Love Island USA is in hot water again after back-to-back racist scandals rocked the latest season—and now a veteran casting director is calling out the show’s producers for failing to properly vet contestants before putting them on screen.
After Cierra Ortega and Yulissa Escobar were both booted from the villa for past racist remarks, fans have been questioning how two controversial contestants managed to make it through the show’s screening process.
One industry insider says it’s not the casting recruiters who dropped the ball—but rather the production team itself.
A Reality TV “Massive Miss”
Joy Tenenberg, a respected Unscripted Casting Director and former Development Casting Producer for ITV (the British network behind Love Island UK), didn’t mince words when speaking about the scandal.
“This is a huge miss for production,” Tenenberg told TMZ. “The vetting process for a show like Love Island should be 15,000 steps long. The scrutiny is intense.”
She explained that while casting departments often rely on applicants to disclose anything problematic in their past, the ultimate responsibility falls on production and legal teams to dig deeper—especially for a global hit series with millions of viewers.
The Scandals That Sparked Outrage
This season of Love Island USA has been plagued by controversy:
- Yulissa Escobar was booted after fans unearthed past podcast clips where she casually used the N-word.
- Cierra Ortega was also removed from the show after an old post resurfaced where she used an anti-Asian slur.
Both women issued public apologies after being dumped from the villa, but the damage to the show’s reputation was done.
“Fans are furious these women were even platformed without proper research,” one viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“Some Things Can’t Be Predicted”
Tenenberg says that while casting departments can dig through social media and perform standard background checks, some scandals—like Cierra’s deleted post—can slip through the cracks.
“If it was deleted long ago and someone else was holding on to a screenshot to resurface later, that kind of thing can’t be predicted or prevented,” she explained.
However, she maintains that more recent or public missteps should absolutely have been caught before filming began.
A Pattern in Reality TV
This isn’t the first time reality TV has faced backlash for failing to properly screen contestants. Tenenberg pointed to Big Brother 25’s Luke Valentine, who was ejected from the house after casually dropping the N-word during a conversation with housemates.
“These kinds of scandals have plagued reality TV for years,” she said.
Was Production Rushed?
To be fair, Tenenberg acknowledges that Love Island USA’s production team may have been under pressure.
“The current state of Hollywood—with massive job cuts since the pandemic—means production teams are smaller and more rushed than ever. And when you’re rushed, mistakes happen.”
Still, fans aren’t letting the show off the hook. Many argue that in 2025, reality shows have no excuse for not performing thorough due diligence.
Accountability vs. Cancel Culture
Both Yulissa and Cierra posted “accountability videos” on Instagram after their exits, with Cierra even agreeing with producers’ decision to remove her. But critics say Love Island never should have put them in the spotlight in the first place.
“If these issues were flagged earlier, we wouldn’t be here now,” one casting veteran added.
What’s Next for ‘Love Island USA’?
With trust in its vetting process shaken, Love Island USA producers are likely to face intense scrutiny moving forward. Whether they’ll make major changes behind the scenes—or continue with business as usual—remains to be seen.
Do You Think Love Island Should Overhaul Its Casting Process?
Sound off in the comments—and stay tuned for more Love Island USA drama.
