Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen have been on quite the journey together. While their romantic exploration didn’t officially kick off until the last week of Season 7 of Love Island USA, fans had already been shipping the couple, known as “Nico Landria,” for some time. There’s even been talk that Vansteenberghe, despite being coupled with Cierra Ortega, might have found a way to sneak in a kiss with Carthen during one of the season’s early challenges.
In Episode 8, which aired on June 10, contestants participated in the “Pucker or Pie” challenge. Each islander picked a “juicy question card,” which prompted them to name another islander who fit a particular description. A coin toss determined whether they would share a kiss or throw a whipped cream pie at each other.
Reportedly, Vansteenberghe drew the question, “Who do you think is the best kisser, aside from your partner?” and instead of saying Ortega’s name, he mentioned Carthen—a contestant who was ultimately pie’d in the face instead of kissed. This raised eyebrows, especially since some suggest that Vansteenberghe hesitated midway through reading his card, implying it didn’t actually require him to exclude his partner.
When asked about the ongoing rumors in a recent Zoom call, he responded awkwardly, “I can’t confirm or deny it.”
After Ortega was sent home from the villa, the relationship between Vansteenberghe and Carthen blossomed. They ended up in second place on the show and are excited to explore their connection beyond the villa.
“We wanted to see where this goes outside the villa, and we’re really taking this seriously,” Carthen mentioned. “Right now, we’re figuring out a plan to visit Florida for dinner with Miss Jennifer and her family.”
Season 7 of Love Island USA is available for streaming on Peacock.
