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Joe Vanella

Joe Vanella is a Wantagh funeral director and The Traitors: New Blood contestant whose outgoing style draws on a long family history in funeral care.

Biography

Joe Vanella is a funeral director from Wantagh, New York, who competed on The Traitors: New Blood. He entered the series with an outgoing personality and a working life spent guiding conversations through difficult moments.

Vanella is a fourth-generation funeral director who became one of New Blood's original Traitors.

Known for

The Traitors: New Blood

Vanella is a fourth-generation funeral director who became one of New Blood's original Traitors.[1][6]

Career highlights

  1. Career 1

    A family profession

    Vanella told Newsday that he is a fourth-generation funeral director. His father operated funeral homes in Manhattan and Oceanside, giving the profession a long place in his family's working life.[4]

  2. Career 2

    Life on Long Island

    He grew up in West Hempstead and Rockville Centre before moving to Wantagh in 2022. In his pre-premiere interview, he spoke with pride about representing Long Island on television.[4]

  3. Career 3

    Applying for a favourite show

    Already a devoted viewer, Vanella initially put off applying. Encouragement from his sister-in-law eventually persuaded him to send an application after a day at work.[4]

  4. Career 4

    An outgoing game plan

    He wanted to build trust through conversation without becoming unusually quiet or drawing unnecessary suspicion. Vanella said he paid attention to how people reacted as he got to know them.[4]

  5. Career 5

    Selected as a Traitor

    Host Alan Cumming selected Vanella and pilot Tomica Adams as the opening Traitors. In an interview about the new season, the producers discussed pairing them for the castle's first secret team.[5]