Love Island USA's Cierra's Instagram Handler MJ Addressed Critics

Cierra Ortega’s time in the Love Island USA villa came to an abrupt end on July 6. During Episode 30, the narrator announced she exited the show “due to a personal situation.” For those keeping up with the series online, her departure was not exactly a surprise. As the show aired, Cierra’s old Instagram posts gained traction online. In screenshots of them, she used an anti-Asian slur.

Ortega has yet to address the situation directly. (Contestants do not have access to their phones or the internet while in the villa, so it’s possible she’s not fully aware of what happened.) However, her best friend MJ Hedderman — who was charged with running Cierra’s socials while she was on the show — has responded to the controversy.

“Hi guys, I see your comments concerning someone I love and care about. I want to be clear that I do not condone racism, bigotry or hate in any way shape or form, nor was I aware of the recent screenshots until they were posted,” she wrote on Instagram, per a screenshot posted to Reddit. “I discovered it at the same time as all of you did. I cannot speak for anybody or make any statements besides my own, and decided to take a step back from running her account. I was asked by her family to turn off comments and refrain from speaking on her behalf. This situation has been really difficult, and I'm still processing everything.”

But Love Island USA fans were not satisfied with MJ’s statement. Many of them accused her of ditching Cierra in her time of need — despite initially using Cierra’s account to build her own brand. “Watching them turn their back on their best friend as soon as it no longer publicly benefits them in real time is really crazy to watch,” one TikToker said, discussing Cierra’s friend group (and MJ specifically) following her statement.

MJ responded in the comments section, clarifying where she stands with Cierra now. “I never said I was disowning her or abandoning her. I said in my statement that she's someone I love and care about,” she wrote. “Speaking out against racism should NOT be mistaken for abandoning someone I care for. I'm here with open arms for when she's back home. It was a blunt statement but not once did I say I wouldn't be there for her 😭 people assume the worst on here.”