Season seven of Love Island USA is proving that the genre of dating reality television is here to stay. Despite this, there’s been a bit of controversy surrounding this installation, and Cierra Ortega has now been sent home, rendering her love interest, Nic Vansteenberghe, single. The latest is that her parents have issued a statement
Fans of Love Island USA recently uncovered a pair of racist social media posts that Cierra had made. One of the two images was from as late as 2023. Following this, reports surfaced that the production team behind the hit Peacock series was holding meetings to determine their best course of action for the controversial reality star.
Now, as Cierra’s exit from the series has been confirmed, her parents have spoken out on the matter in a post shared to Cierra’s official Instagram page. They began, “As Cierra’s parents, this has been one of the most painful weeks of our lives.”
Her parents continued, “We’ve seen the posts, the headlines, the hurt and the hate. And while Cierra hasn’t seen any of it yet, we have. And so have the people who love her.” Her parents went on to say that they do not intend to “justify or ignore” what Cierra posted. Still, they say that the social media response has “gone far beyond” accountability.
They went on, “The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s heartbreaking. It’s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made. While Cierra is not in the Villa anymore, she is still away. She hasn’t had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself.”
Cierra’s parents added, “But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she’ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace.” Ultimately, her parents asked for compassion and “basic human decency” from Love Island USA fans who are upset over Cierra’s harmful social media posts.
Love Island USA airs on Peacock.
