It looks like Love Island USA’s Huda Mustafa found romance beyond the villa with Too Hot to Handle alum Louis Russell. The two recently hard-launched their relationship on the red carpet, and we love to see it…but wait a minute. Hasn’t Louis been exploring another connection with The Ultimatum’s Sandy Gallagher on the current season of Perfect Match, which released its first six episodes last Friday? Yes, yes he has.
Allow us to elaborate. Season three of the Netflix reality series reportedly started filming over a year ago in June 2024, so Louis’s real-life relationship with Huda is, unfortunately, a major spoiler. Because of it, we know Louis and Sandy’s flirtation will fizzle out at some point—and fellow Perfect Match cast member Rachel Recchia is fully calling him out for it, too.
During an interview on Nick Viall and Natalie Joy’s The Viall Files podcast, Rachel shared that she was “disappointed” when she saw Louis and Huda walk the red carpet of the Weapons movie premiere on July 31.
“It’s literally airing—we have what, maybe two weeks? It feels, like, a little selfish,” Rachel said, referring to the remaining episodes’ release schedule. “It affects the whole cast.”
She clarified that while it’s frustrating, there’s no bad blood between her and Louis, adding, “I love him as a person. I think he’s amazing. I get along with him so well. He’s such great TV.”
Sandy and Louis on Perfect Match.
Louis and Huda at the Weapons on July 31.
She continued, “I mean, Sandy and him have such a good connection on the show. Now people are kinda seeing things like, ‘Oh, what’s going on now?’”
The Bachelor Nation alum also said that “everything that’s happening now is crazy” in the aftermath of Louis going public with Huda and his alleged falling out with Love Island: Beyond the Villa star, Miguel Harichi.
ICYMI, Miguel’s girlfriend, Leah Kateb, and her PPG besties Serena Page and JaNa Craig, all unfollowed Louis on social media after he stepped out on the red carpet with Huda. Love Island USA devotees thought this was Huda shade, but Leah later clarified that it had nothing to do with the season 7 fan favorite and more to do with Louis.
Then, Miguel cleared the air with a series of Instagram Stories, in which he wrote, “Leah and the girls didn’t unfollow Louis because he was dating Huda, they did it because as women the reasoning behind why he was dating her didn’t sit right with them.”
He added, “Whether or not they are truly falling for each other at this point I couldn’t care less. I wish them nothing but peace, but my road is my own and I would prefer if my name and my girl’s name no longer crossed into their world.”
Oh, and if you’re wondering how Rachel is feeling about her ill-fated reunion with Clayton Echard on Perfect Match?
As she told Nick and Natalie: “I think he came on the show because he did want that redemption and I’m the easiest path to it… He said we’re both better versions of ourselves. I definitely am.”
