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Love Island USA stars Chelley Bissainthe and Ace Greene are back on social media after spending over two months filming in Fiji.
In an Instagram post Chelley shared on Thursday, July 17, she posed alongside Ace, 22, in selfies taken both inside and after the villa. Chelley, 27, also shared several behind-the-scenes photos with fellow cast member Olandria Carthen, and a group photo where she posed with season 7 winner Amaya Espinal, along with cast members Andreina Santos, Cierra Ortega, and Iris Kendall.
“I’ll never forget how i started but this is far from the end, its actually just the beginning🤍,” she wrote in the caption.
Olandria, 27, wrote in the comment section, “My soul sister🫶🏾❤️.”
Chelley’s carousel post included a lengthy note addressed “TO MY CHERRIES, MY CHÉRIES & MY SUPPORT SYSTEM.”
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you,” she wrote. “To those who’ve stood with me since the beginning, to my new fans, to every person whether white, Black, purple, yellow who has shown nothing but love, thank you.”
chelley/Instagram
She went on to write, “To the women who look like me, who saw parts of themselves in me, who felt inspired or found a little more light and confidence through my journey, I see you, I feel you, and I love you. To the men who supported me and may have struggled with showing vulnerability. I see you too. You are valued and your strength in softness matters.”
Chelley also thanked “the people who used their platforms not just to recap a show but to speak truthfully about the deeper realities Black women face,” writing, “your words meant everything.”
“You reminded the world that we are layered, emotional, complex, worthy and real,” she wrote. “Thank you for holding the line of truth with me and for me in times where hate seemed stronger than usual.”
chelley/Instagram
Chelley shared that her “time in the villa was one of the most beautiful experiences of [her] life,” but “it wasn’t always easy.”
“There were plenty of rollercoasters, lessons, and unspoken moments but I wouldn’t change a thing,” she wrote. “It led me to someone I truly adore. For that alone, I’ll always be grateful.”
She also took a moment to note that “a lot occurred and went unseen” in the show.
“I’ve never been angry with the world for having opinions,” Chelley wrote, “but understand that you’re only seeing a glimpse, maybe 10 minutes out of my 24-hour day in Fiji. Even though many things were out of context, it could never stop me from expressing my love and gratitude towards all of you.”
Despite having to leave the island before making the final four couples, she expressed gratitude for her time in the villa.
“How I see it? At the end of the day… I won,” she wrote. “I have my man. I have my circle. I have my peace. And I have YOU. I just ask one favor. that my supporters turned family continue to spread love and not hate.”
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Ace shared a similar sentiment in his post on Instagram, writing in the caption, “The truth is, who I am in real life and who I may have been perceived to be on TV are two very different things. But one thing is for sure I walked out that Villa a winner. I left with the most beautiful girl in the world, someone who truly means everything to me. And if I had to do it all again, I’d do it a billion times over.”
He also opened up about the “challenges emotionally, mentally, spiritually” that he endured in the process, writing, “But even in those moments, I never let go of who I am.As a man, I think before I speak and always listen to my heart when it comes to my feelings and what I choose to express; I cannot allow society and the ways of the world to dictate who I’m deemed to be. My time in Fiji has taught me that true strength is in honoring your feelings, your boundaries, your truth, even when it’s misunderstood.”
The Love Island USA reunion will be hosted by Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen on Peacock, and will air on Aug. 25. Love Island USA season 7 can currently be streamed in its entirety.
