'Love Island USA' Drama: Cierra Ortega's Shocking Exit After Racial Slur Scandal Leaves Cast Reeling — As Star Issues Apology For 'Thoughtless' Remark
Cierra Ortega's past use of a racial slur caused her to be removed from 'Love Island USA.'
July 10 2025, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
Love Island USA Season 7 star Cierra Ortega's drama didn't stop with her stunning exit from the show following a racial slur scandal. She's spoken out and issued an apology as her fellow cast members expressed their thoughts about her departure.
Ortega, 25, left the Peacock dating series on Sunday, July 6, when narrator Iain Stirling revealed to the cast that she had exited the villa for good due to “personal reasons."
Cierra Ortega 'Very Naively' Used a Racial Slur
Cierra Ortega's sudden exit from the villa shocked fans and cast mates.
While Ortega was appearing on the show, past social media posts resurfaced where she made a racial slur about Asians. Soon, a petition was started aiming to get the Arizona native booted from the series.
It read in part, "Love Island USA needs to acknowledge the racism against the Asian community and hold Cierra accountable for her blatant racism."
Ortega issued a profuse apology in an "accountability video" on Wednesday, July 9, two days after returning back to the States. The reality star acknowledged how she "very naively" used an "incredibly offensive and derogatory term."
"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," Ortega said. "I had no ill intention when I was using it."
A 'Learning Moment'
Cierra Ortega released an 'accountability video' acknowledging her mistakes.
Ortega explained how in 2024, a fan messaged her about the use of the term after she used it in a post and following an informative exchange, she "removed" it from her vocabulary and deleted the item. However, prior posts surfaced with the use of the slur before she had her "learning moment."
The content creator expressed how she "completely agreed" with the network's decision to remove her from Love Island USA and what she said was "something that deserved punishment."
Ortega shared the disturbing news that the backlash against her had now affected her family.
“What’s been extremely, extremely difficult is the way people are approaching my family and my loved ones,” she shared. “They have had ICE called on them. My family does not feel safe in their own home. I have received death threats.”
How Did Nic Vansteenberghe Handle Cierra Ortega's Departure?
Cierra Ortega and Nic Vansteenberghe were coupled up on 'Love Island USA' Season 7
One of Ortega's costars shared how her love interest on the show, Nic Vansteenberghe, took her sudden departure extremely hard. The pair's romance came to an abrupt end when he found out at the same time as the rest of the castmates that she had left the villa.
“When Cierra left, the producers gathered us all together, and they said, ‘Unfortunately, Cierra has broken some of the policies of our guidelines. She’ll no longer be here in the villa. And that’s the only information we can give you guys,'” recently departed Zak Srakaew shared told fans in a TikTok Live on Tuesday, July 8.
“Nic was really upset that she left, but at the same time, he couldn’t really be super upset, or like, he couldn’t express how he feels about the situation until he found out what she’s done or what she’s said,” Srakaew added.
Another 'Love Island USA' Season 7 Contestant Got Booted for Using a Racial Slur
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Cierra Ortega wasn't the only contestant to get booted from the show due to the use of a racial slur.
“Right before Cierra had left, my mind was clear,” Vansteenberghe shared in a confessional shortly after the announcement that Ortega was no longer on show. “I knew what the future would look like, and now I’m lost. I think now that my strongest connection is gone, there’s like — just figure it out from here.”
Ortega became the second contestant to leave Love Island USA Season 7 amid a racial slur scandal. Yulissa Escobar was removed from the villa in the second episode after a past podcast resurfaced where she repeatedly used the N-word.
Escobar issued her own take on their situations in a TikTok video on July 7.
“I know what she did was wrong, but we need to stop fighting hate with hate,” Escobar told fans. “The cyberbullying has gone to another level.”
