Vasana Montgomery has been pulled from the cast after videos of her using the racial slur resurfaced online.

*Love Island USA *drops contestant for using N-word days before season 8 premiere

Vasana Montgomery has been pulled from the cast after videos of her using the racial slur resurfaced online.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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May 31, 2026 11:47 a.m. ET

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Dropped 'Love Island USA' season 8 contestant Vasana Montgomery. Credit:

Courtesy of Peacock

- *Love Island USA *dropped a contestant days before the season 8 premiere.

- The show has cut Vasana Montgomery after videos of her using the N-word resurfaced.

- This marks the second year in a row that a contestant has been pulled from the cast for using a racial slur.

Days before* Love Island USA* is set to kick off its eighth season, islander Vasana Montgomery has been pulled from the show for using a racial slur.

The reality dating competition has dropped Montgomery, a 25-year-old business owner from Beaverton, Ore., from its cast, PEOPLE has confirmed.

Montgomery's removal from the Peacock series comes two days after the season 8 cast was announced. Following the reveal, two videos of Montgomery using the N-word resurfaced online, prompting immediate backlash. It is unclear if Montgomery had already entered the *Love Island USA* villa to begin filming for season 8 when she was cut from it.

In a promo reel for the upcoming season, Montgomery described herself as the "full package" and said her friends would "show you the world map" if they were asked to describe her "type."

The 'Love Island USA' season 8 cast.

Representatives for Peacock did not immediately respond to **'s request for comment.

This is not the first time *Love Island USA* has grappled with such a controversy. In fact, Montgomery's exit marks the second year in a row that a cast member has been ejected from the show at the last minute for using a racial slur.

Last year, contestant Yulissa Escobar was set to compete in season 7, but soon after she entered the villa, clips of her using the N-word reemerged online and she was abruptly pulled from the show. A representative for the show confirmed her departure to EW but did not provide a reason.

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Two days after her ousting, Escobar issued an apology for her use of the racial slur, telling fans on Instagram, "In those clips, I used a word I never should've used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn't trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn't excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It's tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use."

A month later, fellow season 7 contestant Cierra Ortega was removed from the Villa after sparking identical backlash. In the two posts shared in January 2015 and February 2023, Ortega allegedly appeared to use a racial slur referencing the Asian community to describe her smile while getting Botox.

Yulissa Escobar and Cierra Ortega on 'Love Island USA'.

Ben Symons/PEACOCK (2)

After the videos remerged and sparked outrage online, she disappeared from the show and narrator Iain Stirling announced that her exit was due to a "personal situation."

Ortega later issued an apology for the posts, taking "accountability" for "naively using an incredibly offensive and derogatory term." In a lengthy video, she told fans, "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. It just doesn't."

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Days prior to Montgomery's season 8 exit, a message on the show's official Instagram page asked fans to be respectful to the Islanders while watching the new season.

"The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community. We love seeing your reactions, opinions and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected," the statement said. "This is a space for fun, not negativity — so keep it king, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!"

*Love Island USA* season eight premieres on Peacock on Tuesday, June 2.

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