Ariana Madix Is Able to Strut Her Means Into the ‘Love Island USA’ Villa Feeling “Confident and Sexy”

There’s little question that Ariana Madix performed an enormous position in serving to Love Island USA turn into a cultural phenomenon over the past two years.

Her star energy alone, because of her viral run on Bravo’s Vanderpump Guidelines, undoubtedly attracted her followers over to the Peacock actuality courting present when she took over the internet hosting duties throughout season six in 2024. However it was her commanding and assured aura when she entered the villa every time that helped maintain viewers coming again for me (along with loads of mouth-watering drama with the Islanders).

Love Island USA, which follows attractive singles searching for love in a Fijian villa, has climbed the streaming charts the final two years, changing into not solely Peacock’s most-watched original unscripted series but additionally one of the vital anticipated actuality reveals within the U.S.

“It’s an absolute star maker,” Madix says of the Peacock collection. “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 again on the reins for the third time as season eight prepares to get underway on June 2. And he or she’s able to not solely meet all the new Islanders but additionally watch sparks fly and drama warmth up together with America, particularly since she’s a fan first.

However earlier than she re-enters the villa, the host opens as much as THR in regards to the present’s newfound success the final two years, how she prepares for her internet hosting duties, her relationship with the castmembers, navigating the Islander dynamics with on-line discourse and what she’s trying ahead to most about season eight.

What are you trying ahead to most about returning in your third season internet hosting?

I’m actually excited to get again to see our complete crew that I work with, each on my workforce and all of the individuals who make the present. It seems like we see one another on the opposite aspect of the world after which we by no means get to hang around exterior of that. So it seems like a little bit of a reunion in a means. I’m additionally actually excited to see who the brand new Islanders are going to be. I really like attending to know them and attending to see their tales and attempting to decipher, earlier than they go in, what I feel they’re going to be like. I’ve a very beautiful time attending to know them all through the season as a result of I do really feel as if they develop a lot each personally and of their friendships and their relationships over that point. So to see them on that first night time once they are available in is a very enjoyable feeling.

What does your preparation course of seem like earlier than the season kicks off?

I do a whole lot of work within the health club. And I really feel as if I do this all year long as properly. It’s not one thing I solely do for this, however I undoubtedly ramp it up simply because I wish to really feel assured. I wish to really feel attractive. I wish to really feel like I’ve an authority after I stroll into the villa. I additionally do some bit of labor on confidence basically to go in there as a result of I feel one thing that’s actually vital as a bunch isn’t just with the ability to empathize with the Islanders, but additionally with the ability to command the room. As a result of after I go in there, there’s no producers there. It’s simply me; I’m in cost. So I want to come back in having that confidence for positive.

As a longtime fan of the franchise, what do you make of the U.S. model changing into such a cultural phenomenon the final two years? 

The best way that they’re able to format the present and convey parts to the present that really feel distinctive to Love Island USA and make it stand out among the many Love Island franchise, I feel it’s wonderful since you take a look at the entire completely different challenges, the completely different twists and turns that they convey and that feels distinctive to Love Island USA. After all, you might have your tent pole issues that you just do cross a franchise, however we’ve actually been capable of carve out a novel place and it’s one thing that makes the present appointment tv.

Additionally the casting of the Islanders season to season is completely unimaginable. These Islanders are by no means collectively. They don’t meet. There’s no interplay the place they’ll chemistry take a look at the best way you’d on a scripted present. So that you don’t know till they’re all in a room collectively what sort of sparks are going to fly. And but 12 months after 12 months, the casting workforce does such an unimaginable job of discovering the key sauce amongst the forged to essentially make these sparks fly and make the present thrilling.

Final 12 months, there have been additionally episode watch events all throughout the U.S. I imply, that’s like a complete new stage of success to achieve. What was your response to that?

I like it! I want so badly I may present up at a watch social gathering. I keep in mind there was a second [in season seven] with Nic and Olandria [when] Olandria opened the automobile door and stated, “Get in, get in.” And watching the movies of the individuals leaping out of their chairs, screaming, cheering was so cool. And it was so validating as a result of that’s additionally how I felt after I noticed it. So it felt as if we have been connecting from the opposite aspect of the world in our pleasure for the entire issues occurring. And it’s a bit like sports activities, in the best way that persons are capable of cheer and boo or no matter’s occurring.

Followers have identified the position you performed in bringing your Vanderpump Guidelines fanbase with you while you joined Love Island USA. What do you make of the position you performed within the present’s success?

It’s actually form, and I, in fact, would like to assume that I’m even only a small a part of that. It’s a very, actually cool feeling. There’s so many elements which have gone into the success of the present and the present actually taking off after I turned host, so I’d like to assume that I’m type of a part of the material of that. And while you take a look at all of the issues, it’s actually an ideal storm of things which have actually helped the present take off. And naturally, if I will be one of many lightning bolts in that storm, that’s wonderful!

After we’ve chatted beforehand, you stated you’d like to host Love Island USA until you die. Is that also your perspective?

Certain! I did simply get introduced that Love Island Video games is renewed for season three and I might be returning as host for Love Island Video games season three. So there’s a minimum of yet another that’s on its means, in order that’s thrilling. I actually really feel very fulfilled doing this job. I really feel creatively fulfilled. It additionally scratches an itch for me by way of the efficiency aspect. It actually seems like I’m going out on stage each time. I really like connecting with the Islanders each season, and so I undoubtedly may see myself doing it for fairly a while.

Do you continue to preserve a relationship with any of the Islanders from seasons six and 7? And in that case, who?

I speak to them right here and there. I really like attending to see them each time we find yourself out someplace. I simply noticed Leah [from season six] not too way back, Olandria at Coachella; that was so good to see them. And I all the time wish to help in any means that I can. All of them have such wonderful enterprise acumen; their thoughts for what it’s that they wish to set their sights on is so wonderful. And so I’m all the time going to be in line shopping for the product or no matter it’s.

Ciara Miller and Tefi Pessoa have been not too long ago introduced because the co-hosts of Aftersun this 12 months. What’s your response to them becoming a member of the Love Island household?

I’m so excited! I do know each of them personally, and Tefi and I’ve chatted a lot about simply various things, and I’m very, very excited to get their perspective because the season is airing. They’re going to have such nice issues to contribute and we’re going to have a lot enjoyable in Fiji. Hopefully we’ll all get a day without work and we are able to go snorkeling or one thing.

Final season, there was quite a bit of controversy surrounding a number of of the castmembers and resurfaced racist clips and posts. Because the host, I do know you’re additionally tapped into the web conversations that pop up all through every season. How do you separate realizing the fan discourse when approaching internet hosting and interacting with the castmembers? 

When approaching internet hosting, it’s virtually prefer it has to only not even be an element in any respect. Everybody simply will get handled precisely the identical, all the time going into that villa with a clear slate, moving into precisely as issues are within the villa as a result of the villa type of is its personal little bubble, its personal little world. And naturally the whole lot that’s occurring exterior of that’s all conversations or feedback and even what’s occurring simply on the earth at massive. Final 12 months there was a whole lot of turmoil occurring overseas or again within the U.S. as properly. And I feel as soon as we step foot into that villa, it’s its personal bubble.

Is it troublesome to separate the whole lot or do you take a look at internet hosting virtually as a personality or position you’re entering into when you enter the villa?

I undoubtedly assume a whole lot of internet hosting does really feel as if I’m enjoying a little bit of a personality, however that character does nonetheless have a whole lot of me. So sparkly, scantily clad, tan, attractive, assured me is part of me, however that’s not likely me. So I’m enjoying virtually like a really heightened, very completely different model of myself, however on the identical time I nonetheless have the identical empathy for them or for what’s occurring and I’m nonetheless bringing the actual me to it. However it jogs my memory of Alan Cumming internet hosting Traitors; he’s enjoying a characterised model of himself, however he’s nonetheless very a lot himself.

As somebody who has needed to navigate their very own public scandal and headlines up to now, what was your response to seeing the headlines and backlash that a number of the Islanders confronted in season seven? Did you supply them any help or recommendation? 

I’m very restricted, particularly whereas the season is airing, on my contact with everybody and that form of factor. On the finale, as soon as we have been completed filming, everyone had jumped within the pool, we have been all chatting about how comfortable and proud we have been of all of them [and] I undoubtedly needed them to know that in the event that they ever had questions on something like that or they needed to achieve out, that I’d all the time be there. And I can solely think about getting your cellphone again and having a barrage of each constructive and not-so-positive issues come your means. … However I really feel as if these Islanders do have such wonderful help techniques and so they have such a novel expertise that they undergo collectively that it actually hopefully helps bond them in a means that they are often there for one another as properly.

Heading into season eight, do you might have a favourite problem or exercise that you just’re hoping returns this season? 

You guys are going to hate me for this one. I actually favored the Milk Problem (Laughs). I simply can’t get the picture out of my head of Nic simply full sending it, having a blast with it. I do know it was so gross, however there was one thing about it that was so humorous to me, and everybody hates the meals challenges and issues like that, however they’re so humorous as a result of they’re wacky and so they’re not attractive in any respect. And generally I feel we get attractive on a regular basis on our present, so it’s good generally to have one thing that’s foolish and gross and bizarre, and that to me could be very enjoyable.

What have you ever been advised in regards to the new season you could tease for followers?

I do know nothing. They know to not inform me something as a result of they know I’ll spill the beans. I do know that the villa is, in fact, getting its annual little makeover. I’m positive there might be perhaps much more vegetation this 12 months, so I’m all the time excited to see that, however I don’t know something about potential Islanders. I do know final 12 months, they have been making selections virtually simply two days earlier than we began filming. So I do know that course of goes into the wee hours.

That sounds anxious as a result of I assumed you’d know extra particulars going into night time one in all internet hosting.

I want to know if I’m performing some form of dance quantity and to what music and what’s it? And please inform me quickly as a result of it’s often the night time earlier than that I’m watching anyone’s cellular phone video of choreography, attempting to make sense of what’s going on (Laughs). In order quickly as they might determine that one out, I’d like to know.

Season eight of Love Island USA premieres on Peacock June 2 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. Take a look at all of THR‘s Love Island USA coverage here, together with a recent interview with an executive producer.