Love Island star Cierra Ortega leaves show due to resurfaced racist posts
“Love Island” star Cierra Ortega has left the show after resurfaced online posts featured her using a racial slur targeting East Asian people. The 25-year-old exited the Peacock reality series, promising contestant Nic Vansteenberghe will carry on without her. Despite not having access to social media while filming, Ortega’s parents acknowledged the situation, calling it one of the most painful weeks of their lives. They addressed the online backlash, asking for compassion and human decency. Ortega is expected to take responsibility in her own time and voice. In light of this scandal, Ortega has allegedly lost 200,000 followers and faced a petition to have her removed, paralleled by an earlier exit this season by Yulissa Escobar, who used a racial slur on podcasts. Escobar expressed regret and recognized the weight and trauma associated with the term. The seventh season of “Love Island USA” airs daily on Peacock.
