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 may be the host of Love Island USA, but she’s going through all the same emotions as the viewers whether 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 new season enters its fifth week, there have been plenty of jaw-dropping and emotional moments, leaving not only the Islanders in shock but also the fans.

More recently, the girls returned from Casa Amor (also called the ultimate Love Island test), and some original couples were reunited while other new couples were formed. Either way, the Vanderpump Rules alum, who has been hosting the show since season six, admits she actually was “not surprised” at all by Taylor choosing new Islander Clarke over Olandria, who has been in the villa since day one.

As for the new Casa Amor format this season, Madix tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I really thought it was necessary to shake things up. I also like shaking things up because it makes it so that next season, no one knows what’s gonna happen. I don’t want to see any tired old tropes. I don’t want to see anybody pulling anything that we’ve seen before. I want it all to feel new and different.”

Below, Madix unpacks that shocking return of Casa Amor, and spills “insider tea” on the viral Jeremiah and Hannah dumping, as well as her thoughts on the current couples.

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

I’m obsessed with it. It was so necessary because in the past, you see Casa Amor people come in, you barely get to know them and then they’re gone. Or if they are brought back to the villa, they’re somehow villains, and it feels so unfair to them to have to go through that process. You also sometimes see the Islanders be loyal in situations where they shouldn’t, or not really participate, or sometimes maybe someone thinks, “Oh, if I do some sort 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 love the fact that we did this in a way that gave the Casa Amor Islanders agency to say who it was that they wanted to get to know and couple up with. I also love the way we did it because it made it so there was no way to villainize any one of them. Everyone’s gonna get to know people; everyone’s coupled up, no one can be pointed out or singled out to be villainized or harassed or whatever. I thought it was necessary to shake things up.

What was your initial reaction to Taylor choosing Clarke instead of Olandria, and do you try to hide your reactions in the moment when you’re in the villa?

I do because I don’t want anyone to feel bad for making any type of decision. But at the same time, if someone is having a really hard time, I try to let them know that everything’s gonna be OK. I was not surprised by that at all though (Laughs). That was not shocking. Taylor and Clarke really, you’re watching them really get to know each other and, in my opinion, get immediately much closer than he and Olandria.

I felt like this was gonna be great for Olandria because it was going to free her from thinking about Taylor, for trying to be loyal to this man who’s breadcrumbing her. I was hoping that Taylor would make that decision and stand on it because sometimes I feel like he’s a bit wishy-washy, and he worries a lot about whether or not people are going to be mad at him or he wants to be liked. I just want him to say, “Hey, I feel really strongly about Clarke. She’s who I want. The end.” So we’ll see how things progress. Of course, things changed 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 may have caused the fellow Islanders’ shocking reactions. Can you confirm if there was anything cut from her turn?

I have no idea. If I was there watching in real time, I would be able to say. But I only saw what you guys saw, so I have no idea until one of the Islanders maybe comes out and tells us. I was impressed by the acrobatics of it all (Laughs). 

Do you find it challenging trying to balance playing it cool when you’re in the villa, since you technically know what America thinks, yet the Islanders don’t?

There have been some moments where it was challenging. There was the night that America voted who they wanted the Bombshells to couple up with, and obviously the Islanders had no idea that vote was happening at all, and I knew what the results 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 did not know how the Islanders would choose as far as who to send home. And even as I was announcing the results of America’s vote, my heart was beating out of my chest. Mostly for Hannah and Charlie, because I was in the dressing room being told I had to wait. I was supposed to come in earlier, but Hannah and Charlie were having this incredible conversation on the balcony and they’re [producers] like, “Wait just wait a second.” So I’m in full glam, watching on the TV going, “Oh my God. Oh no, this is going to be horrible!”

Then when [Charlie] asked me if he could speak, I was like, “Yeah, speak. Please.” I was shocked no one else spoke. I thought, “Oh, he spoke, he’s good. They’re going to understand he and Hannah just had this moment. They’re totally going to get it. No one’s gonna vote for Charlie.” Then they voted for Charlie and I was trying to be cool, but even then, I feel like you could see I was like, “I’m so sorry.” And then I want to be like, “Are they really sending him home? Can he stay?” Then the next two episodes I didn’t watch until I had to because when I go to do Aftersun, usually I’m watching them as soon as I get them, but I had to wait because I was like, I’m not ready for Hannah and Pepe. I’m still stuck on Hannah and Charlie.” And then eventually, I needed to get over it and I did. 

One of the most 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. If you’re mad, why didn’t you vote for him to be your favorite? I’m so confused as to how all of a sudden America was upset. I don’t understand (laughs). 

Did you agree with the decision to send them home?

It’s tough because I think that no matter what happens, there’s always one of these votes every season that you’re like, “Why did the Islanders choose this person?” And of course, people watching the show have different thoughts and opinions on the reasons why or who they think should have gone home. Insider tea: Jeremiah was the absolute last for the boys. So if it was just going off of America’s vote, he would have gone home anyways. The reasons why they chose him to go home as fellow Islanders, that I do not know.

I think we always see this every season where it’s not just about your romantic connections. It’s your relationships with the other Islanders that also always comes into play, and you never know when it’s gonna come into play, but it always does. We’re gonna lose them all eventually (Laughs). Eventually everyone’s gonna go home and sometimes it’s gonna be really tough, and that’s the nature of the show and that’s why we love it, because we do fall in love with them and then they’re gone. 

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

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

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

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

I have no idea. I know we have a couple of more weeks left, and I know that our team out here is always pulling things out of their sleeve, and they have so many plans. Sometimes those plans are diabolical, so who knows what’s to come? I have no idea. 

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Love Island USA season seven is currently streaming on Peacock.