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Resurfaced Video of Reality Star Sparks Ozempic Rumors

The ‘Love Island USA’ contestant has been targeted by social media users who are speculating about her figure.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedJun 12, 2026, 6:14 PM EDT

UpdatedJun 12, 2026, 6:14 PM EDT

Updated Jun 12, 2026, 6:14 PM EDTPublished Jun 12, 2026, 6:14 PM EDT

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A Love Island USA star’s appearance became the target of rumors and online bullying after viewers discovered her past modeling work.

After the show’s eighth season kicked off on June 2, fans were eager to learn everything they could about the new islanders.

Fans of the hit Peacock dating competition were stunned to learn that contestant Melanie Moreno, 24, used to work as a plus-size model.

Soon, videos and photos of Moreno—a bikini store worker from Los Angeles—walking as a curve model for Pretty Little Thing during the 2022 Miami Swim Week began circulating online, sparking speculation about her weight-loss journey.

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Many speculated that Moreno, who is currently coupled up with contestant Sincere Rhea, had potentially used the appetite-suppressing drug Ozempic.

Amid the rise of GLP-1 drugs, many public figures, particularly famous women, have been targeted with accusations of taking the popular medication. Often, a single photo, video, or social media post is enough to spark rampant rumors.

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Others wondered whether the videos and photos even showed Moreno.

On Thursday, her family addressed the rumors on X.

“Melanie is my little cousin and I can tell you it is her!! And no Ozempic,” a family member wrote, according to The Tab.

Some viewers hypothesized that Moreno’s past explained her “insecure” behavior on the show, but her cousin slammed these opinions.

“She wasn’t insecure when she was plus size, and she’s not insecure now,” the family member wrote. “People are allowed to change, grow, and become healthier without having to justify it. Her confidence didn’t come from her size, it came from knowing her worth.”

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She also urged fans to be kinder.

“Support women at every stage, not just the versions you’re comfortable with,” she wrote.

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According to a 2021 interview with VoyageLA, Moreno worked for years to become a model.

“My biggest dream since I was 10 years old was to be a model,“ she told the outlet.

After nine years of trying, her dream came true when she was scouted by one of the world’s biggest modeling agencies, Wilhelmina Models.

Moreno said she had already given up on her dream before she was discovered.

“I had this belief that I had to look perfect to even get into the business,” she said, adding, “I thought I needed a specific look or a specific body type. Little did I know I was wrong.”

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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