Pod Squad
All About ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 9 Star Nick Amato’s Controversy, His Athlete Past & More
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Love Is Blind Season 9 Episodes 1-9.]
The Love Is Blind Season 9 is full of memorable characters, from “Sparkle” Megan Walerius to Nick “Wish.com Zac Efron” Amato (his words). While the entire cast has been the subject of online discussion, Nick stirred up quite a bit of chatter after making some controversial comments in the pods.
Keep scrolling for the full breakdown on that conversation — which Nick has since claimed was “cut up and edited” — below. If you were also curious about Nick’s background, job, athletic history, and more, we have all that information. Keep reading for everything we could find out about the Season 9 participant.
Who is Nick Amato?
The 28-year-old Colorado resident considers himself a mountain man, as evidenced by the brief glimpse into Nick’s home in Episode 8. Nick, who lives about an hour outside of Denver, had a ton of ski and hockey gear on hand.
Plus, Nick’s Instagram shows his love for outdoor sports, including racing. In fact, he built a race simulator in his garage, which he says his friends have dubbed “the virginity corner.” After showing off his “man cave” to his fiancée, she remarked, “You literally do everything.”
Nick also had a number of marathon medals on the wall of his garage, right next to a Team USA jacket. “I did the Team USA parade and went to compete in the world duathlon, so that was pretty cool. That was like my height of my athletic career,” he explained. We did some digging and found out that Nick competed shortly after graduating from his Michigan high school. In the 2016 World Championship, Nick finished in 16th place.
He prioritizes adventure in his life. “I like to go into a trip with a little bit of spontaneity, and I live my life like that, so if every second is planned out, that’s not going to work for me,” he told Tudum.
Nick also told the outlet that he hasn’t gone deep in past relationships out of fear of hurting them. “He’s so sensitive and always wants to fix things,” his mom said when she appeared in Episode 9. “He hates conflict. You always got to kind of scratch the surfaces to find out if something is bothering him.”
Nick’s dad (who competed with him in the aforementioned duathlon) and brother showed up in the episode, too. He also sister, though she wasn’t in the show. We do know, however, that Nick officiated her wedding a few years back.
What is Nick Amato’s job?
Nick is a luxury watch dealer, and he started his own business a few years ago. He started 1MoreTime Watches with his friend, Brian, according to the company’s website, and their clientele includes Guy Fieri. Not working a traditional 9-to-5 allows Nick to make time for adventures. “I’m most proud of finding a way to live my life on a different tempo and schedule than most,” he told Tudum.
What is the controversy surrounding Nick Amato?
In an Episode 4 conversation with his now-fiancée Annie Lancaster, Nick said that he thought identifying LGBTQ+ at a young age is a “fad.” He said, “When kids start having those thoughts too young… Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but that’s a concern for me because who’s telling you that?”
Nick followed up on his comments once the show premiered on October 1. “That conversation was very heavily sliced and diced,” Nick said in an October 3 Instagram video. “But call me shallow and call me horny and that I have no depth of character. I can take that. It’s reality TV. It’s fair game.”
He elaborated in the caption that he will “LOVE and support my future children unconditionally, no matter how they identify. I take full accountability for how my words came across but I am glad it provoked this discussion and my learning.”
He also added that his traditional Midwestern upbringing resulted in “certain blind spots.” He added, “That’s not an excuse, just part of the work I’m doing to grow and be better. I love and respect my LGBTQ+ friends deeply, and I’m committed my growth and to be a better ally.”
Who did Nick Amato date in the pods?
Nick found himself in a love triangle with Kait Nemunaitis and Annie. At one point he said his connection with Kait outweighed any others, but they had a falling out in Episode 4 when Kait said she’d never been a religious person.
Kait said she’d already disclosed that to him, but Nick claimed otherwise. Afterward, Nick chose Annie in Episode 5. As of Episode 9 of Season 9, Nick and Annie are still together.
Love Is Blind, Season 9, Episodes 1-9, Streaming Now, Netflix
Love Is Blind, Season 9, Episodes 10-11, October 15, Netflix
Love Is Blind, Season 9, Episode 12, October 22, Netflix
