I rarely invest in reality shows or reality-show storylines, on-camera or off-camera. For the past year, though, even I became aware of Olandria and Nic, two Love Island USA contestants who found love during their season in 2025. While they didn’t win their season, they easily got the most attention out of any Love Island contestant. They were everywhere. No, scratch that – Olandria Carthen was everywhere, while Nic Vansteenberghe mostly stayed at home. Olandria went to charity galas, she went to the MTV Movie Awards, she went to the Golden Globes, she went to the Vanity Fair Oscar party, she went to the BET Awards. She was famemaxxing to a crazy degree. She almost always looked like she was stepping out of a pool, glistening and moist, but with perfectly applied makeup. People were really invested in Olandria and Nic’s love story. Too bad it looks like they were taking part in some kind of one-year fuaxmance contract.
Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe have gone their separate ways. The fan-favorite Love Island USA season 7 couple has broken up, a source confirms to PEOPLE exclusively, adding that they “decided to part ways” just over a year after they departed the Fiji villa together.
“The distance between them and their busy schedules made it challenging to maintain their connection,” says the source. “They still remain close friends. They share a deep love and respect for each other and will always support one another whenever possible.”
Their relationship on the hit Peacock series began during a surprise Casa Amor twist that gave them both second chances at finding love. But Carthen previously told PEOPLE she “didn’t allow myself to feel that spark” at first, out of respect for Cierra Ortega, who had been coupled up with Vansteenberghe since early on.
It was only after Ortega was removed from the villa that Carthen, 28, was able to “make my own selfish decision” and give in to her chemistry with Vansteenberghe, 25.
“Busy schedules”- i.e., Olandria attending every single event she was invited to. I’m not blaming her – she’s clearly a hustler who saw an opening to become pretty famous, and she milked that opportunity for all it was worth. No one got hurt, no one got arrested, and it was all in good fun, right? I really hope that people aren’t taking any part of this seriously.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
