Michael Douglas Ellis (better known by his nickname "Cowboy") was a HouseGuest on Big Brother 5. He received 3 of the 7 Jury votes and was named the runner-up, losing to his long standing ally, Drew Daniel. He was involved in the Project DNA twist where he learned he was competing with his half-sister, Jennifer "Nakomis" Dedmon, whom he decided to evict at the Final Four stage of the game.
*under this is basically explaining his two failed attempts at returning to the show*
Michael was one of the candidates eligible to be voted into Big Brother All-Stars. He, however, was not chosen to re-enter the game. Later, he appeared in Big Brother 11 as the candidate for the Off-Beat clique. Once again, Michael did not re-enter the game as all the members of the Off-Beat clique dropped from the endurance challenge.
•Michael is one of three HouseGuests, the others being Will Kirby and Memphis Garrett, to make it to the Final Two without ever winning a Head of Household competition.
•Michael is the only HouseGuest to miss a chance to compete in a future Big Brother season on two separate occasions.
•Michael and Nakomis along with Adria Klein and Natalie Carroll are the first pair of relatives to compete on Big Brother.
•They would later be followed by Dick and Daniele Donato, Rachel Reilly and Elissa Slater, Liz and Julia Nolan, Cody and Paulie Calafiore, Tiffany and Vanessa Rousso and Alex and Morgan Willett.