Makensy started Big Brother 26 with Leah Peters vowing to avenge Matt Hardeman. The runner-up later became closer to Chelsie Baham and was pushed to choose between them due to dwindling numbers. Makensy backdoored Leah, who told her this was Chelsie’s move and was being played.
Chelsie later made the same argument in front of the jury. “Convicing Makensy to use the veto on the person that she could stand since day six was Angela [Murray] to get Quinn [Martin] out to weaken Leah in this game because I l iterally knew Leah was targeting me for a while,” she said on the CBS show. She then gave Makensy “facts” for why Leah should go home. The creative director won all seven votes. Did that change the way Makensy felt about her move to target Leah?
Makensy Manbeck Says Her ‘Big Brother 26’ Game Wasn’t About Bold Moves
Makensy talked about her mindset during the week of Leah’s eviction after the finale. “I never doubted the move […] that I made,” the runner-up told the Black Bi Reality podcast. “I will say it was very difficult making that decision because there is my head and there is my heart in this game and my head knew it was a smart move. I knew that she had not touched the block for 10 weeks. She never let anybody in on what she was thinking, what she was going to do. What I did know though is that she thought Chelsie was a threat and Chelsie was my number one ally in the game at the time.”
Makensy agreed that she could’ve kept Leah in the game so she could go after one of the biggest threats in the house. “My game was not to get bold moves or get blood in my hands in that sense,” she said. “My game was to be a loyal player and make moves that benefited not only me but the people I worked with as well as the house.” The runner-up’s strategy still earned her second place and $75,000. Big Brother 26 finale aired on October 13, 2024. All episodes and the Big Brother Live Feeds are available to stream on Paramount+.