The Love Island USA Season 7 reunion was everything we hoped for and more: messy AF, dramatic, and packed with moments that had us screaming at our screens and blowing up the group chat. With Huda Mustafa dodging questions about her rumored romance with Too Hot To Handle’s Louis Russell and addressing post-villa drama, the night wasted no time serving chaos. Hosted by Bravo legend Andy Cohen and Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix, the highly anticipated special aired Aug. 25 and immediately reminded fans why this season was one of the wildest yet. From icy side-eyes to unfollows that hit harder than a recoupling dump, the Islanders didn’t hold back when reflecting on their whirlwind summer in Fiji, spilling tea, dodging accountability, and serving up some very questionable “growth journeys.”
And let’s just say: love was not in the air. Iris and Pepe? Done — they unfollowed each other. Amaya and Bryan, the literal winners of the season, also reportedly pulled the plug online. The only couple standing? Somehow, just Nic and Olandria. But even that wasn’t the wildest part. The biggest twist of the night came from Mustafa, who managed to pull off a bombshell reveal without actually saying a single thing — because apparently Netflix has a tighter NDA than Casa Amor has doors.
After Mustafa and Russell were spotted looking cozy on the red carpet weeks ago, naturally, Cohen and Madix tried to get the tea — but Mustafa dropped a cryptic answer that left both the hosts and her fellow Islanders completely stunned. Claiming “legal reasons” prevented her from discussing her new relationship, Mustafa blamed Netflix, insisting she was “not allowed” to talk about her dating life beyond the show. (Her Campus reached out to Netflix for comment on Mustafa’s claim, but did not hear back at the time of publication.) Cue the gasps, and, of course, Cohen’s fire clapback (which we’ll get to).
What really went down with Netflix?
When host Madix asked, “Huda, you left the villa single, but we’ve seen you out and about. What’s your dating situation been like?” Mustafa coolly replied, “Um, I can’t speak about my relationships outside the villa.” That left everyone — Madix, Cohen, and literally the entire cast — completely stunned. Madix pressed again, asking why she couldn’t share, and Mustafa doubled down, “Legal reasons. I’m not allowed to speak — it’s Netflix. I’m not allowed to talk about it.”
Chris Seeley, Mustafa’s coupling on the season, rolled his eyes so hard they nearly hit his brain, while Cohen arched a brow and shot back, “Netflix won’t let you say whether you’re dating somebody?” Mustafa apologized, insisting, “I’m not supposed to talk about it, unfortunately.” When Cohen reminded her that fans had literally seen her walking a red carpet with someone and asked point-blank if that was who she was dating, she repeated, “I’m not allowed to speak on it, I’m so sorry.” That’s when Cohen dropped the line of the night: “Tell Netflix this was the No. 1 streaming show of the summer.” Cue the gasp heard around the villa.
Were there any other call-outs during the special?
While this was definitely a lot to process, Mustafa’s night of chaos didn’t end there. Remember her finale breakup with Seeley? During the reunion, he made it brutally clear he wasn’t interested in any sort of rekindling — not as lovers, not as friends, not even as casual mutuals. The hideaway was locked, and so was that door.
Meanwhile, Mustafa swore she’s been on a “self-reflection journey” since leaving Fiji, telling Cohen how she’s become a different person now and how she’d “do things differently now.” But he immediately poked a hole in her redemption arc by asking how much real growth anyone could do in just four weeks. (Ouch.)
What’s next for Mustafa?
That’s the million-dollar question. If Netflix really is gatekeeping her love life locked down, Mustafa’s next chapter might be less about coupling up — and more about blowing up. Her post-villa journey might be just as dramatic as her time inside; however, with fans stalking her socials for hidden clues, shipping her with Russell, and begging for answers she can’t legally give, the real tea might spill outside the villa.