“Love Island USA” star Huda Mustafa has issued a public apology to her former castmate, Olandria Carthen, following backlash over her reaction to a racial slur used during a recent Instagram livestream.
The controversy began during a livestream hosted by Mustafa’s boyfriend, Louis Russell, who also appeared on Netflix’s “Perfect Match.” The pair received a phone call from an unknown individual who used the N-word. A video of the incident shows Mustafa and Russell appearing surprised and laughing before ending the call.
In response, Carthen posted a statement on her Instagram Story, calling the language “unacceptable” and stating she does not condone racism “not in anger, not as a joke, not ever.”
“Words like that carry generations of pain, and pretending otherwise only keeps the cycle going,” Carthen wrote. “Defending it, laughing about it, or making excuses is even worse.” She called for “real accountability and awareness” and pledged to donate to organizations that support the Black community, including the UNCF, NAACP, and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
Mustafa initially addressed the criticism on Tuesday, describing her laughter as an awkward reaction to being confused and caught off guard. She stated she “didn’t condone anything of the sort” and that the call was immediately ended.
However, after further backlash, she issued a second, more detailed statement on Wednesday, apologizing directly to Carthen. Mustafa acknowledged her initial response failed to take full accountability.
“Olandria – it is now clear that this comment was targeted at you, and I apologize for my immediate reaction,” she wrote. “My reaction in that moment came from being caught off guard, not from finding the word or situation funny. It was a nervous, uncomfortable reaction that I recognize was inappropriate.” Mustafa added that she would also be making a personal donation to the NAACP.
The incident highlights pre-existing tensions between the former castmates. During the “Love Island USA” Season 7 reunion, Carthen and fellow contestant Chelley Bissainthe confronted Mustafa for what they described as a lack of support against racist online bullying they faced after the show. Carthen expressed feeling unsupported by Mustafa’s failure to address fans who targeted her with hateful content, including one instance where her face was superimposed onto an image of George Floyd’s body.
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