Love Island USA’s Ariana Madix Unpacks Shocking Casa Amor Return

[This story contains spoilers for Love Island USA season seven through episode 24.]

Ariana Madix stands out as the host of Love Island USA, but she’s going through all the identical emotions because the viewers whether or not they’re watching from their couch or any of the watch parties popping up across the U.S.

Following the success of season six of the Peacock reality series — which became a cultural phenomenon — season seven has some big shoes to fill. As the brand new season enters its fifth week, there have been loads of jaw-dropping and emotional moments, leaving not only the Islanders in shock but in addition the fans.

More recently, the ladies returned from Casa Amor (also called the last word Love Island test), and a few original couples were reunited while other recent couples were formed. Either way, the Vanderpump Rules alum, who has been hosting the show since season six, admits she actually was “not surprised” in any respect by Taylor selecting recent Islander Clarke over Olandria, who has been within the villa since day one.

As for the brand new Casa Amor format this season, Madix tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I actually thought it was obligatory to shake things up. I also like shaking things up since it makes it in order that next season, nobody knows what’s gonna occur. I don’t wish to see any drained old tropes. I don’t wish to see anybody pulling anything that we’ve seen before. I need all of it to feel recent and different.”

Below, Madix unpacks that shocking return of Casa Amor, and spills “insider tea” on the viral Jeremiah and Hannah dumping, in addition to her thoughts on the present couples.

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Going back to Casa Amor, what are your thoughts on the brand new format this season?

I’m obsessive about it. It was so obligatory because up to now, you see Casa Amor people are available in, you barely get to know them after which they’re gone. Or in the event that they are brought back to the villa, they’re by some means villains, and it feels so unfair to them to need to undergo that process. You furthermore may sometimes see the Islanders be loyal in situations where they shouldn’t, or probably not participate, or sometimes perhaps someone thinks, “Oh, if I do some form of big grand gesture coming back single, I can get away with certain things and coast through to the finale.”

There’s been sprinklings of all of that through so many seasons, so I really like the undeniable fact that we did this in a way that gave the Casa Amor Islanders agency to say who it was that they desired to get to know and couple up with. I also love the way in which we did it since it made it so there was no solution to villainize any certainly one of them. Everyone’s gonna get to know people; everyone’s coupled up, nobody will be identified or singled out to be villainized or harassed or whatever. I believed it was obligatory to shake things up.

What was your initial response to Taylor selecting Clarke as a substitute of Olandria, and do you are attempting to cover your reactions within the moment whenever you’re within the villa?

I do because I don’t want anyone to feel bad for making any form of decision. But at the identical time, if someone is having a very hard time, I attempt to allow them to know that the whole lot’s gonna be OK. I used to be not surprised by that in any respect though (Laughs). That was not shocking. Taylor and Clarke really, you’re watching them really get to know one another and, in my view, get immediately much closer than he and Olandria.

I felt like this was gonna be great for Olandria since it was going to free her from eager about Taylor, for attempting to be loyal to this man who’s breadcrumbing her. I used to be hoping that Taylor would make that call and stand on it because sometimes I feel like he’s a bit wishy-washy, and he worries lots about whether or not individuals are going to be mad at him or he desires to be liked. I just want him to say, “Hey, I feel really strongly about Clarke. She’s who I need. The tip.” So we’ll see how things progress. In fact, things modified so fast in that villa, but I predicted that. 

There’s also some tension now between Chelley and Huda after the heartbeat challenge on Sunday night. Some fans are speculating that viewers didn’t see all of Huda’s performance, which can have caused the man Islanders’ shocking reactions. Are you able to confirm if there was anything cut from her turn?

I don’t know. If I used to be there watching in real time, I’d find a way to say. But I only saw what you guys saw, so I don’t know until certainly one of the Islanders perhaps comes out and tells us. I used to be impressed by the acrobatics of all of it (Laughs). 

Do you discover it difficult attempting to balance playing it cool whenever you’re within the villa, because you technically know what America thinks, yet the Islanders don’t?

There have been some moments where it was difficult. There was the night that America voted who they wanted the Bombshells to couple up with, and clearly the Islanders had no concept that vote was happening in any respect, and I knew what the outcomes of America’s vote were. I knew Iris was gonna be put with Jeremiah, I knew Hannah was gonna be put with Pepe, and I knew Jalen and Olandria are gonna be together. I didn’t know the way the Islanders would select so far as who to send home. And at the same time as I used to be announcing the outcomes of America’s vote, my heart was beating out of my chest. Mostly for Hannah and Charlie, because I used to be within the dressing room being told I had to attend. I used to be imagined to are available in earlier, but Hannah and Charlie were having this incredible conversation on the balcony they usually’re [producers] like, “Wait just wait a second.” So I’m in full glam, watching on the TV going, “Oh my God. Oh no, that is going to be horrible!”

Then when [Charlie] asked me if he could speak, I used to be like, “Yeah, speak. Please.” I used to be shocked nobody else spoke. I believed, “Oh, he spoke, he’s good. They’re going to know he and Hannah just had this moment. They’re totally going to get it. Nobody’s gonna vote for Charlie.” Then they voted for Charlie and I used to be attempting to be cool, but even then, I feel like you could possibly see I used to be like, “I’m so sorry.” After which I need to be like, “Are they really sending him home? Can he stay?” Then the following two episodes I didn’t watch until I needed to because when I am going to do Aftersun, normally I’m watching them as soon as I get them, but I had to attend because I used to be like, I’m not ready for Hannah and Pepe. I’m still stuck on Hannah and Charlie.” After which eventually, I needed to recover from it and I did. 

One of the crucial controversial episodes was when Hannah and Jeremiah got sent home by their fellow Islanders, leaving fans upset and calling for them to make a surprise return.

I’m shocked, too. In case you’re mad, why didn’t you vote for him to be your favorite? I’m so confused as to how swiftly America was upset. I don’t understand (laughs). 

Did you agree with the decision to send them home?

It’s tough because I feel that irrespective of what happens, there’s at all times certainly one of these votes every season that you simply’re like, “Why did the Islanders select this person?” And naturally, people watching the show have different thoughts and opinions on the the reason why or who they think must have gone home. Insider tea: Jeremiah was absolutely the last for the boys. So if it was just going off of America’s vote, he would have gone home in any case. The the reason why they selected him to go home as fellow Islanders, that I have no idea.

I feel we at all times see this every season where it’s not nearly your romantic connections. It’s your relationships with the opposite Islanders that also at all times comes into play, and also you never know when it’s gonna come into play, nevertheless it at all times does. We’re gonna lose all of them eventually (Laughs). Eventually everyone’s gonna go home and sometimes it’s gonna be really tough, and that’s the character of the show and that’s why we adore it, because we do fall in love with them after which they’re gone. 

Now that the season is greater than halfway over, do you discover it concerning that there will not be many strong couples, and more newly-formed couples?

It’s what it’s. Our team finds probably the most amazing people to place in and also you never know what’s the dynamic gonna be until they’re all together. This person and this person, you may think they’ll hit it off after which they don’t. That’s the special sauce to the show is that dynamic that you simply cannot predict.

This season is a bit bit different than last after which last season was a bit bit different than the one before, and I feel that’s what makes it so fun. We’re just here for the ride and so I’m having fun with seeing how things are playing out. I really like that we went into Casa [Amor] without too many strong couples. It makes for an enjoyable time for me as a viewer. 

Looking ahead, are you able to confirm if there’s going to be a movie night and a tweet/social media challenge later this season?

I don’t know. I do know we now have a few more weeks left, and I do know that our team out here is at all times pulling things out of their sleeve, they usually have so many plans. Sometimes those plans are diabolical, so who knows what’s to return? I don’t know. 

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Love Island USA season seven is currently streaming on Peacock.