“Necessary to take a step back" - Cierra Ortega’s friend after resurfaced posts spark backlash on Love Island USA

Love Island USA season 7 contestant Cierra Ortega is facing criticism after past social media posts resurfaced, with viewers calling out the use of a racial slur referencing Asian communities. In response to the backlash, her close friends have decided to distance themselves from managing her social media accounts while she remains in the villa.

In an Instagram story posted on July 5, Johnnie Oliva—a former contestant from Love Island USA season 5 and a longtime friend of Cierra—shared why she could no longer support her publicly.

“I loved supporting her during the time on the show, but once I came across that post, I felt it was necessary to take a step back. I do not support or condone that kind of language, never have, never will,” she wrote.

She added:

“Racism in any form is unacceptable, and to be clear, unless you are Asian, you do not get to decide whether or not that word is offensive. Anyone who isn’t Asian should not be speaking about the seriousness or impact of that word.”

Another friend, MJ Hedderman, also stepped down from handling Ortega’s online presence, stating she was unaware of the posts and needed time to process the situation.

Johnnie Oliva distances herself from Love Island USA star Cierra Ortega after seeing resurfaced post

Johnnie Oliva, who appeared on Love Island USA season 5, was one of the first people close to Cierra Ortega to speak out after the resurfaced post triggered backlash online. In her Instagram story shared on July 5, she said she had refrained from posting about the show recently and explained why she could no longer publicly support Cierra.

“I’m sure many of you have noticed I have refrained from talking about Love Island and have stopped publicly supporting my friend on the show. This was after I saw the post involving a racial slur for the first time,” she wrote.

Love Island USA star Johnnie shared that she had enjoyed supporting Cierra while she was on the show, but the resurfaced post changed everything.

MJ Hedderman steps away from running Cierra Ortega’s account amid controversy

Alongside Johnnie Oliva, another person close to Cierra Ortega also decided to step back from public support. MJ Hedderman, who had been managing Cierra’s social media account during her time in Love Island USA villa, issued a statement of her own, explaining the situation and her personal decision.

“Hi guys, I see your comments concerning someone I love and care about. I want to be clear that I do not condone racism, bigotry, or hate in any way shape or form nor was I aware of the recent screenshots until they were posted,” she shared.

MJ clarified that she had no prior knowledge of the resurfaced posts and learned about them at the same time as the public. After realising the seriousness of the situation, she made the decision to remove herself from managing the account.

“I discovered it at the same time as all of you did. I cannot speak for anybody or make any statements besides my own, and decided to take a step back from running her account,” she wrote.

MJ also shared that Cierra’s family had asked her to turn off comments and refrain from making any further statements on Cierra’s behalf. She added that the situation has been "really difficult," and she was still processing everything.

As the backlash grew online, both MJ and Johnnie stepping back showed how the situation was affecting people outside the show. Cierra Ortega, who is currently paired with Nic Vansteenberghe, is still in the villa and doesn’t know what’s happening outside while filming continues in Fiji.

At the same time, fans are asking Love Island USA producers to respond. Many are bringing up past cases where contestants were removed after similar posts were found. For now, it’s unclear how the show will handle this, and viewers are waiting for an update.

Stay tuned for more updates.