The Love Island USA effect is not limited to these four women. The show has also brought notoriety and fame to their male partners and other Islanders, as well. But the breakout stars of the Peacock dating series are experiencing these phenomena on another level, with built-in fanbases that follow and support every campaign they take part in, both on and off social media. In a landscape where fame equates to followers and followers equate to money, these four Black women are raking in the profits and new opportunities their newfound fame has brought, and Black women are to thank for it.
On the Love Island USA Season 8 reunion, which aired Aug. 31 on Peacock, mistreatment on social media was a recurring theme among the Islanders, specifically the Black Islanders, who spoke about receiving death threats, racial slurs, and discriminatory harassment from fans of the Fiji-set dating franchise. “I don’t stand for racism towards me, towards Titi [Tierra Davis], and any of the other cast members, which is a big reason why I haven’t really been on social media,” said KC Chandler on the reunion stage. “I wanted to get my mind right and really focus on what matters to me, which is my family and my mental health.”
Aniya Harvey and Carl Schmidt, Melanie Moreno and Sincere during the Season 8 reunion —Courtesy of PeacockIt is no secret that reality television has historically been unwelcoming and unsafe for Black women. Nor is Love Island USA the first unscripted television show to have a toxic fandom. But the lack of protections for these stars, in addition to being an ethical lapse with serious ramifications for their mental health, could pose a threat to the future of the franchise. Fans are loyal to Islanders more than to the show itself, and if the show’s biggest stars are no longer in its orbit, it becomes harder to keep their devotees in that orbit too. The trio of friends nicknamed PPG—Leah Kateb, Serena Page, and JaNa Craig—who catapulted the unscripted series into fame in Season 6, have publicly distanced themselves from the dating show. Carthen took a similar tack after last year’s reunion. And Moreno claimed not to have tuned in to the Season 8 reunion via an post on the official Shondaland Instagram page.
The franchise has perhaps inadvertently shown fans the downsides of being a part of it. Beyond The Villa became its first spinoff series following the breakout success of Season 6, which saw significant growth in the show’s stateside audience. The spinoff followed the fan favorites of that season as they adjusted to their newfound fame in Los Angeles. The show was meant to be an inside look into the lives of America’s favorite Islanders, but it wasn’t all glamorous. Viewers were privy to these young adults’ experiences of heightened anxiety, depression, struggles with their shifting personal and professional identities, and other issues related to their participation. And its window into Black female cast members’ experiences was grimmest of all. Season 2 of the spinoff did not feature runner-up Nic Vansteenberghe, Carthen, Mustafa, nor Allen “Ace” Steve Greene and Michelle “Chelley” Evelyn Bissainthe, after many of them expressed frustration over the way they were depicted. The spinoff was renewed for a third season, but the likelihood of Season 8's core four joining is slim to none—though contractual obligations mean other new opportunities may be temporarily limited.
Zach Georgiou and Kayda Bosse —Courtesy of Peacock
Yet no discussion about the series’ record-breaking viewership or Islanders’ post-show deals is complete without acknowledging the impact of the discourse online. Islanders receive a psychological screening before they begin filming the show, and they have access to on-site psychological support in Fiji. But the support does not seem to adequately address one of the biggest threats to contestants’ wellbeing: fear of their fans. When Peele interviewed former Islanders for Enter The Villa and conversations touched on their hesitancy to step in when another Islander was being harassed, they described the fans as terrifying. “ There's a moral imperative to do the right thing and to do what's right. But they can't control them,” says Peele. Fred Johnson, a talent manager at Select Management Group, the agency that represents Love Island USA Season 7 fan favorite Jeremiah Brown, told The Ankler, “The audience that takes a typical content creator years to build pretty much arrives overnight” for an Islander.
It is impossible to fully curb racism and sexism online. But that doesn’t mean the franchise can’t take meaningful steps toward creating a safer workplace and post-show experience for Black women—one that might encourage them to invest in it rather than move away from it as quickly as contractually possible. When asked what changes could be made to improve the conditions for Black women on Love Island USA and those who watch it, Taylor had one clear starting point. “ Black women put a lot of effort into the show because we've had to fight for the representation that we have. Both franchises [Love Island and Love Island USA] have had a Black couple win or a Black woman win. [The producers of these shows] need to be more conscious of things like online misogyny influencing the people that come on, and misogynoir, misogyny in general, so that they can keep an eye out for it.” This includes in the casting process, when prospective Islanders are asked about their dating preferences.
Love Island USA remains in a moment of major growth and unprecedented attention. Madix secured the series’ first Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program. She will host Season 9 of the franchise, along with Love Island Games, in 2027. Viewership is growing: 35% of viewers this summer were new to watching the series. And the Season 8 reunion closed with an announcement that casting is already underway for the next crew of Islanders. But more eyeballs bring more scrutiny, and growth cannot be sustained without the very people who made it possible. Let’s hope that expansion brings more discussions about continuous protection for the Black women who will join the franchise in addition to those who came before. Because no amount of fame can compensate for the damage done by anti-Black racism and sexism. And the show is nothing without its brightest stars.
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