Who is Carl Lee Schmidt?
Last updated
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 heads into 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 reached the final four of Love Island USA Season 8, with the finale streaming July 12, 2026, on Peacock. His fan-vote comeback on Day 21 turned him into a frontrunner.
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 and now sit in the final four with Trinity & Bryce, Melanie & Sincere, and Kayda & Zach. The winning couple takes home $100,000 when the finale streams July 12, 2026, on Peacock — and outlets covering the season have called Aniya and Carl one of the strongest couples going in.
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?
Yes — they're among the final four couples playing for the $100,000 prize when the Season 8 finale streams July 12, 2026, on Peacock.
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Sources
- Parade — Who Is 'Love Island USA's Carl Lee Schmidt? Everything to Know About the Casa Amor Bombshell
- Peacock — All About Carl Schmidt, Love Island USA Season 8's New Casa Amor Bombshell
- TV Insider — 'Love Island USA': Who Is Carl Schmidt? Casa Amor Star's Job, Ex, and More
- Deadline — 'Love Island USA' Season 8: Final 4 Couples Revealed & 2 Couples Dumped