LAKE COMO – The Jersey Shore was smokin’ hot with a different kind of reality TV drama. Peacock’s Love Island USA rolled into town, transforming Bar Anticipation “into a Fiji-inspired paradise” for a pop-up audition event.
Hundreds of singles, ready to ditch dating app drama for a shot at island romance, began lining up in the morning to visit the villa that didn’t open until 2 p.m. They came from all parts of the tri-state area, some in beachy outfits and ready to strut their stuff.
The venue was packed with young, attractive hopefuls and a few curious onlookers. Inside the pop-up, Maybelline’s makeup room was a popular spot. Artists offered touch-ups with the brand’s latest products. After fixing their makeup and collecting free samples of dry shampoo from Batiste, participants used the villa’s background to pose for photos.
“I saw it on social media and thought it would be fun to come,” said Jenna Tompkins of Waretown.
She wasn’t alone. Jenna, along with her friends Amanda Durak and Danielle Verde, both from Brick, turned the audition into a girls’ day out. The three figured they’d get their makeup done and take a chance of getting on the show.
A big fan of Love Island’s UK and USA version, Kristina Boafo made the trip from Mount Olive to the Jersey Shore with big plans.
“I want to find a husband, find love,” Boafo shared. “I believe in the love aspect of the show. I believe in small coincidences, and hopefully, I’ll find the love of my life on the show.”
Though the pop-up audition wasn’t the final official one, contestants had the chance to appear before the camera for a short interview. They were asked five fun and flirty questions to see if they had what it takes to survive in the Love Island villa.
Adding a touch of humor, one question asked hopeful islanders to share what their ex wouldn’t miss about them. This likely produced some interesting responses, especially for Chris Mohammed of Kearny, who attended the event with his ex-girlfriend.
Islander hopefuls and fans also had the opportunity to meet the show’s Season 5 winners, Hannah Wright and Marco Donatelli. The couple shared how their time on Love Island USA fostered a deep sense of family with their fellow contestants and ultimately led them to find true love.
Hannah, 25, from Palm Springs, California, and Marco, 23, from Youngstown, Ohio, shared their struggles with traditional dating before joining the show.
“I wasn’t really focused on dating seriously before,” Hannah revealed.
“Finding a genuine connection can be tough,” Marco said. “I hadn’t been in a serious relationship since high school.”
Marco said that the show’s concept led to a “crazy experience,” which involved flying to an island without any outside communication – looking for just one thing.
“I was just so happy I was able to find love,” beamed Marco, “And that’s the point of the whole show – to find love.”
There was also the constant presence of temptation with new arrivals (“bombshells”) vying for the islanders’ attention. Hannah found she fell more in love with Marco as she watched him deal with the challenges of others trying to interfere with their relationship.
“It really teaches you how to handle conflict,” Hannah explained. “That’s one of the things I liked about Marco, how he handled situations. Here we were in this crazy situation – you see a lot about someone when they’re in a hard time.”
Rather than return to either of their original hometowns, Hannah and Marco decided their love was so strong that they just couldn’t be without one another. Instead, they moved to Boca Raton, Florida, where Marco is studying at Florida Atlantic University to become a chiropractor.
“Fortunately, I was in a flexible position and could move,” explained Hannah, a former elementary school teacher. “While I still love working with kids, I currently substitute teach and focus on pursuing my passion for journalism, particularly broadcast journalism.”
The couple, united by their desire for a lasting love, are now looking towards the future. They share similar family values and hope to get married and start a family someday. While they haven’t set a specific timeline, their year together has clearly solidified their bond.
Love Island, which started in the UK in 2015 and became a US sensation in 2019, takes place in a luxurious villa in Fiji. The show airs new episodes daily apart from Wednesdays. Couples who ultimately win the show split the $100,000 grand prize.
Contestants known as “islanders” are expected to couple up with someone by the end of the initial episodes. If they remain single, they risk being eliminated from the island. New contestants called “bombshells” are introduced throughout the season to shake things up and test existing relationships. The arrival of these bombshells injects temptation, potentially causing current couples to reconsider their loyalties.
Whether any of the Jersey Shore hopefuls will find their happily ever after on Love Island USA remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain – they brought the Jersey Shore spirit to the audition process. Who knows -maybe a few local faces will be seen lounging poolside in Fiji next season.
