Nic Vansteenberghe Breaks Silence After Reuniting with Ex Olandria Carthen at Jordyn Woods’ Wedding

Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen at Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns’ wedding in Malibu, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2026.

Nic Vansteenberghe is addressing speculation surrounding his relationship with ex-girlfriend Olandria Carthen after the former Love Island USA couple was spotted together at Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns’ wedding, just weeks after their breakup became public.

The season 7 runners-up attended the celebrity-filled wedding in Malibu, California, on Saturday, Aug. 15, where Woods, 28, married NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns, 30.

A photo shared by DeuxMoi showed Vansteenberghe, 25, and Carthen, 28, seated next to each other during the outdoor ceremony, which took place overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Their appearance immediately attracted attention because the former couple had only recently ended their relationship after more than a year together.

The following day, Vansteenberghe was asked directly whether the reunion meant he and Carthen had reconciled.

Speaking at LIV Beach at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Sunday, Aug. 16, Vansteenberghe chose not to give a definitive answer.

“I would love to tell you guys, but I’m going to keep that private for now,” he said when asked whether the two were “back together.”

Although he did not confirm a romantic reconciliation, Vansteenberghe made clear that they had enjoyed spending time together at the wedding.

“We did enjoy ourselves tremendously at Karl and Jordyn’s wedding last night,” he said. “It was amazing.”

His careful response only added to the curiosity surrounding the pair, but it was also consistent with how both Vansteenberghe and Carthen have approached their relationship since leaving reality television.

Vansteenberghe Reflects on Their Breakup

During the same conversation, Vansteenberghe was asked what advice he would offer someone going through the end of a relationship.

His response suggested that the breakup was emotionally difficult but that he remains optimistic.

“Things will always get better,” he said. “It’s rock bottom, but it’s about the climb.”

Vansteenberghe was also asked whether he believes former partners can remain friends.

He said that in some cases they absolutely can, particularly if the relationship ends in a healthy way.

“If you end healthily, it’s cool,” he explained. “Sometimes it’s better to maybe not be friends, but in my case, yes. We ended on a good note.”

That comment appears to align with previous reports that Vansteenberghe and Carthen remained close despite ending their romantic relationship.

When asked whether he was enjoying being single, however, Vansteenberghe indicated that he was still adjusting.

“It’s a bit soon,” he replied.

Their Breakup Was Confirmed in July

A source confirmed exclusively to PEOPLE on July 22 that Vansteenberghe and Carthen had decided to separate after dating for more than a year.

The relationship began after the two connected during season 7 of Love Island USA, eventually leaving the villa in Fiji together as the season’s runners-up.

According to the source, there was no dramatic incident behind their split.

Instead, the pressures created by physical distance and increasingly demanding schedules made maintaining the relationship difficult.

“The distance between them and their busy schedules made it challenging to maintain their connection,” the insider said.

Despite separating, the source emphasized that the former couple remained emotionally close.

“They remain close friends,” the source added. “They share a deep love and respect for each other and will always support one another whenever possible.”

That description of their post-breakup relationship appears especially relevant following their appearance together at the Woods-Towns wedding.

Sitting beside each other during such a major social event suggested that Vansteenberghe and Carthen were at minimum comfortable maintaining a friendship after the end of their romance.

Whether their connection has developed beyond friendship again remains unclear.

Vansteenberghe’s latest answer deliberately left that question open.

Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen at Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns’ wedding in Malibu, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2026.

Vansteenberghe Previously Confirmed the Split

Vansteenberghe publicly addressed the breakup for the first time in late July.

On July 29, he shared a statement through his subscribers-only TikTok account after online rumors about the couple’s status had intensified.

According to a screenshot that later circulated on X, Vansteenberghe wrote the message on July 26.

“The rumors are true. I didn’t want to give people false hope, so I want to clear the air,” he said.

Even while confirming the breakup, he emphasized that his feelings for Carthen had not disappeared.

“We will continue to love each other ALWAYS,” he wrote.

Vansteenberghe also asked followers to respect the sensitivity of the situation.

“It’s a sensitive, as well as a private subject, thank you for respecting our privacy.”

He later explained why he chose to share the announcement through a subscribers-only section of TikTok rather than making a broad public statement.

“I wanted to do it on here because you guys are our biggest supporters,” he wrote in the caption.

The decision reflected the couple’s complicated relationship with public attention.

Although their romance began on one of the most heavily watched dating shows in the United States, both Vansteenberghe and Carthen became increasingly protective of the relationship after leaving the villa.

Carthen Has Spoken About Unwanted Scrutiny

Carthen discussed that pressure in an interview with Cosmopolitan published in June.

She admitted that the intense interest from strangers in her relationship with Vansteenberghe often made her uncomfortable.

“I’m never that invested in someone’s relationship, and I’m not living for the internet,” she said.

Carthen explained that she did not feel obligated to constantly provide followers with updates about her relationship simply because fans wanted them.

“I don’t always post what people want me to or always do what people want me to do,” she continued.

She then questioned why strangers could become so deeply invested in the private relationships of people they had never personally met.

“Why are you so invested in people that don’t know you?” she asked.

Carthen admitted that the level of curiosity sometimes “kind of creeps me out.”

Her comments offered important context for why she and Vansteenberghe rarely documented their relationship online.

Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen at Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns’ wedding in Malibu, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2026.

Keeping Their Relationship Away from Cameras

Carthen also said that she and Vansteenberghe intentionally avoided turning their romance into a commercial or social-media product.

“We don’t monetize our relationship or put it on display,” she explained.

For Carthen, spending genuine time with a partner did not require documenting every moment.

“If you genuinely like spending quality time with somebody, it shouldn’t involve a camera every two seconds,” she said.

Instead, she described their relationship as something much more ordinary than fans might imagine.

“We enjoy each other’s presence and do what normal people do: go out, have fun, and get to know each other.”

That philosophy may help explain Vansteenberghe’s refusal to clarify their current status after the wedding.

Even if something has changed between them romantically, both have repeatedly indicated that they prefer to keep certain parts of their relationship away from public scrutiny.

From Love Island USA to Real Life

Vansteenberghe and Carthen became fan favorites during season 7 of Love Island USA.

Their connection inside the Fiji villa eventually carried them to the finale, where they finished as runners-up.

Unlike many reality television couples whose relationships quickly fade once filming ends, Vansteenberghe and Carthen continued dating for more than a year afterward.

Their relationship then had to adjust to life outside the controlled environment of the show.

That meant managing careers, travel, distance and growing public profiles while continuing to deal with a highly invested fanbase.

According to the source who confirmed their breakup, those logistical challenges eventually became difficult to overcome.

Still, both parties appeared determined to preserve the positive connection they had built.

Vansteenberghe’s latest comments reinforce that point.

He described their breakup as ending “on a good note,” openly said he believes exes can remain friends and did not speak negatively about Carthen.

A Reunion That Immediately Sparked Questions

Their decision to attend Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns’ wedding together naturally reignited speculation.

Celebrity weddings often bring together large social circles, so sitting beside one another does not necessarily prove that Vansteenberghe and Carthen have resumed dating.

Still, the timing made the reunion significant.

Only weeks had passed since their breakup became public, and Vansteenberghe’s decision not to directly deny reconciliation gave fans even more reason to wonder.

When asked about their relationship, he could simply have said they remained friends.

Instead, he said he was keeping the answer private “for now.”

That wording leaves several possibilities open without confirming any of them.

What Vansteenberghe did confirm was that the pair had a memorable evening together.

He described Woods and Towns’ wedding as “amazing” and said he and Carthen enjoyed themselves “tremendously.”

For a former couple who reportedly separated because of distance and scheduling rather than a dramatic personal conflict, the reunion appears consistent with the respectful relationship both sides have described.

Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe on ‘Love Island USA’ season 7.

Their Current Status Remains Private

For now, neither Vansteenberghe nor Carthen has publicly confirmed that they are dating again.

What is clear is that their connection did not disappear when the romantic relationship ended.

The source who initially reported their breakup said they continued to share deep love and respect for one another.

Vansteenberghe later echoed that sentiment in his own statement, writing that they would continue to love each other “always.”

Now, their appearance together at a high-profile wedding has demonstrated that they are comfortable spending time together publicly despite the breakup.

Whether that represents a simple friendship or the beginning of something more remains a question they are choosing not to answer.

And given Carthen’s previous frustration with strangers closely analyzing their relationship, that silence may be intentional.

For Vansteenberghe, the message after their reunion was straightforward: the breakup was painful, the two ended things on good terms, and he still believes a healthy relationship with an ex is possible.

As for whether he and Carthen have officially found their way back to each other, he is keeping that part of the story private — at least for now.