Vasana Montgomery, the 25-year-old “Love Island USA” Season 8 contestant that was dismissed for using the n-word in social media videos, issued a formal apology on Wednesday.
In message shared on her Instagram Story, Montgomery admitted to using the racial slur, but noted that the social media videos in-question were from her “teen years.”
“I want to address a couple videos from my teen years that have recently resurfaced,” she wrote. “In those videos, I used a racial slur. There is no excuse for it, and I am deeply sorry. I am embarrassed and disappointed by my words. I take full responsibility for what I said and understand why it has hurt and upset people.”
She continued: “Since then, I have grown a lot as a person and taken the time to educate myself, listen, learn and better understand the impact that language can have. That growth does not erase my mistake, and I am not asking anyone to excuse it. I believe people should be held accountable for their actions, but I also believe in growth, learning and becoming better. To anyone I hurt or disappointed, I am truly sorry.”
Montgomery was set to star on Season 8 of Peacock’s “Love Island USA,” but was let go from the show two days after her casting was made public. Specifically, Montgomery was removed from the show after a social video showed her saying, “Knock knock, n—-.” Additionally, another social video saw her rapping along to lyrics that included the n-word.
Montgomery is not the first “Love Island” contestant to be dismissed over racial remarks. Last year, the show booted Yulissa Escobar for using the same slur, and Cierra Ortega was dismissed after she used a slur against Asian people.
Fans speculated that controversy may’ve been brewing before the cast announcement dropped at the end of May, especially as “Love Island USA” called on their viewers to play nice online.
“The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community,” the message posted to Instagram read. “We love seeing your reactions, opinions and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.”
The statement continued: “This is a space for fun, not negativity – so keep it kind, keep it positive and remember: this is LOVE island!”
Plenty of “Love Island USA” fans chimed in with some cheeky responses at the time, with one fan commenting, “Let’s vote for who gets canceled first.” Another wrote, “The disclaimer before releasing the cast tells me all I need to know.” A third noted, “This post seems performative af.”
“Love Island USA” Season 8 airs nightly at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
