Apollo Poetry, a New Jersey resident, has been selected as a contestant on MrBeast's Beast Games Season 2, streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The show, which premiered on January 7, 2026, features a $5 million grand prize, the largest in television history. Apollo was chosen out of over 400,000 applicants and is officially considered one of the "100 Smartest People on the Planet" based on his cognitive testing scores: top 1% for Memory Index, top 1% for Processing Speed, top 2% for Spatial Ability, and top 6% for IQ.
Apollo's background includes two Master's degrees, including an MBA, and a track record of bridging high-level logic with emotional intelligence. He has presented an EQ workshop for MENSA and delivered three TEDx talks. Additionally, he facilitated a social and emotional learning workshop in high schools across the country, reaching over 100,000 people, which was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Beyond the show, Apollo holds a Guinness World Record, is an Amazon Best-selling author, and a member of the All 50-State Club. He has previously appeared on MTV, ABC, PBS, FOX, and NPR. In July 2026, one of his poems is scheduled to be flown to and permanently placed on the surface of the moon. Apollo stated, "I applied for this opportunity so that long after I'm gone, my daughter can look up to the moon and know that I am always right there with her."
As Beast Games continues to trend globally on Prime Video, Apollo represents New Jersey in the competition, aiming to bring the $5 million prize home. For more information, media assets including photos and the official trailer are available: Images and Beast Games Official Trailer.
