Following the multiple casting missteps that occurred on Season 6 of Love Is Blind, the show’s creator is ensuring fans that the vetting process is “diligent” in finding contestants who are “genuine”– and single.
“In a lot of unscripted shows, I think that a lot of times, you’re looking for someone who’s a certain kind of character with certain charisma,” show creator and Kinetic Content CEO Chris Coelen recently told Variety. “We do not do that. We are not leading with that. We’re looking for people who are genuine.”
In six seasons, the Netflix reality series has led to 11 couples saying “I do”– nine of whom are still married today– though the casting process is not without flaws. Case in point: Season 6, in which contestant Trevor Sova was cast, despite reportedly already being in a relationship.
As fans may recall, Trevor was outed by his alleged ex-girlfriend Natalia Marrero prior to the Season 6 reunion. According text messages shared online in February, Trevor told Natalia before filming began that he had no intention of getting married on the Netflix reality series and claimed that he actually wanted to “marry” Natalia.
While Trevor’s “Number 1” in the pods, Chelsea Blackwell, ultimately got engaged to Jimmy Presnell (though the pair split before walking down the aisle), Trevor was invited to the Season 6 reunion, where he was called out by hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey for his alleged text convo with Natalia in an extremely awkward moment on stage.
(For the record, Jimmy was also accused of being a relationship that overlapped with filming for ‘Love Is Blind,’ which he denied; Us Weekly reported that Season 6 contestant Jeramey Lutinski faced similar allegations from a former fiancé, which he denied as well.)
According to Chris, the ‘Love Is Blind’ casting process kicks off with a local search– a 50-mile radius– from the city chosen that season. From there, the show begins doing “outreach” to “get the word out on a local level.”
“We want reporters, politicians, realtors, salon owners, pastors, nurses, teachers and everyone in between,” Donna Driscoll, exec VP of casting and talent for Kinetic Content told Variety. “We want there to be a huge buzz around the city that we’re there and we’re looking for singles who are ready for a deep and meaningful relationship and marriage.”
The show also makes an effort to find people from all walks of life, particularly those who aren’t seeking fame.
“Influencers and actors are off the table,” Donna said. “I want people to come in and feel very authentic and raw– and that’s not to say that an influencer, model or actor could not do that. But I want to steer clear of getting somebody into the pod, as much as I possibly can, for the wrong reasons.
“With somebody who is an influencer … I’m really hesitant to go down that road just because I want to make sure their heart is in the right place,” she added.
Even with the phone interviews, Zoom interviews, one-on-ones and/or group interviews, it’s still possible for certain people to slip through and score a spot on the show. Fans saw a unique example of this in Season 5 when it was discovered that contestants Lydia Gonzalez and Uche Okoroha had dated prior to coming on the show; however, there was reportedly no way for the casting team to know this, as there was no proof online of Lydia and Uche’s brief relationship.
“We are so diligent from the get-go,” Donna said “We cross-reference Instagram accounts– three times– to make sure there’s no connection between [IG] handles.
“ … Lydia and Uche did not have a committed relationship,” she noted.
Even in the case of Trevor in Season 6, Donna insists that casting “did our due diligence with every single step.”
“The thing that makes me upset is that it took someone else’s spot who could have been there for the right reasons,” she said, claiming that when speaking to potential contestants for their final phone interview, they are asked if there is anything they haven’t revealed that the show needs to know– specifically about their relationships.
“We give them several opportunities to tell us the truth, and we know they’re human,” she said. “We’re also human … We have to trust that all of what they’re telling us is true. Will all of our eyes be a lot more open after Trevor? Absolutely.”
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(Photos: Netflix; Instagram)
6 Responses
Trevor. Smh.
So embarrassed that this is my city.
Spoiler. I don’t think he’s gonna find his Perfect Match this summer either!
His goofy hair is giving off Kyle from Summer House.
Put braids on that guy and he looks pretty much like Swampsquatch. That’s reason enough not to trust him.
He looks like he is David Easons family member.
Forgot about the Lydia and Uche thing. That got swept under the rug. I feel like she applied to match with him. She seemed a bit desperate for love.
Oh yeah Lydia was a scammer.
She lucked out bc Melvin is fine.