Ariana Madix Is Ready to Strut Her Way Into the ‘Love Island USA’ Villa Feeling “Confident and Sexy”
As the host returns for her third season of Peacock's hit show, she chats with The Hollywood Reporter about how she prepares for her hosting duties, navigating the Islander dynamics and what she's looking forward to most about season eight.
There’s no doubt that Ariana Madix played a huge role in helping Love Island USA become a cultural phenomenon over the last two years.
Her star power alone, thanks to her viral run on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules, definitely attracted her fans over to the Peacock reality dating show when she took over the hosting duties during season six in 2024. But it was her commanding and confident aura when she entered the villa each time that helped keep viewers coming back for me (in addition to plenty of mouth-watering drama with the Islanders).
Love Island USA, which follows sexy singles looking for love in a Fijian villa, has climbed the streaming charts the last two years, becoming not only Peacock’s most-watched original unscripted series but also one of the most anticipated reality shows in the U.S.
“It’s an absolute star maker,” Madix says of the Peacock series. “I’m so happy and excited that Love Island USA is starting to get its flowers because the absolute feat that it is to create and make the show and put the show out and have it be as good and incredible as it is, it’s really insane. And I don’t think any other show is doing what we do.”
Now Madix is back at the reins for the third time as season eight prepares to get underway on June 2. And she’s ready to not only meet all the new Islanders but also watch sparks fly and drama heat up along with America, especially since she’s a fan first.
But before she re-enters the villa, the host opens up to THR about the show’s newfound success the last two years, how she prepares for her hosting duties, her relationship with the castmembers, navigating the Islander dynamics with online discourse and what she’s looking forward to most about season eight.
What are you looking forward to most about returning for your third season hosting?
I’m really excited to get back to see our whole crew that I work with, both on my team and all the people who make the show. It feels like we see each other on the other side of the world and then we never get to hang out outside of that. So it feels like a bit of a reunion in a way. I’m also really excited to see who the new Islanders are going to be. I love getting to know them and getting to see their stories and trying to decipher, before they go in, what I think they’re going to be like. I have a really lovely time getting to know them throughout the season because I do feel as though they grow so much both personally and in their friendships and their relationships over that time. So to see them on that first night when they come in is a really fun feeling.
What does your preparation process look like before the season kicks off?
I do a lot of work in the gym. And I feel as though I do that throughout the year as well. It’s not something I only do for this, but I definitely ramp it up just because I want to feel confident. I want to feel sexy. I want to feel like I have an authority when I walk into the villa. I also do a little bit of work on confidence in general to go in there because I think something that’s really important as a host is not just being able to empathize with the Islanders, but also being able to command the room. Because when I go in there, there’s no producers there. It’s just me; I’m in charge. So I need to come in having that confidence for sure.
As a longtime fan of the franchise, what do you make of the U.S. version becoming such a cultural phenomenon the last two years?
The way that they are able to format the show and bring elements to the show that feel unique to Love Island USA and make it stand out among the Love Island franchise, I think it’s amazing because you look at all of the different challenges, the different twists and turns that they bring and that feels unique to Love Island USA. Of course, you have your tent pole things that you do cross a franchise, but we’ve really been able to carve out a unique place and it’s something that makes the show appointment television.
Also the casting of the Islanders season to season is absolutely incredible. These Islanders are never together. They don’t meet. There’s no interaction where they can chemistry test the way you would on a scripted show. So you don’t know until they’re all in a room together what kind of sparks are going to fly. And yet year after year, the casting team does such an incredible job of finding the secret sauce amongst the cast to really make those sparks fly and make the show exciting.
Last year, there were also episode watch parties all across the U.S. I mean, that’s like a whole new level of success to reach. What was your reaction to that?
I love it! I wish so badly I could show up at a watch party. I remember there was a moment [in season seven] with Nic and Olandria [when] Olandria opened the car door and said, “Get in, get in.” And watching the videos of the people jumping out of their chairs, screaming, cheering was so cool. And it was so validating because that’s also how I felt when I saw it. So it felt as though we were connecting from the other side of the world in our excitement for all of the things going on. And it’s a bit like sports, in the way that people are able to cheer and boo or whatever’s going on.
Fans have pointed out the role you played in bringing your Vanderpump Rules fanbase with you when you joined Love Island USA. What do you make of the role you played in the show’s success?
It’s really kind, and I, of course, would love to think that I’m even just a small part of that. It’s a really, really cool feeling. There’s so many factors that have gone into the success of the show and the show really taking off when I became host, so I’d love to think that I’m kind of part of the fabric of that. And when you look at all the things, it’s really a perfect storm of factors that have really helped the show take off. And of course, if I can be one of the lightning bolts in that storm, that’s amazing!
When we’ve chatted previously, you said you would love to host Love Island USA until you die. Is that still your perspective?
Sure! I did just get announced that Love Island Games is renewed for season three and I will be returning as host for Love Island Games season three. So there’s at least one more that’s on its way, so that’s exciting. I truly feel very fulfilled doing this job. I feel creatively fulfilled. It also scratches an itch for me in terms of the performance side. It really feels like I’m going out on stage every time. I love connecting with the Islanders every season, and so I definitely could see myself doing it for quite some time.
Do you still maintain a relationship with any of the Islanders from seasons six and seven? And if so, who?
I talk to them here and there. I love getting to see them whenever we end up out somewhere. I just saw Leah [from season six] not too long ago, Olandria at Coachella; that was so nice to see them. And I always want to support in any way that I can. They all have such amazing business acumen; their mind for what it is that they want to set their sights on is so amazing. And so I’m always going to be in line buying the product or whatever it is.
Ciara Miller and Tefi Pessoa were recently announced as the co-hosts of Aftersun this year. What’s your reaction to them joining the Love Island family?
I’m so excited! I know both of them personally, and Tefi and I have chatted so much about just different things, and I’m very, very excited to get their perspective as the season is airing. They’re going to have such great things to contribute and we’re going to have so much fun in Fiji. Hopefully we’ll all get a day off and we can go snorkeling or something.
Last season, there was quite a bit of controversy surrounding a few of the castmembers and resurfaced racist clips and posts. As the host, I know you’re also tapped into the online conversations that pop up throughout each season. How do you separate knowing the fan discourse when approaching hosting and interacting with the castmembers?
