“Love Island USA” Contestant Cierra Ortega Faces Backlash Over Past Racist Remarks

Cierra Ortega, a contestant on the current season of Love Island USA, has come under fire after old social media posts revealed she used an Asian slur on two separate occasions.

In January 2015, Ortega shared a photo atop a mountain and described her squinting face with a racial slur. She again used the same slur in February 2023 during a social media story where she shared her experience getting Botox, claiming it provided a “mini brow lift to open up [her] eyes for a snatched look.”

When screenshots of her past remarks circulated online, a Reddit user claimed to have messaged Ortega in 2015 warning her about the slur’s inappropriateness. Critics have since called for her removal from the show, with many expressing outrage over her repeated use of the slur and condemning her as racist.

Many viewers and social media users called for her immediate termination, with some arguing that failure to remove her from the show would demonstrate a double standard. Critics also pointed out that Ortega’s past comments reflect ignorance and a lack of awareness, though some supporters minimized the issue as overblown or not racist.

The controversy is compounded by the show’s quick acknowledgment of another contestant, Yulissa Escobar, who was removed after racially insensitive comments surfaced shortly after her debut. The incident has sparked debates over accountability and the show’s standards for contestants’ past conduct.

Reps for NBC and Peacock have yet to comment on the situation.