Ace Shades Nicolandria Romance and Sparks Wave of Jealousy Accusations

The fallout from the Ace and Speedy interview has reignited debate around Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen, better known as Nicolandria. Despite being one of the most talked-about couples to emerge from Love Island USA Season 7, their relationship has been picked apart more than any other. Some fans and critics alike continue to question whether their bond is “real,” even though the pair have been transparent about exploring their connection. At the same time, the winners of the show quietly split and pocketed $50,000 each, facing nowhere near the same outrage. The uneven scrutiny is telling, and it reveals more about the discomfort with Olandria, a dark-skinned black woman’s success than it does about the couple themselves.

The Double Standards Around Love Island Couples

Nic and Olandria have never promised fans a fairy tale. Both have said openly that they were attracted to one another and wanted to see where things could go outside the villa. That honesty, however, has not protected them from critics who insist on framing their story as fake. The fixation is curious when compared to Amaya and Bryan, who won the show, cashed their checks, and ended their relationship soon after. Instead of backlash, their decision was treated as business as usual.

The double standard is clear. Other Love Island couples fade quietly without backlash, yet Nicolandria faces relentless scrutiny. Jess Hilarious added fuel by calling their relationship “phoney s***” and suggesting Olandria would find the real love of her life, comments fans widely condemned as jealous and dismissive. That selective outrage exposes how judgment isn’t truly about whether Nic and Olandria are real, but about who they are and what they represent. A dark-skinned Black woman thriving with a supportive white male partner disrupts the expected narrative, making her success a target for shade rather than celebration. The focus reveals bias more than authenticity.

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Ace Greene’s recent remarks in his Speedy interview pushed that narrative further. He implied there was no romantic spark, a claim many fans dismissed as petty jealousy. For someone who once called Olandria a close friend, his willingness to undermine her in public raises serious questions about his integrity.

Why Olandria’s Success Makes People Uneasy

Olandria entered Love Island as an underdog. She endured harsh treatment in the villa, only to emerge as one of the most visible and celebrated cast members. Her fan base grew rapidly, and she is now securing brand deals and national attention. Instead of celebrating her rise, detractors have worked overtime to chip away at her image.

The backlash is not limited to non-Black audiences. Some of the strongest criticism has come from Black people, including Ace himself, who implied in his interview that Nicolandria lacked a romantic spark. Others within the Black community have echoed that sentiment, often using coded language about “authenticity” to disguise discomfort. At the root of this criticism lies a familiar pattern: resentment toward a dark-skinned Black woman whose success disrupts the hierarchy of desirability.

Seeing Olandria receive public affection and opportunity from a white partner challenges long-standing narratives. Instead of embracing her win, critics label her as unattractive and her relationship as fake, while couples with far less chemistry escape the same judgment. The hostility says less about her choices and more about how threatening her triumph feels to people invested in keeping dark-skinned women on the margins.

Nicolandria Keeps Moving Forward

Despite the criticism, Nic and Olandria keep moving forward. Their fan base remains one of the most loyal in Love Island history, with #Nicolandria frequently trending across social platforms. The attention has boosted Olandria’s visibility, opening doors to modeling contracts and speaking events that might not have happened without the show. Nic has also played an active role in her success, including flying her to Greece for a modeling opportunity, reinforcing the partnership’s tangible impact beyond the villa.

Whether the relationship lasts for years or only months is almost beside the point. What matters is that Olandria is winning right now. She has turned public interest into tangible gains and proven that a dark-skinned Black woman can leave a reality show not just intact but ahead.

Going on Love Island for commercial opportunities is, if not the most important, certainly one of the main reasons contestants sign up. Across the pond in the UK, the show has created household names and massive brand power—Molly Mae being the most famous example. Yet no dark-skinned Black woman has ever reached the heights that Olandria now has. The very fact that her success inspires jealousy underscores how groundbreaking her rise truly is.

Final Thoughts

The debate around Nicolandria says less about Nic and Olandria’s bond and more about the cultural discomfort their pairing provokes. Other couples have broken up without scrutiny, but this relationship continues to attract relentless criticism. At its root is Olandria herself: an unambiguous dark-skinned Black woman with features that many inside and outside the community have historically dismissed. Her visibility and desirability challenge entrenched beauty hierarchies, while her romance with a white man—whether lifelong or fleeting—disrupts the narrative that Black women cannot be loved, desired, or respected by men of other races. That disruption is what fuels the backlash. Some resist seeing Black women date beyond the community and seek to discredit it at every turn. Yet Olandria’s rise proves otherwise: she thrives in full view, and no amount of resentment can erase the significance of her success.