If you spent any part of the summer of 2016 glued to the Big Brother 18 live feeds, you remember the "Jatalie" fever. It was a weird, sweet, and eventually chaotic saga. On one side, you had James Huling, the camouflage-wearing prankster who had already won America’s Favorite Houseguest in a previous season. On the other, Natalie Negrotti, a former NFL cheerleader with a bubbly personality that some houseguests—and fans—found suspicious.
They were the "unlikely" couple. James was the country guy from South Carolina (by way of Texas), and Natalie was the high-energy New York girl. For weeks, they were the heart of the house. They cuddled in bumper cars and whispered about a future together. But once the cameras stopped rolling and the reality of the real world hit, things didn't just fizzle.
They exploded.
The Showmance That Divided the Feeds
The thing about Natalie and James on Big Brother was the constant debate over whether it was "real." If you go back to the Reddit threads from 2016, half the fans thought Natalie was a master manipulator using James for protection. The other half thought James was being too pushy. Honestly, watching them on the feeds was often a lesson in miscommunication.
Natalie was always very clear about her boundaries. She didn’t want to "bump uglies"—as the houseguests say—on national television. James, meanwhile, seemed to be falling hard. He threw his game away for her, essentially. He made moves that benefited Natalie's safety over his own long-term strategy, which eventually led to their evictions in 6th and 7th place.
When they left the house, they seemed determined to prove the haters wrong. They did the whole "meet the family" tour. James went to New York and New Jersey; Natalie went to Texas. They posted Periscopes (remember those?) constantly. For a few months, it looked like Jatalie might actually join the ranks of successful Big Brother couples like Jordan and Jeff or Rachel and Brendon.
The GoFundMe Scandal and the Breakup
The honeymoon ended fast. By January 2017, the cracks were showing. By April, it was a full-blown war.
What went wrong? Money and trust.
James had helped set up a GoFundMe for Natalie’s family in Venezuela. It raised about $5,000. Later, James publicly questioned if that money actually made it to her family. That is a heavy accusation to lob at someone you supposedly love. Natalie didn't take it lying down. She fired back with a statement from her attorneys, insisting every penny was documented and sent.
It got uglier. James went on social media rants claiming Natalie had cheated on him with an ex-boyfriend who worked for the New York Knicks. He even did a Periscope where he read what he claimed were text messages between Natalie and this other guy. Natalie responded by serving him with a cease and desist letter.
She accused him of "sexual cyberharassment" and leaking private photos. James denied it, claiming he had her password and permission to be on her phone. It was a mess. It wasn't just a breakup; it was a legal battlefield that left the fandom completely polarized.
Where Are Natalie and James in 2026?
You've probably noticed they haven't been in the same room for years. They moved on in completely different directions.
Natalie Negrotti’s Pivot to The Challenge
Natalie didn't let the Big Brother drama stop her TV career. She jumped over to MTV’s The Challenge, appearing on Vendettas, Final Reckoning, and War of the Worlds. She became a major player there, too.
In a powerful moment on The Challenge, Natalie came out as pansexual. This happened after some off-camera drama where a castmate "outed" her on social media. She handled it with a lot of grace, eventually becoming a representative for the LGBTQ+ community in the reality space. Today, she’s shifted gears again. She’s been involved in casting, teaching at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), and is currently set to compete on The Amazing Race Season 38 with her sister, Stephanie.
James Huling’s Life in Texas
James took a very different path. He mostly stepped away from the national spotlight, though he’s still active in the Big Brother alumni circles. He leaned into his veteran roots and his life in Wichita Falls, Texas.
In 2020, James actually ran for Mayor of Wichita Falls. He didn't win—he came in third with about 13% of the vote—but it showed he was looking for a life beyond being "Captain Camo." He’s worked as a corrections officer and continues to post about his fishing trips and his daughter. He’s also appeared on Catfish: The TV Show, which is a bit ironic considering the drama surrounding his own breakup.
Why Their Story Still Matters
The Natalie and James saga is a cautionary tale about "shipping" real people. Fans got so invested in their romance that when it turned toxic, the fallout was massive. It also highlighted the "PR" side of reality TV—the pressure to stay together for the sake of followers and appearance fees.
The takeaway? Don't believe everything you see on a 24/7 live feed.
If you're looking for a "happily ever after," you won't find it with Jatalie. But you will find two people who learned the hard way that reality TV is easy, but real-life relationships are complicated.
Next Steps for Fans:
- If you're interested in seeing Natalie's latest competitive run, keep an eye out for her on the upcoming season of The Amazing Race.
- For a deeper look at how showmances affect Big Brother strategy, go back and re-watch the Week 11 double eviction of Season 18—it’s where the Jatalie game-plan finally hit the wall.
- Check out James Huling’s social media for updates on his community work in Texas if you want to see his transition from TV star to local advocate.