Topline
JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez, who placed third on “Love Island USA” last summer and now star on spinoff “Beyond the Villa,” announced their split Tuesday in a series of heated Instagram posts, with Craig blasting her now-ex-boyfriend as a “manipulative liar.”
JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez split one year after meeting on “Love Island USA.” (Photo by … More
Key Facts
Fans noticed over the weekend Craig and some of her “Love Island” co-stars had unfollowed Rodriguez on Instagram, sparking theories the pair may have split.
Craig posted an Instagram story Tuesday evening confirming the breakup and stating the fan theories do not match “how terrible, disgusting and disappointing” their split was, stating Rodriguez is not who she thought he was.
Rodriguez posted his own statement on Instagram shortly after, calling the past few days “incredibly difficult” while wishing Craig happiness and “no ill will.”
Craig quickly responded to Rodriguez in another Instagram story, calling him a “manipulative liar” and accusing him of not taking accountability, adding: “My first statement was me being nice. Do not piss me off.”
Rodriguez has not publicly responded to Craig since her follow-up statement.
Neither Rodriguez nor Craig have specified a reason for the split, but Craig reposted fellow “Love Island USA” contestant Leah Kateb’s story that accused Rodriguez of being “racist, clout/money hungry and a scammer since day 1” (Rodriguez has not responded to Kateb’s accusation).
What Do We Know About The End Of Craig And Rodriguez’s Relationship?
Craig and Rodriguez were spotted together and had been making social media posts featuring one another as recently as last weekend. They attended a party hosted by social media celebrity David Dobrik on Saturday, multiple outlets reported, and Vulture reported Rodriguez was posting Snapchat stories of the two of them together throughout the night. Rodriguez also posted a TikTok video of the two at a Brazilian restaurant over the weekend. Fans noticed Sunday that Craig and some of her “Love Island” co-stars, including Serena Page and Leah Kateb, had unfollowed Rodriguez on Instagram. TMZ reported on Sunday Rodriguez and Craig had split, citing unnamed sources.
What Else Do We Know About The Breakup?
Multiple outlets reported Charmane Smith, a friend of Craig, made and deleted a post to her Instagram story in which she urged women to go through their partner’s phones. “Search keywords like ‘I don’t like black women, I thought I would get more money from this, I’m faking this relationship, going on the show would be for clout,’” Smith’s story said, according to Us Weekly, which said it viewed the story prior to its deletion. Neither Craig nor Rodriguez have addressed Smith’s alleged claims, though Smith’s post quickly went viral online.
Are Craig And Rodriguez Still On “beyond The Villa?”
Yes, Craig and Rodriguez still star on “Love Island: Beyond the Villa,” which began airing July 13 and will continue throughout the summer. “Beyond the Villa” stars former cast members from season six of “Love Island USA” as they adjust to their relationships in Los Angeles. The series airs Thursdays on Peacock. The upcoming July 31 episode will follow Craig and Rodriguez as they “take in a foster dog as a practice run for parenthood,” according to TV Guide, and future episodes will include the couple struggling with “different opinions about living together” and the “fallout” from their anniversary dinner.
Key Background
Craig and Rodriguez met on the sixth season of “Love Island USA,” which aired in the summer of 2024 and is considered the breakout season of the American franchise, which is based on the British reality dating show. Craig was one of the original islanders who entered the villa on day one, whereas Rodriguez was a “bombshell” who joined the show on day 13. The two began a relationship shortly after Rodriguez’s entrance, though they faced a rift while Rodriguez explored a relationship with another contestant. Craig and Rodriguez made it to the finale and placed third following a fan vote. After the show, Rodriguez and Craig became active on social media, where they have millions of followers and would frequently post content about their relationship. After “Love Island USA” ended, Craig and Rodriguez continued a long-distance relationship and made several public appearances, including at the “Gladiator II” premiere in Tokyo in November and the American Music Awards and Coachella in the spring.
Tangent
The social media storm over Craig and Rodriguez’s breakup comes weeks after season seven of “Love Island USA” concluded, which garnered series high viewership while facing several controversies, resulting in producers booting two contestants from the show. In the second episode, contestant Yulissa Escobar departed the show after a podcast episode resurfaced in which she used the N-word. Escobar apologized on social media following her exit, though she decried online bullying and said some viewers have made it their “mission to break people down, not just me, but everyone who stepped into that villa.” Weeks later, contestant Cierra Ortega was removed from the show after an Instagram story she had posted resurfaced in which she used a slur for Chinese people to refer to her eyes after receiving a Botox brow lift procedure. Days after her exit, Ortega posted a video to her Instagram telling viewers she is “deeply, truly, honestly so sorry” and that she had “no idea” the word was a slur. Escobar and Ortega have both said they will not be at the season seven reunion, which will air Aug. 25 on Peacock.
Further Reading
Booted ‘Love Island’ Contestant Cierra Ortega Apologizes After Past Use Of Racial Slur Resurfaces (Forbes)