There’s been a bit of a hiccup in Love Island USA’s seventh season, and it’s causing quite the stir. Cierra Ortega left the show on July 6 because of something personal going on in her life, just before the grand finale. Her old Instagram posts had surfaced by then, showing she’d once used an anti-Asian slur.
More than 17,000 people signed a petition asking for her to be removed. There’s no wiggle room on the show’s zero-tolerance stance. This is now the second time someone has been shown the door over racism, the first being Yulissa Escobar who left after using the n-word.
Fan uproar forces action
Social media erupted after screenshots circulated, including one from a Botox post: “I can also be a little chinky when I laugh/smile…”
There was yet another post in 2015, mocking the way she looked with that same hurtful word. The backlash online forced them to remove it.
In a screenshot shared by The Washington Post, a user wrote:
“It is very offensive to compare your biggest insecurity… to an entire race.”
That one comment struck a nerve; many people saw it as both racist and damaging.
Cierra breaks silence with apology
After returning to the U.S. and losing all contact with the villa, Cierra posted a nearly five-minute apology video on TikTok on July 9. She said, “This is not an apology video. This is an accountability video,” admitting she “had no idea” the term was slur, but stated “intent doesn’t excuse ignorance.”
She addressed her family’s distress and the threats they’ve received: “There’s no need to fight hate with hate… I promise you… I will move differently.”
Show defends stance amid broader criticism
Host Iain Stirling shared on the show, “Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation,” and the producers followed the usual policy. According to Business Insider, Season 7 is doing exceptionally well with over a billion streams. However, the show’s under a bit of heat to do a better job of checking the contestants. This could be the most talked-about season so far, as per Entertainment Weekly. No couples stayed together, the challenges were switched around like puzzle pieces, and there’s more than one racism scandal to deal with.
Tina Provis, who was once on Love Island Australia, spoke out strongly about the incident, saying it shows how anti-Asian racism is still very much alive in the entertainment world.
Aftermath and wider impact
Inside those villa walls, something special bloomed between Cierra and Nic Vansteenberghe, a connection that felt natural and strong. After she left, he looked down for a moment and said, “You know… when Cierra was still around, everything made sense. But now? I just feel completely lost.” Not long after, Nic ended up coupling with Olandria Carthen.
Belle-A Walker, the show’s only Asian-American contestant, praised the removal: “as a proud Asian American woman… I do not condone bigotry… but also don’t condone hate.” She added, “It is my hope that this situation can help shed light on how big of an issue anti-Asian hate actually is.”
The network spoke up, asking everyone to stay kind online, and Ariana Madix gently reminded fans not to share private info or target any of the contestants.
With the finale of Love Island USA just around the corner on July 13, some big questions are bubbling up. Can a dating show really juggle drama, accountability, and inclusivity all at once? And while we hold the contestants responsible, can we still see them with kindness? This season’s focus on slip-ups and second chances couldn’t have come at a more important time in the way we consume media.
