Cierra Ortega has officially left the villa on “Love Island USA” amid increasing social media criticism for her use of a racial slur in old posts.
The news came during Sunday night’s episode of the Peacock reality dating show, as narrator Iain Stirling revealed: “Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation, leaving Nic [Vansteenberghe] officially single.” No further reasoning was given on the show, but Ortega’s parents posted a statement to their daughter’s Instagram story, calling for compassion.
“As Cierra’s parents, this has been one of the most painful weeks of our lives,” they wrote. “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.”
“We’re not here to justify or ignore what’s surfaced,” they continued. “We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what’s happening online right now has gone far beyond that.”
The posts that surfaced involved Ortega referring to her eyes, using a racial slur typically targeting the Asian community. Following the discovery of the posts, fans began calling for her removal from the show. Her exit was then met with celebrations from some viewers online.
Ortega now marks the second “Love Island USA” Season 7 contestant to exit the show this summer due to racial slurs. At the start of June, Yulissa Escobar was kicked off the show after just two episodes after podcast clips resurfaced showing her using racial slurs.
In their statement, Ortega’s parents added, “We know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she’ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace.”
“Love Island USA” streams every night but Wednesday on Peacock.
