Love Island fame comes fast, but the contracts may bite
Mackenzie Annis has fans pushing for Dancing With the Stars, but Love Island USA contestants may face post-villa limits on outside deals.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
4 min read
Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis left the Love Island USA villa with a viral calling card: those much-discussed splits. Now fans want to see whether that flexibility can carry her all the way to Dancing With the Stars.
The push picked up after professional dancer Ezra Sosa commented on Annis’ first TikTok after leaving the villa, writing, “The mirrorball is CALLING your name.” Annis replied, “SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.”
A ballroom booking, though, may not be hers to accept on the spot. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Love Island USA contestants are covered by a one-year exclusivity period that can affect television appearances, brand work and other commercial opportunities after the show.
That matters because Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+, while Love Island USA streams on Peacock, part of NBCUniversal. If Annis received a real offer, available reporting suggests she could need approval before joining a rival company’s show.
Post-villa fame arrives before the fine print fades
Love Island USA films in Fiji, where contestants date, compete and try to stay coupled up while viewers vote on the action. During filming, Islanders are cut off from their phones and social media, leaving them unable to see which moments have gone viral.
The attention can be enormous by the time they return. NBCUniversal said Season 8 drew more than 4 billion social video views and ranked as the No. 1 social program during its run. Winner Trinity Tatum had more than 3 million Instagram followers after the season.
That kind of audience brings managers, agents, publicists, brands and TV producers into the picture quickly. The Ankler has reported that representatives often have roughly 10 days to meet with highly sought-after Islanders before the cast begins fielding interviews, sponsorships and representation decisions.
The sudden spotlight can also be rough. Trinity asked viewers to stop sending “hate & ignorant comments” toward Zach Georgiou, called him one of the most “amazing” people she met in the villa and reminded fans that Islanders are “people just like everyone else.”
What the restrictions can cover
The Ankler has reported that ITV America, the production company behind Love Island USA, must approve contestants’ brand partnerships during the exclusivity period. The Hollywood Reporter has also reported that the contracts can limit which television appearances Islanders make.
Former Season 4 contestant Deb Chubb backed up that idea in a June TikTok, saying, “contract-wise, you can't go on any shows a year after the finale.” The current agreements have not been made public, so the exact limits are not known.
Similar clauses are common in reality TV. A public Survivor agreement described a one-year period after the finale requiring permission for some media appearances. RuPaul’s Drag Race contracts have also included one-year exclusivity language while allowing live performances and personal appearances.
The Hollywood Reporter cited a source who said limited noncompete provisions are now standard in reality casting and can give networks veto power over outside brand and commercial deals. Such rules can also help networks avoid conflicts with advertisers.
Networks like to keep their stars close
Dancing With the Stars has repeatedly pulled from ABC’s Bachelor world, including Matt James, Gabby Windey, Charity Lawson, Joey Graziadei and Jenn Tran. Disney Channel actor Chandler Kinney and Hulu reality stars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt have also appeared.
Netflix uses a similar reality-TV pipeline, bringing personalities from Love Is Blind, Too Hot to Handle, The Circle and The Ultimatum into crossover shows such as Perfect Match and Battle Camp.
NBCUniversal has its own routes for former Islanders, including Love Island Games, The Traitors and Love Island: Beyond the Villa. Season 6’s JaNa Craig appeared on NBC’s Destination X within a year of leaving Fiji, while Rob Rausch later won Peacock’s The Traitors.
There is also evidence NBCUniversal can allow outside appearances. Christine Cowan, the NBCUniversal executive overseeing casting across Bravo, NBC and Peacock, said at the ATX TV Festival in May that the company let Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller compete on Dancing With the Stars.
“We want them to be happy, and we want to continue our relationship with them,” Cowan said. She described the ABC series as a one-off opportunity rather than a permanent move to another entertainment company.
For Islanders, the system can bring guidance and more NBCUniversal work. It can also slow outside offers that depend on a viral moment while it is still hot. Annis may have the splits, the fan campaign and the cheeky comment thread, but the contract may get a vote too.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.