Love Island USA has removed Vasana Montgomery from its upcoming eighth season after videos surfaced of her using a racial slur. The 25-year-old was shown using the n-word in two separate videos that began circulating online following the cast announcement on 30 May.
Montgomery, who was set to appear on the reality dating show premiering 2 June on Peacock, will no longer feature. The videos appeared to have been shared privately and were not caught during the vetting process. In the cast announcement teaser, Montgomery had described herself as “the full package”.
This is the second consecutive year that Love Island USA has removed a cast member over resurfaced videos of racial slurs. Last season, Yulissa Escobar was ejected during the second episode for using the n-word, and later Cierra Ortega left after a video emerged of her using a racist term for Asian people. Huda Mustafa, however, remained on the show after a similar controversy.
It is unclear whether Montgomery will be replaced before the premiere. She has not publicly commented on her dismissal. The new season, hosted by Ariana Madix, features a diverse cast including Paralympic athlete Beatriz Hatz and British-born islander Zach Georgiou.
