Love Island USA star Cierra Ortega has issued an apology after she was removed from the Peacock reality dating series for using racial slurs online.
On the July 6 episode of the series, narrator Iain Stirling told viewers Cierra had “left the villa due to a personal situation.”
Late Wednesday, July 9, she posted a video and written statement on Instagram, saying she had just returned home from Fiji where the show is filmed in real-time.
“Now that I’ve been back in the U.S. for about 48 hours and I’ve had the chance to process, I now feel like I’m at a space where I can speak about this without being highly emotional because I am not the victim in this situation,” she stated. “I want to first start by addressing, not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community.”
Related: ‘Love Island USA’ Star Cierra Ortega Exits Amid Racism Scandal
Cierra’s exit from season 7 of the American version of the franchise came after social media users resurfaced some of her social media posts, including a controversial Instagram Story. The resurfaced story included a picture of her in the chair at a doctor’s office, with a caption about getting Botox and used a racial slur about Asian people.
“Botox isn’t for everyone but I love it for me!!! I am incredibly expressive with my face and I catch myself frowning for no reason throughout the day when I’m focusing on something or thinking too hard lol. I can also be a little ch—ky when I laugh/smile so I love getting a mini brow lift to open up my eyes and get that snatched look,” the caption read.
In her video statement, she insisted she didn’t know the word was offensive. “I genuinely had no idea that it was a slur,” she said.
“I am deeply, truly, honestly so sorry. 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,” she added.
Cierra is a digital content creator of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, according to published reports.
Since the controversy erupted, she said people have tried to get her family deported by calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As a result, her relatives no longer “feel safe in their own home.”
On Sunday, July 6, her parents released a lengthy statement on Instagram, saying they’d received “threats.”
“The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s heartbreaking,” the statement read. “We know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she’ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace…”
Cierra was the second cast member to leave the show early this season after Yulissa Escobar was sent home when fans uncovered clips of her using the N-word during a podcast interview.
Watch the video Cierra posted on Instagram below:
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