Love Island USA contestant Yulissa Escobar has spoken out for the first time since she was suddenly kicked out of the villa after just one episode.
Escobar left the show abruptly during Season 7, Episode 2. Her departure was briefly mentioned by narrator Iain Stirling who simply stated, “Yulissa has left the villa.” A Peacock spokesperson later confirmed to DECIDER that Escobar was no longer part of the show, although no specific reason was given. Speculations pointed to her exit following the circulation of videos showing her using racial slurs in a podcast interview.
Days after leaving the villa, Escobar issued a statement on Instagram under a photo that says, “Owning my mistakes speaking my truth.”
“First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using,” she wrote, adding that the interview was “from years ago.”
Addressing the incident, Escobar admitted, “I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding its significance, history, or the harm it causes. My intention was not to offend or hurt anyone, but I now realize that intentions do not erase impact. The impact of that word is profound, connected to years of suffering, and it is not something I have the right to use.”
Escobar claimed she “didn’t know better then.”
She further expressed, “However, I am different now. I have taken the time to contemplate, to educate myself, and to evolve from that error.” She added, “I have evolved considerably since then, not only in my language but in my actions, in my demeanor, and in my respect for other people’s experiences.”
“To those who are disappointed or offended, I understand and I apologize,” she concluded the statement.
In a rather unprecedented move for the hit Peacock series, Escobar appeared to have been asked to leave the villa seemingly overnight. After participating in the challenges with the contestants in Episode 1, she was gone by the very next morning.
The resurfaced interview clips added to the backlash Escobar was already facing from Love Island USA fans after videos and photos from her social media showed her expressing support for President Donald Trump.
In one video shared on X, Escobar can be seen saying, “I lost about 600 followers just because I’m a Trump supporter. Everybody’s entitled to their own fucking opinion.”
Her exit was largely celebrated on social media, as many fans had already vowed to vote her off the island.
New episodes of Love Island USA air on Peacock everyday, except for Wednesdays, at 9 p.m. ET.
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