Days before the premiere of Love Island USA's eighth season, islander Vasana Montgomery has been removed from the cast following the emergence of social media posts where she used the N-word.
Controversy Hits Love Island Again
Vasana Montgomery, a business owner from Beaverton, Oregon, was set to join the cast of the popular reality TV show. Her removal was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter just days after the initial season eight islanders were announced. This follows Love Island USA's previous season, which saw two cast members removed due to similar controversies.
Past Incidents in Season Seven
Season seven of Love Island USA also faced issues with racial slurs. Yulissa Escobar was an original cast member who was removed after clips of her using the N-word resurfaced online. A month later, Cierra Ortega was pulled from the show for a social media post featuring a racial slur.
Vetting Process Under Scrutiny
According to THR, the videos of Montgomery surfaced only after the season eight cast announcement, suggesting that they were privately owned and inaccessible during the initial vetting process. Montgomery's participation in the show's filming remains unclear as of now.
Despite Controversy, Ratings Soar
Despite these controversies, Love Island USA remains a hit on Peacock. The seventh season garnered 18.4 billion minutes of watch time over six weeks, making it Peacock's most-watched original series. Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales emerged as the winners of that season.
Season eight of Love Island USA is scheduled to premiere on Peacock on Tuesday.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/love-island-usa-drops-islander-season-8-n-word-1236609620/
