When it comes to reality competition shows, Brendon Villegas is a true veteran. Has has competed in two seasons of Big Brother as well as two seasons of the Amazing Race. Although he’s never won any of the shows he’s appeared on, his time on reality TV gave him something much more meaningful: a wife. Brendon met his now wife, Rachel Reilly, during season 12 of Big Brother and the couple tied the knot in 2012. While Brendon’s reality TV days appear to be over for good, being on TV definitely opened up doors to other opportunities for him. Plus, at this stage in his life he seems to be enjoying the life of a father and a husband. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Brendon Villegas.
1. He Has A PhD
Brendon may have spent a good chunk of time on reality TV, but he’s dedicated even more time to his education. After earning a bachelor’s degree in general physics, Brendon went on to graduate school at UCLA where he received a master’s degree in biomedical physics. He then continued his education at UCLA where he earned a PhD in biomedical physics in 2017.
2. He Loves Spending Time Outside
Brendon’s work often requires him to spend a lot of time indoors working in labs, so when he has time off he likes to spend in taking in fresh air and enjoying all the beauty that nature has to offer. He loves to be outside and enjoys doing things like doing hiking and camping.
3. He Was A College Professor
Brendon isn’t the type of reality TV star who decided to ditch his traditional career path to focus on working in entertainment. He has had several ‘normal’ jobs over the years, one of which was teaching computer applications in health sciences at California State University, Northridge.
4. He’s Done Lots Of Volunteer Work
Helping those in need has been one of the primary focuses of Brendon’s life and career. Over the years, he has done lots of volunteer work with various charity organizations. Most recently, he has served as an ambassador for a non profit called Give Kids the World. The organization “partners provide children and their families accommodations in fully-furnished villas, transportation, tickets to theme parks, meals, daily entertainment and much more.”
5. He’s Interested In Spiders
Since Brendon works in the science field, it’s not much of a surprise that he’s always interested in studying the things around him. He is particularly interested in learning about spiders and other different kinds of insects. He sometimes posts pictures of spiders and asks his followers if anyone is able to identify the type.
6. He Loves To Travel
Getting out and seeing the world is one of Brendon’s favorite things do to. He has always loved to travel and he has been lucky to be be able to travel far and white. His appearances on the Amazing Race were extra meaningful because they allowed him to go all over the world.
7. He’s A Writer
Even though he’s done with reality TV, it doesn’t look like Brendon has given up on the entertainment industry completely. According to his IMDB page, he is currently working on writing and producing a TV series called Exo-Bakery. Unfortunately, there’s no information on what the series is about or when it will be released.
8. He’s Trying To Find A Cure For Cancer
Cancer kills countless people all over the world each year, and it’s a disease that everyone wishes there was a cure for. Brendon’s work in the science field is of the utmost importance. He works with people at UCLA’s school of medicine to help conduct research that will hopefully lead to a cure for cancer.
9. He’s Excited About Becoming A Dad Again
Brendon and Rachel welcomed their first child in 2016. The two have always dreamed of expanding their family and now the time has finally come. In May 2020, the couple announced that they were expecting another child and in September they revealed that it’s a boy. Brendon is very excited to become a father of two. He told People Magazine, “I imagine having a boy will be different in all the ways we traditionally imagine, e.g. getting peed on while changing a diaper.”
10. He’s Bilingual
On top of being a scientific scholar, Brendon has also managed to learn two languages. According to his LinkedIn profile, he speaks both English and Spanish. However, it’s unclear whether or not his Spanish is fluent. Either way, knowing two languages always comes in handy – especially when you work in an international field like science.
Follow Us
