See Love Island USA Star Melanie Moreno’s Photos as Plus-Size Model

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From the runway to the villa, Melanie Moreno knows how to make an entrance.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by the hidden stories behind the faces we see on TV! It turns out that one of the stars from Love Island USA, who told us she manages a bikini store, actually has a background in plus-size modeling. It’s so interesting to learn about the diverse paths people take before finding themselves on a dating show like that one!

Moreno, age 24, has experience as a model, appearing in campaigns and on runways for well-known fashion brands. Photos and videos from as far back as 2022 are resurfacing now that she’s gained popularity on Love Island and fans are supporting her relationship with Sincere Rhea.

Even before arriving in Fiji, the reality star was clearly comfortable and stylish in beachwear. She’s modeled swimwear several times, including a memorable appearance at Miami Swim Week 2022 where she wore a shimmering gold, one-shoulder swimsuit for Pretty Little Thing.

And it’s no secret why the Philadelphia, Pa. native pursued her passion for fashion. 

Moreno explained to VoyageLA in 2021 that while she enjoyed college, she realized it wasn’t the right path for her and she wanted to pursue her lifelong dream. Shortly after leaving school after her first semester, she was discovered by her current manager, Elizabeth. Since she was ten years old, Moreno had dreamed of being a model, but she’d gotten sidetracked and tried to focus on more ‘practical’ options.

Becoming a professional model wasn’t simple, Moreno admitted. She also highlighted the need for better mental health support within the industry, a cause she champions through her brand, MORE SPORT STUDIO.

I used to think I needed to look a certain way – a specific body type or overall appearance – to even have a chance in this industry. I spent nine years trying to get noticed, but now I realize that wasn’t true. I honestly believe I was discovered when the time was right.

Moreno was thrilled that her dedication led to success. She shared, “This year, a lifelong dream came true when I signed with Wilhelmina, a leading agency in New York City.”

Moreno isn’t the only contestant juggling things outside of the villa. Here’s a peek at some of Love Island‘s biggest hidden stories.

Each day, editors review hours of footage – captured by 85 hidden cameras – to create a single, one-hour episode.

That’s just their process: editors work with footage from Monday to create the next day’s episode, and they repeat this quickly to keep up with the schedule.

Fortunately, filming for the show takes place in Fiji, which is 16 hours ahead of the East Coast. This means when the team finishes working late at night there, it’s still morning in the U.S., giving them more time to perfect each new episode.

According to executive producer Claudine Parrish, as soon as something happens on the island, the production team starts building scenes around it. For example, if the boys make breakfast for the girls, the team will quickly label it and have an editor turning it into a segment within about 15 minutes, according to a 2024 interview with The Wrap.

Creating each story takes a lot of people! Parrish explained that around 30 editors and 20 producers work together, and a dedicated story team decides how to combine key moments and conversations into a complete narrative.

Parrish acknowledged that not every promising idea pans out. “We don’t always succeed,” she explained. “We’re constantly deciding whether something is truly significant or if it will quickly become irrelevant.”

On this show, breakfast is definitely considered the most important meal. And because the male contestants are responsible for making food and coffee for the women on Love Island USA, what they prepare has become a surprisingly popular topic of discussion worldwide.

But what does everyone eat for lunch and dinner, you ask?

Since the show isn’t really about the food itself – unless something goes hilariously wrong like burnt pancakes or a disastrous first attempt at an omelet – it’s always there, but not the main attraction.

In a 2021 interview with HELLO!, Love Island UK season four winner Dani Dyer explained that there aren’t any set menus in the villa. Instead, the Islanders have catering, meaning they make their own breakfast – things like eggs, bacon, and toast.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve heard all about the behind-the-scenes of reality TV! Apparently, during season eight, Luca Bish had absolutely no clue who was creating those delicious meals on Love Island. He shared in a TikTok back in July 2023 that it was a total mystery – some chef was cooking off-site and just delivering the food to the villa. Can you imagine not knowing who made your dinner?!

Bish didn’t enjoy the food much, and often ate just hummus and crisps for both lunch and dinner.

Contestants have shared that men and women on the show eat meals separately, unless they are on a date together.

Olivia Attwood, who appeared on season three of Love Island UK, described the show’s environment to The Sun in 2022 as similar to boarding school, despite being around adults. She explained that even during dinner, producers would give contestants tasks like cleaning their rooms, reminding them about laundry, and asking about breakfast preferences – all in the name of keeping things organized.

And much like being on a jury, they’re not allowed to discuss the case among themselves.

Oh my gosh, I read that Samuel Agbiji said it was insane back in 2024 in Closer! He was saying how, like, when they were eating, everyone wanted to dish about all the drama, but they couldn’t! Apparently, it messed up the filming if they talked while they were eating, which is just… mind-blowing to me! Can you imagine being there and having to stay silent through all of that?!

It’s easy to imagine contestants enjoying a few drinks, but they’re actually limited to just one alcoholic beverage each night – and it has to be beer, wine, or sparkling wine.

In a June 2024 TikTok, Phoebe Siegel from season four of Love Island USA joked that if she had to choose between red and white wine with dinner, the serving size wasn’t very big.

According to Siegel, drinks offered at what seems like an open bar – like after a Casa Amor challenge win – were actually very weak, being heavily diluted with water.

Iain Stirling has a busy job narrating both the UK and USA versions of Love Island. When the shows are being filmed, he has to stick to a very strict schedule.

In 2024, the Scottish comedian explained to TODAY that their day involved watching Love Island UK around noon U.K. time – by which point the show was nearly over. They’d then spend two or three hours writing, finishing around 4 or 4:30 p.m. After that, it was family time: getting dinner ready for their child, bath time, and bedtime. They admitted it wasn’t a very glamorous routine! Once the family was settled, they’d eat and then start writing for Love Island USA at 8:30 p.m., which meant a very early start for the team in Fiji.

According to The Wrap, Stirling reviews early versions of the show remotely via Zoom. Executive producer Parrish said that Stirling and the writers listen for humorous moments or story details, recording these observations using his home microphone.

He records his commentary for each episode before it’s reviewed by Peacock’s legal and standards department, who occasionally request final adjustments.

Stirling explained to TODAY that they usually aim to finish work around midnight or 1 a.m., after which he stays up until 1:30 or 3 a.m. to accommodate viewers in the U.S. He admitted that ideally, he’d stay up even later—until 5 or 6 a.m.—but that would mean getting no sleep at all.

The show’s success in creating lasting relationships is evident in the case of Stirling Hawn, who married Laura Whitmore, a former host of Love Island UK, in 2020. They later welcomed their daughter in March 2021.

The music on Love Island USA—from the beginning of Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel” to the show’s theme song, “From Fiji With Love” by The Daniel Pemberton TV Orchestra, and all the other pop songs used throughout—has really created a distinct and memorable atmosphere.

James Barker, executive producer of Love Island USA, first realized the potential of the show while watching Love Island UK. He told Rolling Stone in June 2025 that seeing familiar pop songs used within the show’s storylines sparked a realization. He thought, ‘This is a new level of reality TV storytelling,’ and immediately wanted to be involved with the Love Island franchise. He believed more shows should incorporate this kind of connection between music and on-screen narratives.

Finding the right songs for a scene can happen quickly, but a music clearance company starts working months in advance. They secure licenses for a wide range of artists – including Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Olivia Rodrigo – so a large selection of tracks is ready to use whenever needed, as described by Barker.

Barker explained that they prepare a large number of songs – often hundreds or even thousands – because they don’t know what moments the show will need music for. They think ahead, imagining which tracks might be perfect for specific scenes, like a breakup or a first kiss, whenever those moments happen in the story.

Surprisingly, the people living in the villa aren’t allowed to play music. This is partly because getting permission for the songs would be complicated, and also because music could make it difficult for the show’s cameras and microphones to clearly record their conversations.

Sometimes songs are allowed when they’re heard live, like during challenges, a slow-motion dance, or even in a taxi on the way to a date when the driver has the music on.

The show provides makeup and skincare for the cast, so they always look good on camera. They’re welcome to bring their own products too, but any visible brand names will be blurred out when the show is edited.

While the Islanders handle some basic grooming themselves, they also rely on professionals for more involved treatments. Lucie Dolan, from season five of Love Island UK, explained to Capital FM in 2021 that they’d typically get their nails and hair done every two to three weeks. She emphasized that the long nights in the villa are demanding, and everyone needs time to relax and recharge.

Whitmore revealed to OK! magazine that the show’s former hosts prioritize self-care on their days off, often getting their eyelashes and acrylic nails refreshed when they aren’t filming.

In the past, people from the islands had to travel for this show, but now filming regulations prevent contestants from being filmed in remote locations.

Laura Whitmore explained that in the show’s first season, contestants were allowed to leave the villa for hair appointments. Now, due to the show’s popularity, they aren’t allowed to leave, so a stylist comes to them to touch up their roots.

Producers say they’re perfectly content to ride the waves of romance.

According to Ben Thursby-Palmer, an executive producer for Love Island USA, the show reacts to what’s happening with the contestants as it unfolds. He explained to The Wrap in 2024 that if couples seem stable and happy, there’s less need to shake things up with a recoupling ceremony. However, if contestants are consistently sleeping apart and relationships are unstable, producers will intervene to mix things up and create new pairings.

According to Samie Elishi, a contestant on season nine of Love Island UK, the show wasn’t planned out with a script. However, she explained in a YouTube video from April 2023 that producers did encourage the islanders to talk to specific people – like their partners or those they were feuding with – because those conversations were essential to the show’s drama. While producers prompted these chats, the actual content of those conversations was entirely up to the contestants themselves.

The producers gave the islanders phones so they could call and text each other, take pictures, and receive notifications about challenges and events, which were announced to everyone.

Liana Isadora Van Riel, who appeared on the second season of Love Island UK, explained to The Sun in 2019 that the show provides contestants with simple phones primarily for the dramatic effect of receiving a text message. She said that while the phones allow texting, they aren’t really used for much else.

As explained in a TikTok video by Love Island USA’s Siegel, contestants aren’t allowed any outside contact. They have no access to Google, television, social media, or even text messaging with people outside the show.

Following in the footsteps of other reality show hosts who try to remain neutral, Ariana Madix, the host of Love Island USA, has to act like she’s not personally affected by the drama happening on the show.

You know, it’s tough watching those debates sometimes! I really feel like chiming in and sharing my thoughts, but as the host, she has to stay neutral, especially while she’s on camera with the candidates. It’s a delicate balance, wanting to participate but needing to remain impartial.

She also spoke up when Andrea Carmona was eliminated in season six, and Rob Rausch spontaneously announced he would leave the show with her. Madix calmly suggested he think it over, and he ultimately decided to stay.

Madix said she didn’t believe it was a good idea to make such a significant decision while feeling so emotional. She also admitted she partly wanted to see if he was serious about leaving, as she wasn’t convinced he really wanted to.

Madix, who stays at a hotel with a view of the villa during filming, pointed out that the islanders aren’t filmed by visible cameramen. Instead, the villa is covered with fixed cameras, and hidden cameramen operate behind sliding panels in the walls. While there are no completely private areas—except for places like the bathroom or shower—the islanders should assume they’re always being recorded, even when they think they’re having a private conversation.

According to Elishi from Love Island UK, the kitchen pantry is a good place to have private moments because there are no cameras. In a video from April 2023, she explained that only one person is allowed in the pantry at a time, referencing a previous romantic encounter that took place there.

Several contestants from the UK version of Love Island have revealed that the villa is stocked with condoms branded with the show’s logo, and more are provided if needed.

Former contestant JaNa Craig shared with Cosmopolitan that all participants undergo STD testing before entering the villa.

Before any major surprises happen and change things, the people involved get a chance to catch up on everything that’s happened so far.

Chloe Burrows, a former contestant on Love Island UK, revealed on her April 2023 podcast, Chloe vs. The World, that new contestants are shown all episodes of the show except the one airing right before they enter the villa. They then have to choose their top three favorite islanders.

While the cameras never stop filming, the contestants do get one day off a week to just hang out.

This also means everyone needs to follow the dinner rules: no gossip, and any disagreements must be put off until the following day. Plus, since they aren’t allowed to have dates on their days off, the men and women can’t sleep in the same beds that night.

Kem Cetinay, a contestant on the UK version of Love Island, explained on This Morning in 2017 that once contestants stop recording, they’re restricted from discussing anything related to the show. While they can chat amongst themselves, producers carefully monitor the conversations to ensure everything is captured on camera for viewers at home. He described it as a break from the constant drama of dates, games, and figuring out romantic connections.

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2026-06-12 00:22