TRUCKEE, Calif. — Local filmmaker and adventure athlete Stein Retzlaff is stepping into an unexpected spotlight—reality television. Retzlaff is among the contestants on Hulu’s upcoming competition series Got To Get Out, premiering Friday, April 11. Hosted by actor Simu Liu, the show pits reality TV veterans against first-time contestants in a psychological game where time is money and strategy is everything.

The series features a mix of seasoned reality stars, including Cynthia Bailey (The Real Housewives of Atlanta), Demi Burnett (The Bachelor), Val Chmerkovskiy (Dancing with the Stars), Clare Crawley (The Bachelor), Rashad Jennings (former NFL running back), Susan Noles (The Golden Bachelor), Omarosa (The Apprentice), Spencer Pratt (The Hills), and Kim Zolciak-Biermann (The Real Housewives of Atlanta). Retzlaff joins a cast of newcomers, including Jill Ashlock, Lindsey Coffey, Yahné Coleman, Shane Dougherty, Steven Giannopoulos, Steve Helling, Nick Metzler, Rob Roman, Athena Suich, and Athena Vas.

In Got To Get Out, contestants live together in a mansion, competing for a chance to win $1 million. The game hinges on deception, alliances, and tactical escapes. Participants act as both prisoners and guards, balancing the need to prevent others from escaping while plotting their own exit. The prize pool increases as time passes, but if one contestant successfully escapes, the clock resets and the remaining players start over with nothing.

An expedition filmmaker known for shooting in extreme locations like Antarctica and Greenland, Retzlaff was drawn to the show after a surprising casting process. Though he often receives offers for extreme sports roles, this one caught his attention, and with encouragement from his brothers, he applied.

“I was a bit nervous to be on reality TV, but my brothers told me to go for it,” he said. “Next thing I knew, they called me within an hour and asked to set up a Zoom.”

His unpredictable travel schedule complicated the casting process. “I was in Japan, Greenland, Indonesia—I was all over the place,” he said. “I think my unavailability actually helped my case. The email subject lines started turning into ‘Where in the world is Stein?'”

Once on set, Retzlaff was struck by the production’s sheer scale. “I work in film, but I have never seen anything like this,” he said. “The scale was mind-blowing—hundreds of crew and cameras everywhere. It was a new world where every second of your life was being recorded.”

Despite initial reservations—he found himself immersed in the competition’s mind games and shifting dynamics. “We were 20 strangers locked in a mansion about to begin an insane game. I was trying to understand who my competition was, but I had no idea how to vet them for a game I knew nothing about.” 

Navigating 24/7 surveillance and a national audience was an adjustment. “I was definitely thinking about how much of a curveball this is to my brand. Part of me couldn’t help but wonder–how would colleagues in the outdoor industry react to this side quest?” Retzlaff said. 

“You do not want to miss this show premiere,” he said. “I’ve done a lot of crazy things, but this was the craziest in its own way.” 

For Retzlaff, the journey from a childhood in Truckee—without a TV—to starring in a reality competition on a major streaming platform is still surreal. “My mom’s an elementary school teacher and a ski instructor, and my dad’s a skier and in hospitality,” he said. “I never grew up with a TV or a phone. I was just a kid building tree forts in Tahoe. And now my life is completely different.”

Still, he remains open to wherever life takes him next. “You never know where life is going to take you,” he said. “If you work hard, connect with great people, and say yes to adventure, anything can happen.”Whether Got To Get Out is the start of a new chapter in reality TV or just another thrilling pit stop in his unconventional career, one thing is certain: for Retzlaff, the adventure is far from over.