Love Island USA boots Alannah Keyser after racist comments
Love Island USA season 8 cast member Alannah Keyser has been removed from Casa Amor after resurfaced videos and social media posts allegedly showed her using a racial slur. Peacock confirmed she will no longer appear on the Peacock dating show following Thursday's episode, when narrator Iain Stirling told viewers, "Alannah has left Casa Amor."
Key Takeaways
- Alannah Keyser entered Casa Amor as a bombshell on Sunday but was pulled before the end of the week after racist content surfaced online.
- A video and private social posts allegedly show Keyser using a racial slur while singing along to Roddy Ricch's "The Box" and in messages.
- Peacock says the material was not publicly accessible during contestant vetting and only emerged after she joined the villa.
- Keyser is the second Love Island USA season 8 cast member removed over racist language, after Vasana Montgomery was cut before the June 2 premiere.
- Keyser had not publicly commented on the allegations or her exit at the time of reporting.
Why was Alannah Keyser removed from Love Island USA?
Peacock booted Alannah Keyser from Love Island USA after a backlash over resurfaced footage and screenshots that allegedly captured her using a racial slur. The Miami native and USC film student had debuted during the show's mid-season Casa Amor twist, walking into the villa as one of six new female islanders.
According to the BBC, Keyser appeared in the first 20 minutes of Thursday's episode before the show's narrator confirmed her departure on air. Peacock told outlets including The Hollywood Reporter that she would not appear on the series after that episode, the 20th of the season.
What racist content resurfaced about Alannah Keyser?
Multiple outlets reported that social media users circulated a video appearing to show Keyser lip-syncing to Roddy Ricch's "The Box" and repeating lyrics that include the N-word. Screenshots also allegedly showed her using the same slur in an Instagram comment and a Snapchat message.
Yahoo reported that once the posts spread, viewers connected them to Keyser's behavior during Casa Amor's introductory heart rate challenge, where she appeared to limit physical interactions with the Black men in the cast. She had been paired with Zach Georgiou during the twist, though he had been building a connection with Kayda Bosse before Casa Amor began.
How does Peacock explain its vetting process?
The controversy has renewed scrutiny of how Love Island USA screens contestants. Sources told U.S. publications cited by the BBC and THR that the video and posts came from a private account and were not shared publicly until after Keyser entered the villa, so they were not flagged during Peacock's vetting process.
Yahoo reported the show has faced repeated instances of racist remarks surfacing during a season's rollout, raising questions about whether current checks are sufficient. Peacock has not outlined any policy changes in response to Keyser's removal.
What does this mean for Love Island USA season 8?
Keyser's exit marks the second racist-language scandal of the current Love Island USA season. Vasana Montgomery was removed ahead of the June 2 premiere when videos of her using the N-word circulated; she later apologized on Instagram, writing there was "no excuse" for her words.
The BBC noted that two contestants were also removed from season 7 last year over similar issues. Despite the recurring controversies, THR reported that season 8's first three days pulled in 824 million viewing minutes, a Peacock record for an original series over that span. The dating show continues without Keyser as Casa Amor plays out in Fiji.