Cierra Ortega Absent from “Love Island USA” Season 7 Reunion

August 26, 2025 - Reality dating star Cierra Ortega did not appear at last night’s Season 7 reunion of Love Island USA, igniting fresh debate among fans and critics about her controversial exit earlier this summer.

During the Peacock-streamed special hosted by Andy Cohen and Ariana Madix, the Villa’s two midseason departures-Ortega and Yulissa Escobar-were both notably missing from the red-carpet line-up. Ortega, who was removed on Day 26 after racially insensitive social media posts resurfaced, had been the subject of intense social-media backlash and public scrutiny since her abrupt departure.

Reunion highlights instead focused on explosive confrontations among the remaining cast members, including heated exchanges between the “Casa Girls” and the “Original Girls,” and a televised apology from fellow Islander Taylor Williams to Olandria Carthen. But questions immediately arose about why Ortega was not invited to reconcile or respond to lingering fan questions about her sudden exit and her relationship with Nic Vansteenberghe.

Social-media reactions skewed overwhelmingly negative among those hoping for closure. On X (formerly Twitter), fans lamented that Ortega’s absence left critical topics-such as whether production would formally address accountability for past behavior-unresolved. One viewer posted, “If you’re going to bring up every scandal from this season, where’s Cierra’s side? They can’t just erase her story,” while another noted, “The reunion without Cierra felt incomplete-there was so much left unsaid.”

Producers have not publicly commented on the decision to omit Ortega. Sources close to production suggest that inviting her back could reignite the controversy that marred the Villa dynamic and overshadow the reunion’s focus on the finalists. Peacock representatives did not respond to requests for comment on reunion casting choices.

With Love Island Games slated to premiere September 16 and Love Island Australia returning later this year, the franchise’s producers appear determined to keep momentum despite the fallout. For Ortega, however, the reunion snub marks another chapter in a summer defined by controversy, unanswered questions, and an unfinished narrative that continues to divide fans.