07-07-2025
From Cierra Ortega's ouster to Belle-A & Nic confrontation, 5 controversial moments from Love Island USA Season 7
Season 7 of Love Island USA has been a continual source of drama and has become one of the most talked-about seasons in the show's history, with headline-making moments that sparked outrage, divided the audience and triggered major online debates.
The latest dramatic moment to explode was the unceremonious exit of Cierra Ortega, a 25-year-old content creator, over allegations of racism. A viral screenshot of one of her earlier posts about Botox showed that she used an offensive racial slur targeting Asians.
After the resurfacing of the screenshot, Ortega was evicted from the Fiji villa. But, it wasn't the only controversy the Arizona contestant was embroiled in.
According to a Teen Magazine report, Cierra Ortega's arrival as a bombshell contestant disrupted the villa in no time. Ortega was embroiled in a love triangle fallout after contestant Nic, who was coupled up with Belle-A, decided to pair up with Cierra. Belle-A's fiery confrontation with Nic as she exited the villa only added fuel to an already tense atmosphere.
Cierra found herself in choppy waters with another contestant, Hannah, after she wore the latter's dress during the elimination ceremony. Many viewers reportedly felt Cierra's move was unnecessarily provocative and disrespectful.
If a love triangle and clothing dispute weren't enough, Cierra found herself hitting the headlines once again after she kissed fellow contestant Chelley Bissainthe during a challenge in Episode 8, as per Teen Magazine. Viewers engaged in discussions online, and some were even happy - particularly queer fans.
One of the most explosive moments, which occurred early in the season, was when Yulissa Escobar was abruptly removed from the villa. The decision came after old podcast clips surfaced, in which she was heard using the n-word. Yulissa later issued a public apology, but viewers weren't satisfied with her explanation.
Would you ever believe a kiss could spark political backlash? Well, the kiss between Jewish-Israeli influencer Elan Bibas and Palestinian contestant Huda Mustafa did! Although it seemed romantic on the surface, it quickly became a flashpoint for political and cultural discourse online.
A: Yulissa was removed after videos surfaced of her using racial slurs in a podcast. The show took swift action, though it did not air the full context.
A: Their kiss drew international attention due to their Israeli and Palestinian backgrounds, sparking widespread political debate online.
A: Cierra wore Hannah's dress while eliminating her from the island, which many fans saw as disrespectful and symbolic of rivalry.
A: Nic chose to recouple with Cierra instead of Belle-A during the first recoupling, leading to Belle-A's dramatic exit.
