Ariana Madix Spills ‘Love Island’ Season 8 Reunion Tea and the Moment That Still Makes Her ‘Nervous’ (Exclusive)
Find out more from the ‘Love Island’ villa as Ariana Madix gives details on Season 8 and the upcoming reunion
Key Takeaways
- Ariana Madix talks about what it's been like since returning from Fiji.
- She knew the Casa Amor recoupling would spark a major fan reaction.
- Ariana Madix uses Orgain protein powder to start her day off right.
Can we pull you for a chat? Ariana Madix, the host of the popular dating reality show, Love Island USA, recently returned from filming Season 8 in Fiji. With fans in a frenzy over the most recent episodes and anticipating the upcoming reunion, Madix has been in a Love Island bubble since she returned.
Woman’s World recently sat down with Ariana Madix to discuss the most recent season of the dating show, including her favorite looks and favorite moments, plus her favorite protein powders, shakes and protein bars.
WW: You’ve just come back from an incredible season of Love Island in Fiji and now you’re back stateside—are you excited to be home or are you missing the island?
Ariana Madix: I definitely had those post-Fiji blues when I first came back, missing everybody that I’m out there with, missing the villa and missing Fiji in general. But it’s nice to really get back into my routine and get some things done that I’ve been thinking about for so long.
WW: Were there any moments from Season 8 that stood out to you while filming that you knew would cause a big fan reaction when they aired?
Ariana Madix: The Casa Amor recoupling every season is that big moment that always causes such a stir, not only in the villa, but online with all the viewers. It makes me a little bit nervous because there are real feelings at play, and I know how they’re all probably feeling, but it was, it was very exciting.
WW: What was your favorite moment from the season?
Ariana Madix: I really loved the day I got to spend with the girls introducing Casa Amor. Fans didn’t even see everything with us and I always crave the moments where I get to hang out with them. So much of when I’m with them is serious or someone’s going home and I only get a couple of seconds to chat with them. So to get to spend that amount of time with the girls that day was really wonderful. Especially on a day where everyone was having fun and it was such a positive day.
WW: The reunion is just around the corner. What are you most looking forward to in terms of that?
Ariana Madix: I’m looking forward to seeing everybody again and to see what they’ve been up to. They have so much going on in their lives right now, so that is going to be really fun to catch up. I’m also looking forward to seeing how their friendships are. I’m sure there’s been some ebbs and flows since the season’s passed, and since they have all been watching it back. I’m very curious to find out how they all feel about what they’ve seen.
WW: What can fans expect when it comes to the upcoming reunion?
Ariana Madix: I have no idea. I know it’s gonna be big. Andy [Cohen] and I will be there together, so that’ll be a blast and we have a lot of topics that we’re gonna be covering because we’re able to interact with them in ways that we can’t when they’re in the villa.
WW: You were also just nominated for your very first Emmy—what has that achievement been like for you and have you been able to celebrate it?
Ariana Madix: We celebrated a little bit in Fiji with our Fiji family. After going back there so many times, we have so many friends that live in Fiji, so that was really nice to be able to do. It’s such an amazing feeling and at some points it feels surreal, to see all the sacrifices that you make to grow your career [pay off]. I’m also in the most amazing company, alongside all of my hosting heroes, so it’s really exciting.
WW: It’s no coincidence that the show really started to pop off when Season 6 aired and you became the show’s host. What was it like to experience that major fan reaction right from the get-go?
Ariana Madix: It was so exciting. I’ve loved this show for so long, but there were so many people who were watching it for the first time, and they were loving it. It felt very validating. For a while, we weren’t sure if it was just our algorithm because we’re working on the show and talking about the show and the phones are listening to us. Then we started seeing videos of the watch parties and we realized that it wasn’t just our algorithm. The show was actually getting that big.
WW: You wore some incredible outfits this season. Did you have a favorite of the looks?
Ariana Madix: Definitely the red dress from the Casa Amor recoupling. My friend Taylor is an extremely talented designer and she whipped that dress together in a matter of days. It was insane. The things that she can accomplish in such a short timeline are amazing, so it was really cool that my favorite look also happened to be one that my friend created. She also did the tattoo dress for [Love Island] Games and the pink spiky dress and the premiere dress that was all diamonds for Season 7.
WW: Everyone loves you as the host of Love Island but are there any other reality dating shows you’d love to host or appear on if you had the chance?
Ariana Madix: I would like to team up with Sophie Monk [from Love Island Australia] and Maya Jama [from Love Island UK] for some sort of international Love Island super show.
Woman’s World: Can you tell me a bit about your partnership with Orgain and why you decided to team up with them?
Ariana Madix: I wanted to team up with Orgain because it makes so much sense for my day-to-day life. This is a product I use pretty much every morning. I like to put the vanilla bean plant-based protein in my iced coffee in the morning. My days vary in terms of schedule and I know myself. I’m not gonna get up and make some elaborate smoothie with protein in it, but I know what works for me. If I can get it in my iced coffee, I’m gonna be able to hit my goals for the day. It’s 21 grams in every serving, so it kickstarts my day.
WW: What are some of the other wellness hacks you maintain while managing such a busy schedule?
Ariana Madix: In the morning, I try to make everything as easy as possible so that I can stay consistent. Over the years, one thing that has been a struggle for me is consistency, especially when my schedule is so different all the time. The second I get up in the morning, I drink 32 ounces of water, just to make sure I’m really getting in that hydration.
You can stream all 35 episodes of Love Island USA Season 8, as well as the upcoming reunion special on August 31, on Peacock.
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