While season seven of “Love Island” may have been over for almost a year now, that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anything when it comes to drop-dead gorgeous contestant Olandria Carthen. In fact, if her latest moves and red carpet appearances are any indication, then we all should be prepared to see a lot more of her gorgeous face soon.
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2026 Sports Illustrated Rookie Feature
Continuing off the success of the previous red carpet slayage earlier this year during awards season, Carthen is back making folks’ jaws dropped thanks to the newly released Sports Illustrated rookie feature. In it, the bombshell posed in a wet T-shirt, a brown bikini, and other amazing swimsuits.
“Once a dream. Now my lifestyle,” Carthen said of the moment on Instagram. “Extremely grateful for this opportunity & my new Sports Illustrated family.”
As you might expect, folks online were overjoyed and stunned.
“I love this so freaking much for her. WHAT A STAR,” wrote one user on X/Twitter.
“The Bama Barbie has once again done gagged the live OLANDRIA SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 2026,” said another.
Added one other person, “Olandria this is so MAJOR. watching olandria be on top and live her dreams is so satisfying.”
2026 Vanity Fair Oscars Party
In a move that we probably all should’ve seen coming, Carthen absolutely stunned at this year’s Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Popping out in white and supremely melanated skin, she shined and truly made her presence known this year—despite the fact that this was her first ever appearance.
2026 Golden Globes
In a move that surprised folks watching at home and even some celebs in person at the 2026 Golden Globes on Jan. 11, Carthen made her first-ever appearance at the prestigious awards show and absolutely stunned on the red carpet. Opting for a show-stopping, emerald green, corseted, strapless mermaid gown designed by Christian Siriano. Her hair, which switched from her usual jet-black, middle part, was dyed a rich auburn and styled in a low, perfectly imperfect messy bun.
Now while it’s not unusual for people who aren’t actors to grace the carpet at awards show, seeing Carthen though was just another notch in her belt of uber-impressive things she’s done since her days in the villa concluded. She’s also the first person from “Love Island” to ever go to the awards, so by all metrics—Carthen is doing very well for herself.
Carthen’s appearance was definitely enough to get other celebs talking like “Monaco” actress and Nick Jonas’ wife Priyanka Chopra who mentioned to E! on the carpet that she was excited to see her as she was a big fan of “Love Island.”
“Olandria, when I just her right now. First of all, she looked amazing. She looked incredible. Plus, she’s so beautiful. It was really nice—and she’s so brave too. I like, I love her,” Chopra said.
Folks online couldn’t help but talk about Carthen either with one user on TikTok noting that unlike other past winners who usually take the influencer or YouTuber route once they’ve amassed some success off of Love Island, Carthen’s path and trajectory is clearly beyond that and clear.
“Olandria had a vision and she needed to wait for a team that saw her vision and was willing to execute it. And I’m so glad she did, like oh my gosh…I am so inspired by Olandria” Beba the Beautiful said.
“Bridgerton” Season 4 World Premiere in Paris
As if taking over Hollywood wasn’t enough, Carthen decided to proverbially step on our necks again by popping out and showing us all how to slay the red carpet at the “Bridgerton” season four world premiere in Paris.
Once again going for a strapless, corseted gown, this time around she chose a black, custom Rahul Mishra Fall 2025 Couture dress that boasted floral artwork and a very chic lace headpiece. While the occasion was definitely about the actors and artists for this new season of “Bridgerton,” the real “diamond of the season” was no doubt: Olandria Carthen.
TikTok user Kahlen Barry seemed to also agree, noting on social media that Carthen’s strategic play to pop ups are only helping to solidify her staying power in Hollywood and that this was just the beginning of a long career for her.
“Her visibility is at an all-time and therefore everybody’s gonna want her on their carpet, everybody’s gonna want her in their clothes. Because not only did she shut down that damn carpet, Netflix posted her on all their social media channels and she was the first person to be damn posted,” he said.
What’s more is that the streaming platform even went so far as to playfully rename the show “BRIDGERTONLANDRIA.” If that doesn’t walk, talk, breathe and smell like influence and budding longevity—we don’t know what to tell you!
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