Cierra from Love Island USA Shares Her Plans for the Season 7 Reunion

In a series of TikTok videos, Love Island USA’s Cierra Ortega discussed her absence from the season 7 reunion and whether she has heard from Nic Vansteenberghe or Olandria Carthen since their departure from the villa.

“As of now, I will not be attending the reunion,” she stated on the app on Sunday, July 27. “I feel relieved knowing that my thoughts and feelings are out in the open. It’s a crucial step in moving forward and closing this chapter of my life.”

Cierra acknowledged that she intends to take responsibility for the circumstances surrounding her early exit, remarking, “I won’t shy away from the fact that my actions led to a negative outcome. It’s something I must confront, but I also believe this experience has been incredibly valuable in many ways.”

Cierra entered the season 7 villa as a bombshell early in the summer. She quickly formed a bond with Nic, 24, which lasted until her removal in a July episode due to a resurfaced racist post from her Instagram account while she was offline in Fiji.

“I am not the victim in this situation,” Cierra mentioned in a separate Instagram video shared in July. “During my time in the villa, past posts resurfaced where I naively used a highly offensive and derogatory term. I want to start by addressing not just those I may have hurt, but especially the entire Asian community. I am genuinely, profoundly, and truly sorry.”

Cierra claimed she was unaware of the slur’s connotation, stating, “I had no knowledge that the word carried such pain and history. Had I known, I would never have used it. My intent was never harmful, but that doesn’t excuse my ignorance.”

She continued: “I want you to know that I am sincerely apologetic — but this isn’t just an apology video. It’s a video of accountability. I take responsibility for my usage of the term, and I want to emphasize that I genuinely didn’t understand it was a slur or its implications.”

After Cierra was out of the villa, Nic chose to pursue his connection with Olandria, 27, which viewers had been hoping for all season.

“It may have appeared as if I was moving from Cierra to Olandria, but that’s not accurate. We were taking small, intentional steps because we both had strong connections,” he exclusively shared with Us Weekly earlier this season. “It took longer than it may have seemed. We were definitely moving at our own pace.”

Nic added: “[Regarding reaching out to Cierra] I’m still processing everything that has transpired. I need more time to think and figure things out because it’s only been about a day.”

Cierra, for her part, revealed on Sunday that she hadn’t heard from Nic or Olandria.

“As a viewer, I observed their connection evolve. I thought, ‘Wow, that hurts.’ However, I believe two emotions can coexist. I can be sad about mourning this relationship — and the expectations I had for us — while also feeling happy for both of them,” she expressed on Sunday. “But as the days went by without hearing from either, my hurt deepened.”

Not hearing from her ex or her friend was surprising for Cierra.

“I expected them to reach out. As the days passed, it felt as if I never existed and the friendship Olandria and I had was erased. The relationship Nic and I shared felt like it never happened,” she continued. “It stings to be left without closure. I’ve had to create my closure, and it’s a lot. I’m truly hurt, but I know I’m an adult and have other challenges in life. I’m just navigating through it all.”

Love Island USA is currently available for streaming on Peacock, and the reunion is scheduled to air Monday, August 25, at 9 p.m. ET.