsiders (couples who get to enjoy all the luxury amenities on the upper deck) and Downsiders (singles doing the grunt work to keep things afloat). All the while, Gabby Windey plays host.
Most of Love Overboard’s contestants came from major cities, making Nebraska-born Keif Kratochvil a definite outlier. But meeting new people from different backgrounds was part of why he said yes. “Being from the middle of nowhere, I couldn’t imagine they were going to bring in another person from the middle of nowhere,” he tells Elite Daily. “Had I not been out here, I never would have crossed paths with some of these people.”
The 23-year-old left his job in law enforcement to join the cast, but he had no worries about the major life change affecting his character. “When I came here, I told everybody that if I’m not comfortable doing something, I’m not going to do it. I’m not changing my morals or my beliefs for a TV show,” he says.
Here, Keif shares how he got the Love Overboard opportunity and what his pre-yacht dating life looked like.
Elite Daily: Who’s your celebrity crush?
Keif Kratochvil: Lainey Wilson. I hope she sees this.
ED: Do you have a type?
KK: I don’t really have a type. I’ve dated different races, different hair colors. As long as they’re physically attractive to me, it’s more about what’s on the inside.
ED: What was your dating life like before Love Overboard?
KK: Pretty non-existent. I was seeing girls here and there, but I got to a point where I didn’t want to do it anymore. I put it on the back burner.
ED: What was the casting process like?
KK: One of the producers sent me an Instagram DM telling me to apply, so I did. A couple of interviews later, we got all the background stuff done, and mine was very, very simple. A couple of Zoom calls just trying to get to know me and my personality, and then they’re like, “I want you,” and flew me out to Malta.
ED: Have you watched any reality TV before?
KK: No. About a year ago, Love Island sent me the same message, telling me to apply, so I did. It didn’t work out, thankfully. I watched it after, and I wasn’t down to do half the stuff that they do on there.
ED: What was your goal coming onto this show?
KK: Definitely to find love.
ED: What was the most surprising moment for you during filming?
KK: Just being out here in a completely new world and seeing all these things. I just found out Zara was a store.
ED: Did you tell anyone when you got cast?
KK: I told my mom that I was going away to do a new TV show, and she was very surprised. My family was like, “This is weird. You would never do this.” But they were supportive. My mom said, “As long as you stay true to yourself.” She trusts me to do that. That’s all I’ve done here — I’ve stayed true to myself and what I believe.
ED: Describe the season in one word.
KK: Hectic.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
