Cierra Ortega’s sudden exit from Season 7 of Love Island USA didn’t come as a shock to many viewers — many fans were actually calling for it after pictures of the islander using a racial slur resurfaced online. (Her Campus previously reached out to Cierra’s team for comment, and she has since apologized for the remarks.) But what wasn’t clear was how producers handled the situation inside the villa, and what they told Nic Vansteenberghe, the islander Cierra was coupled up with.
In a post-villa interview with Chicks in the Office, Nic shared that producers didn’t give him an actual reason as to why Cierra was removed. “It was a completely normal day. She just left,” Nic explained. “Was I expecting her to be removed from the villa? No. Like, you know, I had no idea why. I was lost and confused.”
Nic said producers told him it was for “personal reasons,” and left it at that. Nic said it was a tough moment for him, especially given how close their connection had become after very recently making their relationship exclusive. “This is someone I’m closed off with. This is someone I have a really close relationship with. And I was definitely strongly considering leaving,” Nic shared.
Ultimately, Nic stayed in the villa, eventually coupling up with fellow islander Olandria Carthen. Many viewers were critical of Nic for moving on so quickly from his relationship with Cierra, but he said this wasn’t the case. “It took a lot of time and a lot of conversation, and really feeling lost together,” Nic explained. “And I think when we kind of joined up, it was this really team effort, and I think that’s what bonded us at first.”
Nic’s comments offer a look into how producers handle real-world controversies inside the villa, and just how little the Islanders actually know about what’s happening outside. While fans were aware of the reasoning behind Cierra’s removal, Nic was left in the dark.
Since her exit, Cierra posted an accountability video on Instagram, saying she fully supports the network’s decision to remove her. “I completely agree with the network’s decision to remove me from the villa. I think that this is something that deserved punishment,” she said.
As for Nic and Olandria? In the finale, they both said they want to continue exploring their connection in the real world. While Nic and Olandria didn’t immediately see their potential for a connection, many fans did. Viewers had been rooting for them after they shared a secret kiss in the very first episode.
For more behind-the-scenes tea and updates on which connections are surviving beyond the villa, islanders will reunite at the Love Island USA Season 7 reunion, which will air on Aug. 25 on Peacock.