Nic Vansteenberghe said he and former partner Olandria Carthen are not dating despite being seen together at a high-profile wedding.
The clarification follows intense social media speculation regarding the status of the pair, who rose to prominence during season seven of "Love Island USA."
The two were spotted together at the wedding of Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns, which took place on Aug. 15, 2024 [1]. The appearance sparked rumors that the couple had reconciled after their recent split.
Addressing the speculation in an Instagram story, Vansteenberghe denied the reports of a romantic reunion. "We’re just friends. We’re not back together," he said [3].
The couple's separation became public earlier in the summer. A source said the breakup occurred on July 22, 2024 [1, 2], stating that the pair decided to part ways but intended to remain close friends.
Vansteenberghe later reinforced this sentiment through social media. In an Instagram post dated July 26, 2024, he wrote, "We will continue to love each other ALWAYS" [2].
Despite the public appearance in the Los Angeles area, both parties have maintained that their relationship is platonic. The reunion at the wedding event served as a catalyst for the rumors, but the current status remains a friendship rather than a romantic partnership.
“"We’re just friends. We’re not back together,"”
This situation highlights the difficulty reality television couples face when maintaining platonic friendships in the public eye. Because their relationship was forged and publicized through a dating competition, any public interaction is often interpreted by audiences as a romantic signal, requiring the individuals to provide explicit public denials to manage their personal narratives.
