‘Love Island‘ season 7 star Huda Mustafa has issued co-star, Olandria Carthen an apology as her boyfriend, ‘Too Hot To Handle‘ star Louis Russell issues an apology to all offended after the couple were caught laughing at a racial slur aimed at Carthen. Elsewhere, Carthen’s friend and another season 7 Love Islander, Michelle “Chelley B” Bissainthe, is calling the entire incident “disappointing.”
As we previously shared, things all started after Russell and Mustafa were spotted on a livestream taking a phone call. During the apparent prank call, the couple claimed a child fired off a racial slur aimed at Carthen. Immediately after hearing the word, they hung up and burst into laughter. The couple later claimed their laughs were just a second nature response to being caught in an awkward situation while on live.
While responding to the backlash, Mustafa took to her Instagram Story and wrote:
“Y’all, first of all, clickbait using a sensitive topic is actually insane. Me and Louis did not hear what was said in that No Caller ID call on live, only the racial slur which we hung up
immediately. I don’t condone anything of the sort. Whoever called purposely continuously called while we were live. I really don’t condone racism which is why it was immediately hung up. Once again, we did not hear it very well, considering it sounded like a child, only the last slur. I just wanted to address this before it blows out of proportion.Also, laughter was because it was AWKWARD. Like, who the heck says something offensive like that on a call on his live? And as you can hear me say, ‘What did they say?,” and, ‘They said a bad word,” because that’s ALL I heard was the bad word. It was awkward and inappropriate. Whoever said it is in the wrong.”
Russell also spoke out initially and condemned the people “hating on his girl.” He said they are both not racist, especially noting that he is Black, and she is with him.
Olandria Carthen Addresses Video Of Huda Mustafa And Louis Russell Laughing At Racial Slur Aimed At Her
Olandria Carthen later responded to the incident, condemning racism. In a lengthy post on her Instagram Story, she wrote:
“I do not condone racism of any kind, nor do I entertain it. That kind of language is never acceptable. Not in anger, not as a joke, not ever. 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. We all have a role in building a culture where speaking to one another with respect is the standard, and where speaking against hate speech is the bare minimum.
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. I encourage those who have participated in the stream and their followers to demonstrate a genuine commitment to anti-racism by donating to organizations and foundations dedicated to educating and uplifting this community such as the UNCF, NAACP, and/or the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. I will be making a personal donation as well. In the next slides, ‘ll be sharing donation links to contribute in support of HBCUs and underfunded educational resources for Black students.”
In three follow-up Story posts, Carthen shared a link per post. One to donate to the UNCF (United Negro College Fund), the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and TMCF (Thurgood Marshall College Fund).
Huda Mustafa Apologizes To Olandria Carthen And Louis Russell Apologizes To All Offended After Laughing At Racial Slur Aimed At Olandria
Louis Russell later addressed the incident again, this time issuing an apology. Taking to his Instagram Story, he wrote:
“I’d like to extend my sincerest apology to all those affected by the caller who used language that completely goes against everything we stand for. Huda and I were extremely caught off guard. As a Black man, I have greater empathy through my own lived experiences battling racism, and the idea that a flustered response to a very unnerving situation could be misinterpreted for me not taking the matter seriously is incredibly disheartening.
I was extremely shocked that someone would so casually use harmful and dangerous language, and Huda and I both recognized the immediate need to end the call so we could process what had just happened. We were shocked that what sounded like a young caller could so thoughtlessly speak that way.
This was an extremely unfortunate situation, one that in no way reflects my values, nor Huda’s. We are both very proud of the way we’ve used our platforms to be a voice for those who are often under-represented, especially on TV. We are even more motivated now to approach every audience interaction with respect, inclusivity, and care.”
Meanwhile, Huda Mustafa issued a direct apology to Olandria Carthen. Taking to her Instagram Story again, she wrote:
“I’ve taken the majority of the day to reflect and collect my thoughts to make sure this didn’t come off as disingenuous. Last night, I quickly posted a statement acknowledging my reaction to the racial slur that was said on Louis livestream. I want to take this moment to more fully take accountability for my actions.
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.
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. 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
I’m making a personal donation to the NAACP and encourage anyone who feels moved to do the same. I will also share a list of additional organizations that support racial equity, education, and mental health support, so that anyone who wants to contribute can do so meaningfully. With love, Huda.”
As directed by Carthen, Mustafa appeared to research the three organizations that she requested donations for: UNCF, NAACP, and TMCF. Following her apology, Mustafa shared three more Story posts. The first included a link to the NAACP site. She wrote, “A civil rights organization that works to ensure political, social, and economic equality for all people, and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination.”
On a second post, she added the link to The Loveland Foundation. She wrote, “Provides financial assistance and resources for Black women and girls to access therapy and mental health services.”
In a third post, Mustafa included a link to BEAM (Black Emotional And Mental Health Collective). She wrote, “A national training, movement-building, and grant-making organization that removes barriers to mental healthcare for Black and marginalized communities.”
RELATED: Another One! Love Island USA’s Cierra Ortega Makes Shocking Exit As Past Racial Slurs Resurface
Chelley Bissainthe Reacts To Huda Mustafa And Louis Russell Laughing At Racial Slur Aimed At Olandria Carthen, Calls Incident ‘Disappointing’
Elsewhere, Olandria Carthen’s friend and another season 7 Love Islander, Michelle “Chelley B” Bissainthe, is calling the entire incident with Huda Mustafa and Louis Russell “disappointing.” Taking to her Instagram Story, she wrote:
“Seeing what happened with a former Love Island cast mate and her partner, laughing during a prank call that included a racist remark toward Olandria was disappointing to say the least.
Racism isn’t a prank, it’s not entertainment, and it’s definitely not something to laugh at. As a Black woman, it’s painful to watch moments like this play out so casually because it shows how normalized disrespect and ignorance can become when people choose silence or humor over accountability.
Having been on the receiving end of hate and racial comments, I know how deeply that can cut and would never wish that pain on anyone.Any form of racism should always be checked right away. There’s nothing awkward about racism… it’s disgusting and disheartening. And I’ll always speak on It.
Let’s not make light of moments like these. There’s a bigger message here: use your voice and stand up for what’s right no matter the time, place, or who’s watching. As always, love & peace.”
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