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"They could try everything they want, but this game turns around so fast, that they may think they have it, but they don't know what's coming."
— Max about the other teams' plans in Tilt

Max DeLeo
101 - Right to Stay (087)
Information
Full name

Nicholas Maxwell DeLeo

Endurance, 7th Place,
Endurance 2, 1st Place
Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Age

14 (E1), 15 (E2)

Team

Gray - E1
Brown - E2

Partner

Jenna Jimenez

Arrived

Right to Stay (E1)
Wash Out (E2)”

Left

Knotted Up (E1)
Finale (E2)”

Nicholas Maxwell DeLeo is a former contestant on Endurance and Endurance 2. He competed alongside his partner, Jenna Jimenez, first as the Gray Team, and the following season as the Brown Team, winning in the latter season.

Background[]

Max was born in 1987 to Nick DeLeo and Dorian LoPinto. He has a younger brother named Jack Thomas DeLeo, and a younger half-brother named Griffin Meehan.[1]

Endurance[]

Max is ranked #1 on his JV tennis team and also likes to play Mozart on the bass for his school's orchestra. He is very excited about spending time on the beach with 10 cute girls!

—DiscoveryKids.com bio

At the age of fourteen, Max was cast in the first season of Endurance.

Max was one of 14 contestants that survived the Right to Stay. In the partner selection, he went against Jonna's list because he believed it wasn't right. When he caught the Green ball, he managed to screw up the list, and was the last guy standing, thus become the Gray Team with Jenna, and getting 2 pieces.

In Tilt, they purposefully threw the challenge, so they wouldn't be seen as a threat. In Knotted Up, Gray was sent to Temple because the others believed that they could defeat Green. Max was not angry at the Blue Team because he believed they sent the Gray Team to eliminate Green However, they were swept at Temple, and became the first team eliminated.

After his elimination, Max sent a letter to Jonna, saying "Give it to the next team you want to betray".

Portrayal[]

Max was depicted as a strategist starting with his decision to purposely mess up The List.

Quotes[]

  • "If everyone gets the partner what they want, then it can pose problems for other teams."
  • "Everyone is so worried about the Samadhi that everyone is making secret agreements with each other."
  • "They could try everything they want, but this game turns around so fast, that they may think they have it, but they don't know what's coming."
  • "We're going up to the Temple of Fate and I want [Trevor] to go!"

Endurance 2[]

This season on Endurance 2, Max's strategy is to win! Max hopes to be a producer or tennis player when he grows up. His strategy for this season is to play to win. His favorite food is sushi and he feels his best quality is his personality.

—DiscoveryKids.com bio

The following year, at fifteen, Max was voted by his former castmates to return to Endurance 2.

Right out on the outset of the game, Max stated his and Jenna's strategy has to change if they want to win Endurance 2. While some of the teams liked having them back, the majority, especially Scooter on the Blue Team, wanted to see that the Brown Team would be eliminated as soon as possible. As a result, the alliances formed in Tower of Power separated the people who supported Max and Jenna vs. those who didn't. And because of the extra team, there was an extra Temple Mission that day. The Brown Team struggled a bit in the beginning, but managed to gain enough ground so that they challenged the Green Team for the lead a few times. However, it was not enough to give them the win, but because of their newly-formed alliance with Green and Yellow, they were spared from the Temple of Fate.

The next day, after the Gray Team was eliminated, J.D. asked Max and Jenna if they expected the Gray Team to be the first team eliminated, which Max replied "Yeah." After Purple received Gray's pieces, he mentioned he expected the Gray Team would give Brown their piece. In the mission that followed, since Christa caught the first ball, the Blue Team eliminated Brown first. At the Cove, when asked about how everyone's reception to the Brown Team was, Max mentioned how they were rather isolated at first, partially because the other fourteen contestants knew each other well, but started to gain friends.

In Rollerball, Brown was one of three teams to get a ball in their basket, and competed with the Green Team to get a second ball in, but again lost to the Green Team, helping Brown a bit. Afterward, when Green was deciding whom to send up to the Temple of Fate, Max thought it would be smarter to send two strong teams, instead of Orange and another team, because Orange wouldn't be much of a threat. He also noted how Keetin was taking control of the game more than Mike. After Red and Orange were sent, he mentioned how it's hurts to be sent off-guard, partially implying about how Gray was sent up on E1.

In Tide Pull, Max felt a threat arising with the Blue Team, stating "as long as the Blue Team isn't the winner, then I am". As a result, in the mission that followed, he worked together with four other teams to eliminate the Blue Team, then worked with Purple to eliminated Orange and Green. Because of his strength, Brown Team ended up winning their first mission ever. However, in a strange twist of fate, Max decided to strategize with Scooter, so that if Brown doesn't give Blue the Samadhi, then Blue wouldn't threaten them anymore. He also wanted to make sure if any of his alliance members did target Blue, then they would be backstabbed. Despite this, Max turned against Scooter and gave Blue the Samadhi--a ten-second handicap for the next Temple Mission.

Like everyone else in On the Ropes, Max recognizes Blue's threat, and if they didn't win that day's mission, they would be sent up to Temple. Max started off well in the challenge, but on the second to last hole, he got into a physical confrontation with Scooter, knowing the winner would send the other to Temple. Max ultimately won out, taking the lead and winning the mission, and then sending the Purple and Blue Teams to the Temple of Fate. In addition, Annie talked to Max about how immature Calley was, climaxing in a confrontation.

Blue was eliminated and left their two pieces to Purple. While this gave them a huge lead, Max noted it would be likely whoever won the next endurance mission would give the samadhi to Purple. Max and Jenna did well in the Face to Face mission, outlasting most of the teams until it came down to them and Purple. Jenna however did eventually let go of the rope, thus giving Purple the win. Max claims he was considering offering a deal where Brown would voluntarily let go if Purple agreed not to give them the samadhi but Jenna let go before he had the chance. Max tried to convince Purple to spare Brown and instead give the samadhi to Green or Yellow, claiming Brown wouldn't send Purple if they won the next temple mission. Annie however pointed out that Max said something similar to Scooter, only to go back on his word. Max's dealmaking didn't work as Purple gave Brown the samadhi, giving them a two feet handicap in the next temple mission.

Max was optimist that Brown could still win, claiming they were stronger than Purple. However, in the Cherry Picker mission, Brown was only able to get one ball in their tower and had difficulty reaching it again when trying to get their second ball in. Meanwhile, Purple narrowly defeated Yellow to win the mission. Max again tries to make a deal with Annie but she recalls that Brown sent them to temple and wasn't buying it. Even Michelle commented that Max was going to his lowest trying to avoid temple. Max admits in a confessional that he wouldn't trust himself as he would probably send Purple to temple if he won the next temple mission. Jenna also stated in a confessional that Max was trying to strategize too much and that the others have caught on to him. Despite Max's attempts, Brown is sent to temple, the first time since their trip in the first endurance, along with Yellow. While packing, Max seemed a bit annoyed with Mike whom he say talking with Annie though Shep encourages them to calm down. Yellow won the first round but Brown managed win the next two, allowing them to remain in the game.

Yellow would leave their piece to Brown, whom they praised and asked them to do what they could to eliminate Purple, giving them three pieces overall. Max noted to Jenna that it was important for them to win the endurance mission as he was certain they would get the samadhi if they didn't. Michelle claimed Max was trying to kiss up to the other teams, claiming he would ensure that Brown would go to the final 2 with whomever he was talking to at that time. Like before, Annie didn't buy it and was seen informing the other girls of this. They further pointed out that it was impossible to guarantee a final 2 since the winner of the final 3 temple mission was the only guaranteed entry in the finals and thus Brown would need to throw that challenge which the others felt was unlikely. In the Aqueduct mission, Max was shocked like the rest when Orange managed to win their first mission. Max tries to convince Tyler to give the samadhi to Purple, claiming that they wouldn't give Orange their pieces anyway if Orange won the temple mission and sent Purple to temple. Orange however decided to take the samadhi out of the game, meaning no one would receive a disadvantage in the next temple mission. In Plank Maze, Brown struggled a b, trailing behind Green and Purple which he claimed was due to his big feet and Jenna's little body. Green was the first to collect the letters and discovered the word, given them the win. Green decided that they would send Brown to temple in spite of their friendship since there is nothing Brown can do to help Green at that point of the game. They gave Brown notice and used Max's logic of thinking strategically to justify their choice. Max though threaten Green that he would make them wished they never sent him if he came back and seemed to feel betrayed about the decision, claiming that Green promised to take them to the final 2 or 3. Max try to make a deal with Purple claiming that whoever loses at temple will give their pieces to the other. Green then officially announced that the teams they were sending were Brown and Purple. Max claimed that Brown and Purple controlled the beach and whoever comes back will control it more. At temple, Brown won the first round but tied in the second round. In the third round, Brown won and earned a spot in the final 3 against Green and Orange.

Portrayal[]

Max was shown again to be very strategic. He made dealings behind the backs of his fellow contestants very often, sometimes to the point where they want to target him.

Quotes[]

  • "Basically the whole strategy has to change."
  • "You can't trust anyone because everyone's in it for themselves no matter what."
  • "It hurts more to be taken off guard that much, trust me."
  • "As long as the Blue Team isn't the winner, then I'm a winner."
  • "Green right now thinks that they are in control, just because they won that Temple Mission. But the truth is, they don't; Purple and Brown control this beach, and whoever comes back is going to control this beach even more."
  • "And if [Yellow sent Blue up to Temple] I would backstab them harder than they have ever been backstabbed." 
  • "It's not an alliance, it's just a friendship."
  • "Samadhi, Schmadi, it doesn't mean anything to us."
  • "But if I come back I will win the next Endurance Mission, slam Purple with the Samadhi as hard as we can..."
  • "I'll make you wish you never ever played this game."
  • "I think [Green] thinks they're going to win with just one piece!"
  • "We're looking at it as the Clash of the Titans...whomever is coming back is going to win this game."
  • "I don't want to go up to Temple again; that would be three nights in a row."
  • "This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and for Jenna and I this was a twice-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Post Endurance[]

Max has been working behind the camera. He's worked on TV shows like Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, Giuliana & Bill, and Chuck, and movies like Thor, J. Edgar, The Hunger Games, and Magic Mike.

Trivia[]

  • Along with his teammate Jenna, only contestants to compete in more than one season.
  • Along with fellow Endurance 2 competitor Jeff Phillips, he worked behind the scenes on Endurance: High Sierras.

Gallery[]

External Links[]

References[]

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