NEED TO KNOW
- Cierra Ortega has spoken out for the first time following her July 6 exit from Love Island USA
- Fans were told the 25-year-old left the villa due to a “personal situation,” but the exit came after posts had resurfaced where Cierra used a racial slur
- Her family previously asked for patience as she left the villa and got her phone back
Cierra Ortega is breaking her silence following her dramatic exit from Love Island USA.
The 25-year-old’s departure from the Fiji villa was announced during the July 6 episode and explained as a “personal situation.” However, the exit came after posts from her past that saw her using racial slurs had resurfaced online.
Three days after Cierra’s exit from the villa, she issued a video and a written statement on Instagram about the posts and her departure. The TV personality explained she has been back in the U.S. for two days and is ready to “speak about this without being highly emotional, because I’m not the victim in this situation.”
“I want to first start by addressing, not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community,” she began. “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.”
Cierra then recalled the events that led to the post and its removal.
“I take accountability for using the word, but I do want it to be known that I genuinely had no idea that it was a slur,” she said before noting that after making a public Instagram Story in 2024, a follower corrected her and informed her of the derogatory and “incredibly hurtful” language.
“In that moment, I was embarrassed,” she said. “I, of course, immediately deleted the post. I was apologetic, and I educated not only myself on the true meaning and history of the word, but also anyone around me who was accidentally holding space for this slur.”
Next, she said she completely agreed with the network’s decision to remove her from the villa. “I think that this is something that deserved punishment, and the punishment has absolutely been received,” she said.
Although “the backlash has obviously been very hard to deal with,” Cierra noted, she does “understand where the hate is coming from.” She added that she is trying to “drown out the noise,” but she has received death threats.
She also said that it has been “extremely, extremely difficult” to watch how “people are approaching [her] family and [her] loved ones.” Noting that her family had Immigration and Customs Enforcement called on them, and they don’t “feel safe in their own home.”
“If you want to know that you are heard and that I’m sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you that’s what will happen,” she continued.
“I know that no apology could ever be enough for the harm that I’ve caused and the offense that’s taken place,” she continued, before concluding, “I know that moving forward, my actions and how I decide to live my life from here on out, is going to speak louder than any apology ever could. But I do need it to be known that I am sorry, and I did mean no harm.”
Cierra’s family previously released a statement after the episode in which she exited the villa aired.
In a statement posted on their daughter’s Instagram Stories, her family called out the hate that they were facing and that was being directed at their daughter amid the backlash.
“We’re not here to justify or ignore what’s surfaced. We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what’s happening online right now has gone far beyond that,” the statement read.
“The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s heartbreaking, It’s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made.”
Her family promised that Cierra would “face this with honesty, growth, and grace” and “take responsibility” once she had her phone back.
“Until then, we’re simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
New episodes of Love Island USA drop every day except Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Read the full article here
