Who Is Jack Atkins From 'The Circle' Season 2, a.k.a. "Emily"?

published 17 April 2021

Twenty-year-old Jack Atkins enters season 2 of The Circle as a catfisher, namely a rosé-drinking blonde sorority girl named Emily. But the reality star could've been equally successful playing as a certain sweet and bumbling actor, Nicholas Braun, also known as Succession's "Cousin Greg." Within moments of the premiere of the Netflix reality show on April 14, viewers were taken aback by Jack's status as a celebrity doppelgänger—from his long brunette locks and tall frame to his unaffected mannerisms.

But Atkins couldn't be further from the 32-year-old Hollywood star (or his lovably dopey on-screen counterpart in the HBO drama). Atkins isn't an actor, but instead an astrophysics and economics student (and proud fraternity bro—Delta Upsilon, according to Instagram) from New Haven, CT. He's a self-declared nerd who isn't afraid to play a cool and cutthroat game (OK, maybe Jack does belong in the Succession world).

"I'm honestly down to go down as the biggest villain in Circle history. I don't really care," the reality show contestant says in his intro. "When it comes to strategy there's no f*cks given. Like morals, get outta here. I don't wanna see ya."

A post shared by Jack Atkins - The Circle (@jackatkins21)
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You can follow Jack on social @jackatkins21—perhaps he'll reveal there if he gleaned any Circle scheming techniques from the ruthless Roys. And if you're interested in getting to know the "real Emily": She's a close friend of Jack's named Mariel Glass; they both attend the University of Chicago together.

As Marie Claire’s Entertainment Director, Neha oversees and executes strategy for all editorial talent bookings and culture coverage across the brand's print and digital entities, including covers, celebrity profiles and features, social takeovers, and video franchises as well as handles talent relations for MC's flagship summit, Power Trip. She's passionate about elevating diverse voices and stories, loves a hot-take, and generally hates reboots. She's worked in media for more than 10 years and her bylines about pop culture, film & tv, and fashion have appeared on Glamour, Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, Teen Vogue, Brides, and Architectural Digest. She is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism.