Love Island USA's Yulissa Escobar Breaks Silence After Exit From Show
Yulissa Escobar is speaking out after exiting the Love Island USA villa.
The reality star issued a statement addressing her abrupt departure from the Peacock series after just two episodes due to online backlash she received for using the N-word in numerous clips from resurfaced podcast appearances.
“First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using,” she wrote in a post on Instagram June 6. “In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn’t trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn’t excuse impact.”
Escobar, 27, went on to say she “didn’t know better” at the time but has since made efforts to “grow” from the experience.
“I’ve changed a lot since then, not just in how I speak, but in how I show up, how I carry myself, and how I honor the experiences of others,” she continued. “Growth means recognizing when you were wrong, even if it’s uncomfortable, and choosing to move forward with humility and accountability.”
“To those who are disappointed or offended,” she concluded, “I understand and I apologize. I am sorry.”
Prior to Escobar’s exit, she was in a couple with fellow contestant Ace Green, who is still at the villa. Other remaining cast members include Chelley Bissainthe, Huda Mustafa, Belle-A Walker, Olandria Carthen, Taylor Williams, Nicolas Vansteenberghe, Austin Shepard and Jeremiah Brown, as well as bombshell late arrivals Charlie Georgiou and Cierra Ortega.
Escobar’s departure from the dating series was briefly addressed during the June 4 episode, when narrator Iain Stirling revealed that she left before her fellow contestants woke up.
“Yulissa,” he declared in a voiceover, “has left the villa.”
Keep scrolling for more on the rest of this year’s Love Island USA cast.
(E! News and Peacock are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
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