The Bachelor season 29: Meet the women competing for Grant Ellis’ heart

EntertainmentLifestyle
28 Jan 2025 • 4:48 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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It’s already that time of year for The Bachelor fans to block out their Monday nights in preparation for the 29th season of ABC’s hit dating series.

The new season welcomes back The Bachelorette alum Grant Ellis, 31, to the Malibu mansion; however, this time, he’ll be the one handing out roses.

Ellis is the second-ever Black male lead of the series, four years after Matt James became the first in 2021.

“A self-proclaimed mama’s boy, Ellis’ infectious smile and unwavering positivity instantly brightens every room he enters. The former pro basketball player is passionate about his career as a day trader, but when he’s not immersed in the fast-paced world of finance, you can find him cheering on the Lakers, hitting strikes at the bowling alley, or belting out tunes at karaoke nights,” reads his official bio.

“As the Bachelor, Ellis is eager to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure, and genuine connections. He hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor and a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.”

Season 29 of The Bachelor premieres on Monday, January 27 at 8 p.m. on ABC, followed by weekly releases. Episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.

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Meet the 25 women prepared to fight for Grant’s heart below.

Alexe

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Age: 27

Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Occupation: Pediatric Speech Therapist

Having grown up on a farm surrounded by goats, bunnies and chickens, Alexe is an animal lover who enjoys traveling and playing beach volleyball in her free time.

Fluent in French, she is also obsessed with cooking competition shows and ketchup chips. One activity, however, that you’ll never ever catch her participating in is Karaoke.

Alli Jo

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Age: 30

Location: Manalapan, New Jersey

Occupation: Boxing Trainer

This gym shark is a bubbly and outgoing woman prepared “to find a love worth fighting for.” When she’s not hitting the gym, Alli Jo enjoys spending her time at the beach, planning trips, and trying new types of workouts.

She would never be caught dead outside the house without lipstick on and dreams of one day shopping in Dubai.

Allyshia

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Age: 29

Location: Tampa, Florida

Occupation: Interior Designer

A self-proclaimed horse girl, Allyshia is a former pageant queen and currently the longest-reigning Miss California. She, too, loves spending time at the beach and hanging out with her dogs, Bentley and Bagel.

While she describes herself as a typical mysterious Scorpio, she is also a hopeless romantic who used to drive a Barbie-pink Vespa in college.

Bailey

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Age: 27

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Occupation: Social Media Manager

Loyal and confident, Bailey is a social butterfly who is always on the go. However, when she’s not working, you can likely find her shopping, dancing or playing with her toy poodle, Easa.

She is a family-oriented individual whose comfort items include bread and her heating pad. She once took a flight for the sole purpose of leveling up her airline status.

Beverly

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Age: 30

Location: Howard Beach, New York

Occupation: Insurance Salesperson

Beverly comes from a close-knit family and is ready to find a man who is trustworthy, kind and understanding. In her free time, she loves shopping and watching her favorite movies, like Titanic and The Princess Diaries.

She aspires to visit all seven continents in her lifetime.

Carolina

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Age: 28

Location: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

Occupation: Public Relations Producer

This adventurous trilingual (in Spanish, English and French) is looking for a partner who can live up to her childhood crush, Joe Jonas.

Carolina would describe herself as the “cool grandma,” and she would love to someday be roasted by acclaimed comedian Nikki Glaser.

Chloie

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Age: 27

Location: New York, New York

Occupation: Model

As a Midwest transplant living out her modeling dream in the Big Apple, Chloie dreams of one day seeing herself on an NYC billboard.

Some of her favorite rom-coms include You’ve Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally, while her favorite cocktail is a dirty martini. She also is unashamed to admit that she still sleeps with her baby blanket.

Christina

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Age: 26

Location: Fargo, North Dakota

Occupation: Marketing Director

A matcha-loving Thanksgiving enthusiast who loves the outdoors and having wine nights or lake days with her friends, Christina is unapologetically herself.

She hopes to launch a clothing brand inspired by her grandparents.

Dina

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Age: 31

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Occupation: Attorney

While her career as an attorney has typically taken precedence in her life, Dina is now prepared to put romance first.

She is one of 11 children and prides herself in being one of the most clean and organized people, although she wishes she had more time to read a book for leisure.

Ella

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Age: 25

Location: Los Angeles, California

Occupation: Luxury Travel Host

Ella comes from a tight-knit Filipino family and is prepared to settle down. She loves watching live basketball games and spending time with loved ones over a good meal.

An enjoyer of romance novels, badminton and traveling, she much prefers glamping over camping.

J’Nae

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Age: 28

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Occupation: Account Coordinator

A former overseas professional basketball player, J’Nae is an empathetic and funny person looking for a reliable and charismatic partner.

Her love language is Facetime, and she likes film photography.

Juliana

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Age: 28

Location: Newton, Massachusetts

Occupation: Client Service Associate

Born into a big Italian family, Juliana is an outgoing and unabashed woman whose favorite way to spend an afternoon is attending sporting events and museums.

One day, she hopes to own a dog-friendly bar.

Kelsey

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Age: 26

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Occupation: Interior Designer

This world traveler has been to nearly every continent, though she still hopes to spend an evening in an igloo someday. Her favorite place to vacation in the summer months is Martha’s Vineyard.

Kelsey also enjoys passing the time exploring new restaurants or on the search for her next vintage find.

Kyleigh

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Age: 26

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

Occupation: Retail Manager

As a Southern native, Kyleigh has always dreamed of getting married and becoming a mother.

Meanwhile, her hobbies include surfing, pickleball, line dancing and beach camping. For four months, she lived in Uganda, and her favorite movie is the 2001 war romance Pearl Harbor.

Litia

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Age: 31

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

Occupation: Venture Capitalist

Litia is a lover of sports, including basketball, football and water polo. She also loves riding horses and playing the board game Clue.

A few fun facts about her are that she is an incredibly fast swimmer, and while she loves the outdoors, she loathes hiking.

Natalie

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Age: 25

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

Occupation: Ph.D. Student

A loyal Seattle Seahawks fan, Natalie also likes watching romance movies and wandering old neighborhoods to look at beautiful homes.

As the owner of a beloved rescued pup named Tuck, she feels it’s important her future man is also an animal lover.

Neicey

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Age: 32

Location: Blythewood, South Carolina

Occupation: Pediatrician

Currently, Niecy works at four different hospitals and is very passionate about her work. When she’s not helping children, she likes going to football games, browsing farmers markets and spending time with her three dogs, Charlie, Khloe and Chicago.

She has always wanted to be a spy.

Parisa

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Age: 29

Location: Birmingham, Michigan

Occupation: Pediatric Behavior Analyst

A collector of rocks, Parisa loves to cook, travel and enjoy charcuterie nights. Her favorite way to unwind is by watching organization content on TikTok.

Rhadika

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Age: 28

Location: New York, New York

Occupation: Attorney

Rhadika is proud of her Indian heritage and can’t wait to share her family traditions with a partner. She’s a self-proclaimed Potterhead who also loves shopping, getting a fresh manicure and cooking with her mother.

Rebekah

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Age: 31

Location: Dallas, Texas

Occupation: ICU Nurse

Rebekah is an adventurous, ambitious and kind person who always aims to be the best-dressed person in the room.

She loves a good game of Scrabble and maintains a goal-oriented mindset.

Rose

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Age: 26

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Occupation: Registered Nurse

An OG fan of Julie Andrews, Rose is also an F1 enthusiast who would love to one day attend a race.

Optimistic and goofy, she also likes exploring new places, the beach and enjoying a night out on the town.

Sarafiena

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Age: 29

Location: New York, New York

Occupation: Associate Media Director

An avid Grey’s Anatomy fan, Sarafiena has seen every single episode of the long-running medical drama at least three times.

Her ideal weekend is spent with friends, grabbing dinner, drinks and going dancing.

Savannah

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Age: 27

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

Occupation: Wedding Planner

Similar to Katherine Heigl’s Jane from the classic rom-com 27 Dresses, Savannah is done being the wedding planning and is ready to be the bride.

She loves a good game of Charades, live music and going to dinner with friends. She dreams of one day planning the Met Gala.

Vickey

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Age: 28

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Occupation: Nightclub Server

Vickey is a former NFL cheerleader who’s retired the pom-poms.

With dreams of one day living on an Italian vineyard, she also enjoys hiking outdoors, watching football and spending time with her Chihuahua, Winnie.

Zoe

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Age: 27

Location: New York, New York

Occupation: Tech Engineer and Model

A graduate of Duke University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Zoe enjoys outdoor adventures like boating, jet skiing, surfing and ice skating.

She was also the first female wrestler on her high school wrestling team.