Vasana Montgomery will not be headed to the Love Island USA villa as planned.
Us Weekly has learned that Vasana, 25, has been cut from the season 8 premiere on Monday, June 2, due to two resurfaced social media videos where she appeared to use the n-word. In one video, she purportedly sings along to a song that includes the slur whereas she allegedly says “knock knock, n*****” while playing an arcade game in a second clip.
Us understands that both videos were privately owned so would not have been vetted by Love Island producers before her casting. Both clips have since been leaked publicly following the Love Island season 8 casting announcement, with numerous fans subsequently calling for her removal from the Peacock dating competition.
Us reached out to Peacock for comment.
Vasana was part of the official cast unveiled on Thursday, May 28, with the Beaverton, Oregon, native boasting in a pre-release teaser about what she’d bring to the villa.
“I think I am the full package,” she boasted. “I own a business; I live alone; I have a dog. If you were to ask my friends what my type is, they’d show you the world map.”
On the eve of Thursday’s casting announcement, Love Island shared a statement asking viewers not to engage in “negativity” about the cast.
“The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community,” an Instagram post read on . “We love seeing your reactions, opinions, and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected. This is a space for fun, not negativity – so keep it kind, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!”
Love Island faced two similar scandals in 2025. First, Love Island USA narrator Iain Stirling announced in season 7’s second episode that islander Yulissa Escobar “left the villa” after podcast clips of her allegedly using racial slurs circulated online.
“First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using. Podcast clips from years ago have recently resurfaced, and I want to address it directly,” Yulissa wrote via Instagram on June 6, 2025. “In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur.”
Yulissa, 28, added of the offensive podcast clips, “I used [a slur] 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.”
The following month, Cierra Ortega exited Love Island over resurfaced posts where she allegedly used an offensive term for Asian people. Cierra, 26, insisted that she was not aware the term she’d used was offensive.
“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 the situation,” Cierra said in an Instagram video on July 9, 2025. “While I was in the villa, there were some posts that resurfaced from my past where I was very naively using an incredibly offensive and derogatory term. I want to first start by addressing not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended — but most importantly — the entire Asian community. I am deeply, truly, honestly, so sorry.”
Love Island USA premieres on Peacock Monday, June 2.
