Islanders
‘Love Island USA’s Cierra Ortega Breaks Her Silence After Sudden Exit Over Past Racist Post
Another day, another Love Island USA scandal. Cierra Ortega is the latest Love Island USA Season 7 Islander to leave the show amid online backlash, and now she’s speaking out about her exit.
During the July 6 episode, narrator Iain Stirling announced that Cierra had “left the villa due to personal reasons.” This meant that Nic Vansteenberghe was “officially single.” So, what happened with Cierra?
Many Love Island USA viewers had been calling for Cierra’s removal from the show after a video resurfaced online of her using racist language to describe her eyes before getting cosmetic work.
On July 9, Cierra released an Instagram video addressing the controversy. She acknowledged using an “incredibly offensive and derogatory term” in a past video. “I want to first start by addressing not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community. I am deeply, truly, honestly so sorry. I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm, and came with the history that it did, or I never would have used it.”
Cierra said that “intent doesn’t excuse ignorance. It just doesn’t, and I just need you to know that I am so sorry.” She took “accountability” for using the offensive word and admitted that she “genuinely had no idea that it was a slur” at the time. Cierra explained that a follower reached out to correct her, and she immediately deleted the post.
She later added, “In that moment, the lesson was learned, the word was removed, and it was a true learning moment for me. And I think since that moment, I’ve done so much growing as an individual, and I’ve tried my best to educate others who might be accidentally holding space for these types of words that could be offensive in their vocabulary.”
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Cierra said she “completely” agreed with “the network’s decision to remove me from the villa. I think that this is something that deserved punishment, and the punishment has absolutely been received, for sure.” She went on to say the “backlash has obviously been very hard to deal with.”
She continued, “But what’s been extremely, extremely difficult is the way people are approaching my family and my loved ones. You know, they have had ICE called on them. My family doesn’t feel safe in their own home. I’m receiving death threats. There’s no need to fight hate with hate. I don’t think that that’s justice. And if you want to know that you’re heard and that I’m sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you, that’s what will happen… All I can ask for is, even if you won’t give me forgiveness, if you can just allow me to grow with grace.”
Following the June 6 episode of Love Island USA, Cierra’s parents released a statement on their daughter’s Instagram Story. They said this has been “one of the most painful weeks of our lives.”
“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,” Cierra’s parents continued. “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.”
They added, “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. She hasn’t had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself. But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she’ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace.”
Cierra’s parents said that Cierra “will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice. 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.”
In the days leading up to Cierra’s departure from Fiji, her friend and social media handler, MJ Hedderman, addressed the controversy. “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,” MJ’s Instagram Story read on July 4. “I discovered it at the same time as all of you did.”
MJ added, “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.”
With just a handful of days left before the Season 7 finale, Nic was stunned by Cierra’s sudden exit. “Right before Cierra had left, my mind was clear,” Nic said. “I knew what the future would look like, and now I’m lost. I think now that my strongest connection is gone, there’s like… just figure it out from here.” He admitted at the time that he wasn’t sure if he would ultimately explore another connection in the villa.
Season 7 contestant Yulissa Escobar was eliminated from the show after two episodes following a similar scandal in which she used a racial slur during a podcast. Yulissa has since apologized as well.
Love Island USA, Season 7, Every Day Except Wednesdays, Peacock
