In a series of videos on TikTok, Love Island USA‘s Cierra Ortega revealed whether she will be at the season 7 reunion — and if she heard from Nic Vansteenberghe or Olandria Carthen since they left the villa.
“At this point in time, I will not be at the reunion,” she said on the app on Sunday, July 27. “So I feel lighter knowing that my perspective and my thoughts and my feelings and my emotions are out there. This is the first step for me in moving on and being able to close this chapter of my life.”
Cierra noted that she still plans to take accountability for what caused her early exit from the show, adding, “I will never shy away from the fact that the experience did end negatively because of my own actions. And that is something I will have to deal with but I will say this whole thing has been amazing in so many great ways.”
Cierra entered the season 7 villa as a bombshell early in the summer. She quickly formed a connection with Nic, 24, which lasted until she was removed on a July episode due to a racist post from her Instagram account that resurfaced while she was offline in Fiji.
Love Island USA’ Star Cierra’s Unfiltered Comments About Nic and Olandria
“I am not the victim in the situation,” Cierra said in a separate Instagram video shared in July. “While I was in the villa, there were some posts that resurfaced from my past where I was very naively using an incredibly offensive and derogatory term. I want to first start by addressing not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended — but most importantly — the entire Asian community. I am deeply, truly, honestly, so sorry.”
Cierra claimed she didn’t know she was using a slur, saying, “I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm and came with the history that it did or I never would have used it. I had no ill intention when I was using it but that’s absolutely no excuse because intent doesn’t excuse ignorance. It just doesn’t.”
She continued: “I just need you to know that I am so sorry — but this is not an apology video. This is an accountability video. I do want to hold my hands up and say that I take accountability for using the word, but I do want it to be known that I genuinely had no idea that it was a slur. I had no idea of its meaning.”
With Cierra out of the villa, Nic chose to explore his connection with Olandria, 27, which viewers were rooting for all season.
“It seemed like I was jumping from Cierra to Olandria, which is just not true. We were taking baby steps because we were both kind of having those strong connections,” he exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this season. “It took longer than maybe what was perceived. We definitely took things at our own pace.”
Nic added: “[When it comes to reaching out to Cierra] I’m still processing everything with what’s happening. I need more time to think on it and go from there because it’s been it’s only been what a day?”
‘Love Island USA’ Season 7 Stars Nic and Olandria’s Relationship Timeline
Cierra, for her part, revealed on Sunday that she didn’t hear from Nic or Olandria.
“As a viewer watching on the outside, I saw their connection forming. I was like, ‘Damn, OK. It f***king hurts.’ But I think two things can exist at once. I can be sad for myself that I’m mourning this relationship — and all of these things that I thought were going to happen between us — and I can also be happy for two people that I care about,” she said on Sunday. “But as days went on and I didn’t hear from either of them, the more hurt I became.”
Not being in contact with her ex or her friend surprised Cierra.
“I thought that they would come out and embrace me. But as the days went on, it just felt like I never existed and like the friendship Olandria and I shared had never existed. And the relationship that Nic and I shared had never existed,” she continued. “It hurts being shot down with no closure. It’s closure that I’ve had to provide for myself and it’s a lot. I’m f**ing hurt but I’m also a f**ing adult. I have other s*** to deal with. There’s a lot in my life that I have to put together and I’m just going through the motions.”
Love Island USA is currently streaming on Peacock and the reunion airs Monday, August 25, at 9 p.m. ET.
