Cierra Ortega was removed from Love Island USA after a resurfaced post showed her using a racial slur, sparking backlash and calls for her exit.
During the July 6 episode of Love Island USA Season 7 (Episode 30) on Peacock, narrator Iain Stirling delivered a succinct yet consequential update roughly fifteen minutes into the show: Cierra Ortega had been asked to leave the villa “due to a personal situation,” officially ending her coupling with Nic Vansteenberghe.
The announcement came amidst backlash over a resurfaced social media post in which Ortega, a self-described aspiring influencer, used an explicitly anti-Asian slur while showcasing cosmetic work on her own eyes.
The controversial clip, which predated her time on the series, ignited swift condemnation from viewers across platforms.
Fans had rallied for producers to take action, decrying Ortega’s language as antithetical to the inclusive ethos the franchise purports to uphold.
In response, Love Island USA editors scrubbed much of her on-screen presence, effectively isolating her narrative until Stirling’s formal statement.
Nic Vansteenberghe, Ortega’s partner in the villa, was visibly shaken by the news.
He confessed to feeling disoriented and uncertain about his prospects in the game: “Right before Cierra left, my mind was clear.
I knew what the future would look like, and now I’m lost,” he lamented. When asked whether he intended to pursue a new connection, he could only reply, “I don’t know,” underscoring both the personal and strategic ramifications of Ortega’s departure.
Ortega’s exit marks the second removal of a Season 7 islander over resurfaced, racially insensitive remarks.
Early in the season, Yulissa Escobar was sent home in Episode 2 after old podcast footage emerged of her repeatedly using the n-word.
Escobar issued an apology following her dismissal but later faced criticism for downplaying the gravity of her language on social media.
These incidents highlight the franchise’s evolving stance on accountability: while Love Island USA has traditionally focused on romantic drama, it now faces pressure to address contestants’ past behavior in an era of heightened social awareness.
By swiftly removing two cast members for using racial slurs—even when those incidents occurred before filming—producers signal a zero-tolerance approach to hate speech.
Whether this will satisfy viewers calling for broader structural changes remains to be seen, but the swift expulsions reinforce that personal history, especially when it involves discriminatory language, carries real consequences—even under the bright lights of a reality-TV villa.
