Who is Vanessa Clements (Player 17) from ‘Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2? Age, Ethnicity, Nationality, Net Worth, and More

Who is Vanessa Clements from Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2?

Vanessa Clements, also known as Player 17, is a 31-year-old Lobster fisher from Mill River, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the only woman lobster fisher in her harbor. Vanessa has stood out among the five finalists who will compete for the $4.56 million prize on Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2.

How old is Vanessa Clements?

Vanessa was born on October 19, 1993, in Prince Edward Island, Canada, making her 32 years old as of 2025. She always celebrates her birthday on October 19 every year. This is evident from one of her Instagram posts posted on October 19, 2023, where she captioned, “Cheers to 71 more years on this crazy train we call life. If the first 30 have taught me anything, I better hold the fuck on”. Her zodiac sign is Libra.

Personal Information Summary

Early Life and Education

A proud native of Mill River in Prince Edward Island, Canada, Vanessa Clements hails from an indigenous family that has been serving as passionate and professional lobster fishers for generations. She is a proud daughter of her parents, Cindy Clements (mother) and Blair Clements (father). While growing up, Vanessa had a passion for fishing and wished she could be a fisherman and fish for lobsters someday in life. Vanessa could often plead with her father to hire her, but her father, on the other hand, often refused and told her ‘NO’, claiming that she wasn’t a man and couldn’t handle the job.

This became a motivation and inspiration, hoping that one day she could work alongside her father. Being hired as a woman wasn’t easy, and Vanessa had to pretend she was a man in her online ads so that she could land a job in the fish industry. Over the years, Vanessa worked on mussel boats so that she could at least be on the water, and eventually, thanks to her Native ancestry, she finally landed her first professional lobster fishing job for both Spring & Fall seasons.

Is Vanessa Clements Married?

Vanessa married her partner, Mike. In a heartfelt message on her Instagram account, Vanessa captioned, “On July 17th, a day before what would have been a celebration of our 1st year together, Mike’s family tragically got into a car accident that would forever change everything. His loving mother, father, and special aunt passed due to this accident and were all called to God… together.”

What does Vanessa Clements do to earn a living?

Clements earns a living from working as a lobster fisher.

Vanessa Clements, Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2

On joining Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2, Vanessa was eager to share with her followers about the good news. On one of her Instagram posts, she stated, “HELLO NETFLIX. I’m going to be on Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2!!!! Watch me, player 017, and the entire 456 cast of real people compete for $4.56 million US. Can I survive the games? Find out on November 4th.”

From the outset, Vanessa didn’t align herself with any major alliances, nor did she rely on social maneuvering to advance. She stood out in Season 2 of Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge for her unapologetically solo gameplay and approached the competition with a clear strategy: play for herself, take calculated risks, and avoid emotional entanglements. Throughout the competition, Vanessa’s gameplay was marked by emotional restraint and strategic clarity. She avoided unnecessary drama and didn’t make promises she couldn’t keep. She made tough decisions without flinching, including voting out players who had once trusted her.

While she wasn’t rude or dismissive, she made it clear that her goal was to win, not to make friends. This “respectfully selfish” approach paid off, propelling her through the brutal eliminations and into the final five. In the final stretch of the competition, Vanessa joins fellow finalists Perla (Player 72), Steven (Player 183), Dajah (Player 302), and Trinity (Player 398), with each player staying laser-focused on the $4.56 million prize. Her presence in the final five is a testament to her endurance, mental strength, and ability to navigate the game without the safety net of a strong alliance. You can watch her in the final episode, which premieres on November 18, 2025, on Netflix starting at 8 a.m. GMT (3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT).

Big Brother Canada 8

In addition to her media appearances, Vanessa was a houseguest on Big Brother Canada 8, where she was nicknamed “Nessie.” Through her 25-day journey on the show, Vanessa was part of two alliances, The KVBS and The Tanks, but was never voted against, didn’t win any HOH, and never won any Veto. Beyond her media appearances, Vanessa is an avid lover of boxing and travelling. In one of her Instagram posts, she captioned, “Dear Boxing, thank you for entering my life. I freakin love ya!” In her travel ventures, Vanessa has been to the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Las Vegas, Toronto, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

All you need to know about “Squid Game: The Challenge’ Season 2”

Squid Game: The Challenge is returning for another high-stakes outing on Netflix, with the second season now available to watch on the streamer. The season contains 9 episodes; the First four premiered on November 4, 2025, followed by four more episodes on November 11, 2025, and the season finale will premiere on November 18, 2025. Inspired by the original scripted series, this season will once again feature 456 contestants competing for a life-changing $4.56 million prize, the largest single prize in reality TV history. The season introduces a mix of returning and new games. Familiar challenges like Red Light, Green Light, Marbles, and Mingle return, while new additions such as Slides and Ladders, Six-Legged Pentathlon, and The Count make the competition even more interesting because of their complexity. Each game is designed to test different aspects of the contestants’ abilities, whether it’s trust, logic, teamwork, or deception.

Season 2 was filmed in the United Kingdom, using elaborate sets that replicate the surreal and colorful aesthetic of the original Squid Game. It features a diverse cast of 456 players from across the globe, including the U.S., UK, Ireland, and beyond, each identified by a number and with a story of their own. The contestants’ age range from 21 to 77, with expertise ranging from creators, nurses, athletes, an NFL cheerleader, poker champions, bartenders, four family duos, and even Robert Pattinson’s stunt double in Twilight. With each player facing elimination at every turn, players must master alliances, adaptability, and emotional control to survive in the game. Some of the notable contestants include;

1. Jeffrey Figuereo, Player 283
2. Sydney Belle, player 016
3. Perla Figuereo, player 072
4. Vanessa Clements (Player 17)
5. Natalie Hortz, Player 75
6. Michael Mroz, Player 089
7. Steven (Player 183)
8. Mark Levy, Player 100
9. August Schroeder, Player 111
10. Trinity (Player 398)
11. Jonti Crisp, Player 118
12. Austin Carpenter, Player 153
13. Dajah (Player 302)
14. Viper Glanton, Player 152

How Tall is Vanessa Clements?

Clements is approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, equaling 1.68 meters.

Vanessa Clements Net Worth

As of 2025, no one has publicly disclosed Clements’s net worth.

Social Media

Vanessa is gaining popularity on social media, where she has shared behind-the-scenes footage of her journey through Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 and a glimpse into her personal life. You can follow her on her Instagram account @vanessaclementz, where she has more than 4.9k followers.