Vasana Montgomery was cut from the Season 8 cast of Love Island USA before the show premiered, after two videos began circulating online that appeared to show her saying the N-word. By Friday, Peacock had removed her from the lineup, turning a cast reveal into a fast-moving fallout just days before the new season was set to start.
The removal landed at a time when fans were already searching the new contestants’ names. The cast was unveiled on Thursday, and online viewers quickly began digging into the Islanders’ backgrounds, pushing Montgomery’s name into the center of the conversation almost immediately. Peacock later said she will no longer be on the show, and did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The videos that spread on social media showed Montgomery appearing to use the slur in two different moments: one while singing a song and another while yelling at an arcade game. Peacock said the clips were not publicly shared until after the cast announcement, which made the reaction move even faster once fans found them. The company had already warned viewers ahead of the reveal to keep discussion kind, saying the villa runs on good vibes and that everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.
That warning came after a turbulent run for the franchise. In 2024, Love Island USA surged in popularity, and Season 7 became Peacock’s most-watched original season of all time with more than 18 billion minutes viewed. With that audience came a louder online response, and the network had also urged fans to keep the reaction positive because the show is supposed to be a space for fun, not negativity. The message did not stop the scrutiny that followed Montgomery once the videos resurfaced.
The friction is hard to miss: a show built on public chemistry and constant conversation tried to head off harassment, but the same online attention it depends on quickly became the force that pushed a contestant out. The Islanders do not have access to social media while they are inside the villa, and Love Island USA plays out in real time over six weeks, airing six nights a week, which means the cast can be reshaped almost instantly when off-screen material surfaces. By Friday, Peacock had made its position plain. Montgomery was no longer in the cast, and the only unresolved question is whether that removal is the end of her place in the season or simply the first and final public word on it.
