Although it feels as though Love Island USA fans are being bombarded with cast members with histories of racist behaviors, this has only been a problem since season 6.
Out of 8 Love Island USA seasons, four total contestants have been removed for using racist slurs. That includes two cast members from season 7 of Peacock’s juggernaut dating show, and two more from season 8.
Yulissa Escobar
During the second episode of Love Island USA’s 7th season, producers removed Yulissa from the villa.
“YULISSA ESCOBAR OFFICIAL STATEMENT … First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using. Podcast clips from years ago have recently resurfaced, and I want to address it directly.”
“In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn’t trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn’t excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It’s tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use.”
Cierra Ortega
Season 7’s Cierra exited the villa following major backlash after past social media post surfaced in which she used a derogatory, racist term for Asian people.
“When I used that word, I didn’t fully understand what it meant or how much pain it carries,” she said. “I learned how deeply wrong it was when I was called out for it in 2024.”
Cierra shared a screenshot of that 2024 message exchange in her video, saying she felt “genuinely ashamed.”
She acknowledged that words without action mean nothing and claimed she’s committed to doing better.
“I just hope that in time I can show that I’m more than a mistake, a label, or a character on a highly edited reality show.”
Vasana Montgomery
Love Island season 8’s Vasana didn’t even make it on air before she was axed from the cast. Videos began circulating online of Vasana using the n-word.
In one clip, the prospective Islander appears to use the slur while rapping along to a song. In another, she is heard saying it while a friend plays an arcade game.
Production sources told the outlet that viewers will not see Vasana on the show despite her being announced as part of the cast.
Also, sources claimed production was unaware of the videos since they were originally posted to a private account. The clips reportedly did not become public until after the cast was revealed on May 28.
Alannah Keyser
Season 8’s Alannah was removed from the Casa Amor stage after resurfaced videos showed her lip-syncing to songs using a racial slur. Additionally, screenshots of past offensive social media comments were leaked.
Love Island fans noticed that Alannah was hardly seen on the episode following the release of the videos. “Producers edited Alannah out as much as possible from episodes that were pre-taped before the resurfaced racial slur video was exposed.”
“Producers were disappointed and embarrassed that this has become another mishap. They regret this has become another distraction from the crew’s hard work and the cast members who are there for the right reasons.”
