Get to Know Carl Schmidt, ‘Love Island USA’s Breakout Casa Amor Bombshell
What To Know
- Carl Schmidt quickly became a fan favorite on Love Island USA Season 8 during Casa Amor.
- He connected with Aniya Harvey during the twist.
- Carl shows off his active lifestyle on Instagram, and he previously dated an influencer.
The girls of Love Island USA Season 8 were presented with 12 single guys for the Casa Amor twist. During the June 22 episode, they whittled it down to their top six. Carl Schmidt was one of the newbies to make the cut. Not only did he make an impression on OG Islander Aniya Harvey, but he also stood out to viewers. A good number of them are already shipping Carl and Aniya online, especially after he gave her a cute Mandarin lesson.
One episode in, some fans are even already comparing them to Brandy’s Cinderella and Paolo Montalban‘s Prince Charming, as well as Princess and the Frog‘s Tiana and Prince Naveen. (Carl did once dress up as Mulan‘s Li Shang, which is kind of in the same wheelhouse.) Naturally, since the new bombshell is already generating a ton of buzz, Swooon did a deep dive into Carl’s background before he captured fans’ hearts on Love Island USA.
What is Carl Schmidt’s age?
Carl is one year younger than the oldest villa resident at 28. (For reference, Aniya is 23.)
Where is Carl Schmidt from?
Carl is based in Denver, Colorado, though he spent some time in Minnesota for college. According to his Instagram, he graduated from Carleton College in 2020 with a degree in Asian Studies. In 2025, he completed a Pre-Physical Therapy Studies program at the University of Colorado Boulder.
If you want a glimpse at Carl studying abroad in Japan, which he mentioned in his intro episode, look no further. He documented the experience on his Instagram.
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What is Carl Schmidt’s job?
Carl is certified as a personal trainer, and he’s been working as a physical therapy aide since 2022, according to his LinkedIn. Before that, he worked for several months as a personal trainer in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
In his Instagram bio, Carl mentions that he’s the founder of Hapa Strong, which has the goal of “empowering Asian men to reclaim their strength and masculinity through fitness.” His social media also shows that he’s done some modeling for Reebok.
He also has a seriously active lifestyle: He’s played lacrosse and volleyball, the latter of which he has in common with Amiya. He also played football in high school and college.
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Who is Carl’s ex?
Fun fact: Before he started looking for love on TV, Carl dated influencer Caroline Cray. She posted about her ex going on Love Island on her TikTok. She revealed that they started dating in 2022, right after she graduated from college. They met on Nantucket and dated for a couple of years, spending most of their time together in the summers. They worked at the same country club.
They broke up because they lived in separate states — he lives in Colorado, while she’s in Massachusetts. Fans had wondered if Carl was the “crazy toxic ex” Caroline had previously referred to, but she stressed that Carl wasn’t that guy.
What is Carl’s Instagram?
Carl chronicles his outdoorsy, sporty excursions on his profile, @carl_witness_lee. He also has an account dedicated entirely to fitness.
Love Island USA, Season 8, Every Night Except Wednesdays, 9/8c, Peacock
