The Masked Singer unmasks Lou Diamond Phillips and Keenan Allen in ‘Battle of the Saved’ of Season 9

Lou Diamond Phillips shocked the panel on Wednesday’s episode of “The Masked Singer” as he was revealed to be the Mantis, and Keenan Allen, the Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver, was unmasked as the Gargoyle. This week’s competition featured “Battle of the Saved,” in which three contestants who had been saved earlier this season, Medusa, Gargoyle, and Mantis, competed to move on to the next round. A new twist to the competition was also introduced this season, “Ding Dong Keep It On,” allowing the panelists to save a singer from elimination.

Phillips was approached multiple times in the past to appear on “The Masked Singer,” but his schedule didn’t allow for it. This time around, he sought his teenage daughter’s blessing, who is an avid fan of the show. He said, “My youngest daughter Indigo, who’s 15, it’s her favorite show. She gets on a FaceTime with a friend of hers and they watch together.” With his daughter’s permission, Phillips saw the show as a “nice little family adventure.”

As the Mantis, Phillips managed to surprise the panel as none of them could guess his identity. Robin Thicke thought it was Dennis Quaid, while Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg named Steve Buscemi and Kevin Bacon, respectively. Ken Jeong picked Brendan Fraser. Phillips admitted that performing in the Mantis costume was a challenge, given the construction of the head, wings, and tail, but he managed to figure out how to move around and create a stage persona.

The Gargoyle was also unmasked, revealing Keenan Allen as the celebrity behind the costume. The panelists, however, failed to guess his identity correctly. Thicke thought it was Joey Bosa, while Scherzinger named Marshawn Lynch, and Jeong went with Anthony Mackie. McCarthy Wahlberg guessed Michael B. Jordan.

Overall, Phillips enjoyed his experience on the show, despite the challenges of performing in the costume. He said, “It takes a lot of energy to maneuver that costume around and to perform in it, in the big fake leather jacket and the whole shoulder contraption that holds the head in place. It was a real steep learning curve to figure out how to get out there and to perform and not just stand in one place and sing.”

Similar to last season, “The Masked Singer” has once again adopted a “Champion of Masked Singer” format, where three costumed celebrities perform in each episode, but only one moves on to compete the following week. After each round, three finalists will compete in the semi-finals. This week, Lou Diamond Phillips was unmasked as Mantis, leaving Gargoyle and Medusa to face off in a “battle royale” with “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy. Keenan Allen was unmasked as Gargoyle after receiving fewer votes, while Medusa moved on to the next round.

Who’s left in the battle of The Masked Singer season 9?

• California Roll
• Dandelion
• Macaw
• Medusa

New episodes of The Masked Singer are broadcasted on FOX every Wednesday at 8 pm ET.