The Love Island franchise doesn’t hesitate to remove cast members if any controversies arise. The latest incident with the American show came just days before its eighth season aired, when Vasana Montgomery was suddenly kicked out of the Villa without even entering the Villa yet.
Her exit follows several similar incidents across the Love Island USA franchise in recent years, raising questions about the show’s casting and vetting process. Below, find out which contestants have been removed from Love Island and the controversies that led to their departures
Yulissa Escobar
Yulissa Escobar was removed from the Villa shortly after season 7 premiered in 2025. Production ousted Yulissa after a video of her using a racial slur emerged.
Yulissa Escobar details her exit from #LoveIsland. (: TT) https://t.co/Cd5aUWoaXD pic.twitter.com/L5GQBT9Fki
— E! News (@enews) July 4, 2025
“First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using,” Yulissa wrote in a 2025 statement. “Podcast clips from years ago have recently resurfaced, and I want to address it directly. In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn’t trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn’t excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It’s tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use.”
Cierra Ortega
Cierra Ortega had to leave the Villa during season 7 after a past incident surfaced of her using an anti-Asian slur. She apologized for her actions in a subsequent video on social media.
Love Island USA’s Cierra Ortega has shared an accountability video following backlash over her use of an Asian slur. pic.twitter.com/sWjXN22FEG
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 10, 2025
“I want to first start by addressing, not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community,” Cierra said. “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. I had no ill intention when I was using it. But that’s absolutely no excuse, because intent doesn’t excuse ignorance.”
Vasana Montgomery
Vasana was announced as a member of the Love Island USA Season 8 cast but never made it into the villa. Shortly after the cast reveal, videos resurfaced online showing Vasana using racial slurs as a teenager. Peacock subsequently removed her from the season before the June 2026 premiere. After her exit, Vasana issued a public apology, saying she took “full responsibility” for her past actions and acknowledged the harm caused by her words.
