Cierra Ortega’s Team Responds to Racist Post Ahead of Love Island USA Departure

Cierra Ortega’s friends have spoken out regarding her resurfaced racist post just days before her exit from Love Island USA.

In the Sunday, July 6 episode of the Peacock series, narrator Iain Stirling announced that Cierra “left the villa due to a personal situation,” officially leaving her partner Nic Vansteenberghe single. This unexpected turn of events came as a shock to many viewers, especially as the controversy had been brewing in the days leading up to her departure.

Sharp-eyed social media users discovered Cierra’s past post, which included a derogatory slur, while season 7 was in production. Consequently, her social media manager and friend MJ Hedderman chose to “take a step back” during the tumultuous situation.

“Hi everyone, I see the comments regarding someone I love and care about. I want to clarify that I do not condone racism, bigotry, or hate in any form, nor was I aware of the recent screenshots until they were shared,” MJ’s Instagram Story stated on Friday, July 4. “I found out at the same time as all of you.”

MJ continued: “I cannot represent anyone else’s views or speak on their behalf, and I’ve opted to step back from managing her account. Her family requested that I turn off comments and refrain from addressing this on her behalf. This has been a challenging situation, and I am still processing everything.”

Meanwhile, Cierra’s friend Johnnie Olivia issued a similar statement regarding the controversy.

“I’m sure many of you have noticed my silence regarding Love Island and my public support for my friend on the show. This decision came after I encountered a post featuring a racial slur for the first time,” she wrote on Instagram on Friday. “I enjoyed supporting her throughout her time on the show, but upon discovering that post, I felt it was essential to step back.”

Johnnie made it clear that she is distancing herself from Cierra, stating, “I do not support or condone that kind of language, and I never will. Racism in any form is unacceptable. To be clear, unless you are Asian, you do not have the authority to determine whether that word is offensive. It is important that those who aren’t Asian refrain from discussing the seriousness and impact of that word.”

This season’s cast members have faced backlash for their past posts after entering the villa. The Islanders are kept apart from the outside world during filming Love Island USA, which helps them focus on finding love, and they don’t have access to their phones until they officially leave. That’s when they learn about public reactions to their time on the show.

Yulissa Escobar was the first Islander to be removed from the villa this season. Her exit followed the circulation of clips showing Yulissa using racial slurs on a podcast.

“I was called to the front and met with one of the producers, who asked me to take off my mic,” she explained in a TikTok video from July. “I thought something serious had happened. Honestly, I was scared. I assumed it was a family emergency. They didn’t give me detailed information, just that a video had resurfaced online, and it wasn’t good. I had no idea what video or context they were referring to.”

She continued: “I didn’t get my phone back for another two days because they were waiting for the episodes I was in to air. I was literally losing my mind in my hotel room, not knowing what was going on. I just knew there was a video out there. I understand that I said a word I should not have. I regret saying it. It is what it is; I can’t go back in time. I apologize for my choice of words.”

Austin Shepard was another cast member who issued an apology for his online posts.

“I want to take a moment to address my recent repost that has offended some of you,” he shared in his Instagram Stories on Saturday, July 5. “As many of you know, I have a very dry sense of humor, and I genuinely didn’t think before sharing that content.”

Austin added, “It was never my intention to hurt or upset anyone. I respect and value all individuals and their perspectives.”

Fellow season 7 contestant Jeremiah Brown recently shared insights on how Islanders typically discover someone’s unexpected exit.

“They never informed me directly. We weren’t told anything in the villa,” he said during the “Speedy Morman” show on Monday, June 30, regarding Yulissa’s departure. “They mentioned she left for personal reasons — I can confirm that. I found out later, after retrieving my phone, about what had really happened.”

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week—except Wednesdays—on Peacock.