Season seven of Love Island USA might be the reality series’ most scandalous yet — and not because of the drama within the villa.
Peacock’s hit reality dating show, which follows a group of singles as they enter a secluded villa hoping to couple up and compete in games and challenges, has already said goodbye to 17 contestants, including two who left under unprecedented circumstances.
While the series has previously axed contestants over past behavior, Yulissa and Cierra became the first two islanders to be cut in the wake of resurfaced racist comments.
Yulissa Escobar unexpectedly dropped in episode two
The series quietly lost one of its season’s originals, Escobar, in just the second episode, after videos of her making racial slurs resurfaced online. At the time, the show’s narrator, Iain Stirling, simply stated that “Yulissa has left the villa,” without further elaborating.
It was later reported that her exit came amid backlash over old podcast clips showing her using the N-word.
The 27-year-old has since shared details about her departure, revealing that at first, she had no idea what problematic video she was in trouble for until producers returned her phone.
“And I was like, f***, no. I can’t believe people think I’m racist. I mean, I get it, I said a word that I should have not said,” Escobar acknowledged.
“I wish I would have never said that,” she said. “It is what it is. I can’t go back in time. I am sorry that I said that word.”
Cierra Ortega leaves due to ‘personal situation’
Following weeks of uproar over one of Ortega’s old Instagram posts, which contained a derogatory term for Chinese people, the 25-year-old content creator formally exited the show on Sunday.
“Welcome back to Love Island USA, Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation, leaving Nic officially single,” Stirling opened the episode, referring to Nic Vansteenberghe, with whom Ortega was in a relationship.
Ortega joined the series early on as a bombshell alongside Charlie Georgiou.
While producers have not yet addressed the exact reason for her departure, The U.S. Sun previously reported that sources had said executives were holding “crisis meetings” to discuss her controversial post.
“Cierra is in deep trouble, that is for sure. This kind of word is unacceptable. It was a huge disappointment when we saw it. Everyone is very, very bothered and pissed about that,” the source said.
Her parents issued a statement on her behalf, reminding fans to show “compassion,” amid the backlash.
“We’ve seen the posts, the headlines, the hurt and the hate. And while Cierra hasn’t seen any of it yet, we have. And so have the people who love her,” they said. “We’re not here to justify or ignore what’s surfaced. We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what’s happening online right now has gone far beyond that. The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s heartbreaking. It’s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made.”
The statement ended with: “Until then, we’re simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this. Thank you to those who’ve continued to show love, even when it’s not easy.”
Huda Mustafa generates backlash with resurfaced lip-syncing video
Within hours of Ortega’s unceremonious exit, 24-year-old Mustafa became the subject of a similar controversy.
In an old TikTok video that has recently emerged, fans are debating whether Mustafa lip-synced the N-word during a rendition of Elijah the Boy’s 2022 hit, “Over You.”
While some fans have insisted that she “skipped over the word,” others were convinced that “it’s obvious she said it.”
Season seven of Love Island USA airs weekdays, except for Wednesdays, on Peacock at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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