Who is Carl Lee Schmidt?

Last updated July 13, 2026

Carl Lee Schmidt, a 28-year-old fitness instructor from Denver, arrived on Love Island USA Season 8 as a Casa Amor bombshell, got dumped, got voted back — and finished as runner-up of the July 12, 2026 finale coupled with Aniya Harvey.

Quick facts

Full name: Carl Lee Schmidt
Age: 28
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Job: Fitness instructor; former personal therapy aide
Education: Carleton College, Asian Studies (2020)
Villa entry: Casa Amor bombshell (June 22, 2026 episode); voted back by America on Day 21

Why people are searching for Carl Lee Schmidt

Carl and Aniya Harvey finished second on Love Island USA Season 8 at the July 12, 2026 finale, with Trinity and Bryce taking the crown. His Day 21 fan-vote comeback nearly carried them all the way.

About Carl Lee Schmidt

Carl Lee Schmidt didn't take the easy road through Love Island USA Season 8, the Peacock series filmed in Fiji and hosted by Ariana Madix. The 28-year-old Denver fitness instructor — his LinkedIn also lists over three years as a personal therapy aide — graduated from Carleton College in 2020 with an Asian Studies degree, which came in handy when he taught fellow islander Aniya Harvey a sentence in Mandarin during one of their first conversations.

Schmidt showed up in the June 22, 2026 episode as one of 12 single men brought in for Casa Amor. The villa's original women cut that group down to six, and he made it. He hit it off with Day 1 islander Aniya Harvey fast — they bonded over volleyball, had a heart-to-heart in the Say Less lounge, and agreed to share a bed for the Casa Amor stretch.

Then it fell apart. Harvey stayed loyal to her original partner, KC Chandler, at the Day 20 Casa Amor recoupling — a call that backfired when Chandler walked back in with bombshell Tierra "Titi" Davis, leaving Harvey single. Schmidt was dumped at that recoupling. America had other ideas: he re-entered the villa on Day 21 with the most votes.

Back inside, he and Harvey picked up where they left off, and he chose her at the Day 25 recoupling ceremony. They survived the final eliminations to reach the final four — and at the July 12, 2026 finale on Peacock, Ariana Madix announced them as Season 8's runners-up. The $100,000 went to Trinity Tatum and Bryce Dettloff, but second place capped a comeback few islanders have pulled off: dumped at Casa Amor, voted back by America, and nearly all the way to the crown.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Carl from Love Island USA Season 8?

Carl Lee Schmidt is a 28-year-old fitness instructor and former personal therapy aide from Denver, Colorado. He earned an Asian Studies degree from Carleton College in 2020 and joined Season 8 as a Casa Amor bombshell.

Was Carl a bombshell or a Day 1 islander?

A Casa Amor bombshell — he arrived in the June 22, 2026 episode as one of 12 single men. He was dumped at the Day 20 Casa Amor recoupling, then returned on Day 21 after pulling the most votes from America.

How did Carl and Aniya couple up?

They connected during Casa Amor, but Aniya initially stayed loyal to KC Chandler — who came back with bombshell Titi Davis. Once America voted Carl back into the villa, he picked Aniya at the Day 25 recoupling.

Are Carl and Aniya in the Love Island USA finale?

They were — and they finished as runners-up. Trinity Tatum and Bryce Dettloff won the $100,000 at the July 12, 2026 finale, with Carl and Aniya taking second place.