Taylor ArdreyUSA TODAY
Aug. 19, 2026, 3:25 p.m. ET
Fresh out of the villa in Fiji, Ariana Madix’s summer is still all sunshine.
Just before the “Love Island USA” Season 8 finale in mid-July, the beloved host was nominated for an Emmy for the first time. A longtime fan of the dating series, she joined the franchise two seasons prior and has become known for her fashion, slow-motion intro walks and signature over-the-shoulder wink.
Madix told USA TODAY that she was asleep when she first heard the Emmy news.
“It was four o’clock in the morning in Fiji, and I was in my hotel room asleep, and my team woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me. Then I went back to sleep because I was so tired,” Madix said, adding that the new accolade didn’t hit her until recently.
“I think it’s when things are go, go, go, and you don’t have time to stop…you don’t get that moment where it really sinks in,” she added. “The other day they put up some billboards in LA that said Emmy nominee, and it had my name and that really hit me because I just couldn’t believe my name was there.”
Fans can expect ‘explosive’ unseen footage at the reunion, Madix says
“Love Island USA” Season 8 brought us viral moments, love triangles, messy breakups and second chances. The summer of fun in Fiji came to an end when Trinity and Bryce received the most fan votes and were crowned the winners during the July 12 finale.
Earlier this month, the islanders were spotted interacting with fans as they walked the pink carpet ahead of the highly anticipated reunion in Universal City, California. Madix, who hosted the special with Andy Cohen, said that the fans should prepare for more big moments.
“I think there’s some explosive stuff when it comes to unseen footage and some questions that people had or misconceptions that people had that were cleared up once and for all,” Madix teased.
“I think overall, the reunion had a lot of everything,” she continued. “There were times where we were all laughing. There were times where it was really serious. There were times when there were some tears. There were some times when people were hugging. And I think it’s a really good conclusion to the season because I feel like we are getting a lot of answers to some questions I think we all had.”
This was also the first time the reunion included a live studio audience, which provided an interactive element to the show.
“That definitely added another layer because something was said or if someone does something and you hear the ‘Ooh,’ the audience was into it. They were giving us feedback in real time. So that was pretty cool,” Madix continued.
How to watch the ‘Love Island USA’ reunion
The reunion premieres on Monday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@usatodayco.com.
