see how they interacted. Among the goings-on during the special was conflict between Coral and Ellen (who would eventually be cast on The Quest). {|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col" | Cast member ! scope="col" | Age ! scope="col" | Hometown |- ! scope="row" | Coral Smith | 21 | San Francisco, California |- class="expand-child" | colspan="3" align="left" | Coral is a 21-year-old part-time student and nanny living in San Francisco when she decided on a whim to audition for The Real World and Road Rules. Growing up, she experienced both privilege and poverty, living with her mother in government subsidized housing, and receiving an elite education through her father's savings. In the season premiere, she and Malik are offended at observations that Mike relates from his uncle about African-Americans, and attempts to educate him by teaching him about people like Malcolm X. |- ! scope="row" | Kevin Dunn | 22 | Austin, Texas |- class="expand-child" | colspan="3" align="left" | Kevin, who is described by MTV as popular, intelligent, athletic, and charming, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in his senior year in high school, and forced to reexamine things that others his age took for granted. His treatment and recovery endowed him with a "sharp sense of humor," as well as a deeper spirituality and sensitivity to others. |- ! scope="row" | Nicole Mitsch | 22 | Atlanta, Georgia |- class="expand-child" | colspan="3" align="left" | Nicole is a graduating senior with a 4.0 grade point average at Morris Brown College. Her experiences include watching her mother suffer through a long, abusive relationship, and living in a government subsidized apartment, on which she pays $22 a month in rent. She is half African-American, half Caucasian, but is particularly proud of her African roots, and only dates black men. |- ! scope="row" | Rachel Braband | 18 | outside Chicago |- class="expand-child" | colspan="3" align="left" | Rachel is an only child, raised by a single mom outside Chicago. MTV describes her as "wide-eyed, bubbly and ready for life". She is a pop-punk fanatic who loves concerts and buying CDs. She is still inexperienced in many ways, and looking to explore opportunities and new experiences while on the show, but sometimes experiences ridicule at the hands of Coral and Nicole. |- ! scope="row" | Mike Mizanin | 20 | Parma, Ohio |- class="expand-child" | colspan="3" align="left" | Mike grew up as an only child