Cierra’s Family Issues A Statement On Her Love Island USA Exit
The show didn’t explain it, but fans online know the controversy.
In perhaps the biggest shake-up of Love Island USA Season 7, Cierra Ortega is no longer in the villa. As one of the season’s first bombshells, Cierra had been a notable presence for nearly the entirety of the dating experiment, forming a strong connection with Nic Vansteenberghe. Prior to her sudden departure, Cierra and Nic had become the only closed-off couple on the island. Just when it seemed like the pair was a strong candidate to win the whole season, Cierra disappeared without explanation.
Toward the beginning of Episode 30, which aired on July 6, narrator Iain Stirling stated that Cierra left the show “due to a personal situation.” Though the reason for her exit was not expanded upon, fans believe it has to do with social media uproar following resurfaced posts in which Cierra allegedly used an anti-Asian slur.
Cierra’s family shared a statement shortly after the episode aired that seems to confirm social media backlash played a large part in the show’s decision to remove Cierra.
“As Cierra’s parents, this has been one of the most painful weeks of our lives,” the message from Cierra’s Instagram stories read. “The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s so heartbreaking. It’s uncalled for, and no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made.”
The message confirmed that Cierra has still not regained access to her social media accounts directly following her departure from the villa.
Her quiet removal from the Fiji resort echoes another Season 7’s contestant’s similar exit earlier on. During the second episode of the season, Stirling also mentioned that Yulissa Escobar was no longer in the villa after entering as part of the first group of islanders. The removal is believed to have been the result of anti-Black racial slurs that had resurfaced from past podcast appearances Yulissa had made.
