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."
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.
