“Her PR team wrote that”- Netizens react as Love Island’s Huda apologizes to Olandria for laughing at a fan calling her a racial slur on a livestream

In a recent controversy emerging from the Love Island fandom, reality TV star Huda Mustafa has come under heavy scrutiny after footage surfaced of her laughing during a livestream when a fan called fellow contestant Olandria a racial slur.

The incident, which swiftly went viral on social media platforms like X, brought much criticism, and Huda had to publish an official apology.

However, her statement, which many online users described as a PR-prepared response, did not end online discussions about her truthfulness and responsibility.

The general opinion was summed up in one comment:

“only apologizing because of the backlash. her PR team wrote that 😂😂😂”

Online reactions to Huda’s apology have been mixed, with many users expressing frustration and questioning the intent behind her statement.

However, amid the criticism, several fans noted the importance of taking responsibility.

The online debate is ongoing regarding whether Huda offered an apology as a sign of genuine responsibility or a damage-limiting reaction. Although some claim that her statement is a move in the right direction, others hold that her response and the laughter that ensued the offensive comment reflect a bigger problem of awareness and responsibility.

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Huda Mustafa and Olandria Carthen address livestream controversy through Instagram statements

The social media debate over the livestream reaction of Huda Mustafa rapidly intensified. This prompted both her and fellow Love Island USA contestant Olandria Carthen to comment on the issue directly in their Instagram Stories.

The incident was caused by a recent livestream on the Instagram page of Mustafa's boyfriend, Louis Russell. The couple also appeared together on the Netflix show Perfect Match season 3. During the livestream, the two were unexpectedly called by an anonymous viewer who used the N-word.

Later, clips provided by TMZ featured the pair laughing briefly before Russell suddenly terminated the call, uttering, “Whoa, hey, hey.” The moment itself attracted criticism online, with the viewers accusing Mustafa of not handling the incident well and reacting inappropriately in real time.

Olandria Carthen, who featured alongside Huda on season 7 of Love Island USA, responded with a statement on Instagram on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, saying,

“Words like that carry generations of pain, and pretending otherwise only keeps the cycle going. Defending it, laughing about it, or making excuses is even worse. I will not let this moment derail my purpose of uplifting my community. I'm standing firm in who I am and using this as an opportunity to call for real accountability and awareness.”

The 27-year-old model proceeded to remind her followers that it is their shared responsibility to build a culture of mutual respect.

“Everybody shares responsibility in shaping a culture where speaking to one another with respect is the standard, and where speaking against hate speech is the bare minimum.”

Carthen ended her post by saying she would donate to organizations that educate and empower the Black community, such as the UNCF, NAACP, and Thurgood Marshall College Fund, urging others to do the same.

“While I anticipate this will result in surface level apologies that fade in a few days, I’d like to transform this moment into something actionable,” she added.

After Carthen had made her statement, Mustafa came out with her own apology. In a subsequent post later that day, she said she needed time to think before writing publicly on the backlash to clarify that her words were heartfelt and responsible.

“I want to begin by saying I completely respect Olandria and it’s extremely disheartening that anyone, especially a presumed child, would find it excusable to use this type of language, and doing so only underlines the ignorance of the gravity that such a word carries.”

Huda Mustafa and Olandria Carthen Issue Statements Addressing the Livestream Incident (Image via Instagram stories)

She followed up by personally apologizing to Carthen and explaining her response to the livestream:

“Olandria – it is now clear that this comment was targeted at you, and I apologize for my immediate reaction. My reaction in that moment came from being caught off guard, not from finding the word or situation funny.

She continued:

“It was a nervous, uncomfortable reaction that I recognize was inappropriate. I want to be clear that I do not condone or tolerate anyone who uses such language, and I strongly encourage the individual responsible to reflect deeply on their words and the harm they’ve caused.”

Huda wrapped up by promising to donate to the NAACP, following Carthen's path, and urged her audience to do the same. Although these two statements have become highly discussed, the interaction has rekindled a larger debate of accountability and racial sensitivity.

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Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Toshali Kritika