Who is Carl Lee Schmidt, the ‘Love Island USA’ Casa Amor Arrival Turning Heads?
One of the most talked-about new arrivals was Carl Lee Schmidt, who goes by Witness Carl on Instagram.
Updated June 23 2026, 4:19 a.m. ET
The Casa Amor episodes of Love Island USA first sent the men of the villa to a separate location, where they spent time with six new female contestants while the women watched the entire thing on a live feed.
In Episode 18, the dynamic flipped as 12 new men entered the main villa to spend the night with the women.
One of the most talked-about new arrivals was Carl Lee Schmidt, who goes by Witness Carl on Instagram.
Who is Carl Lee Schmidt?
Schmidt, 28, is a fitness instructor from Denver, Colorado, whose LinkedIn lists more than three years of experience as a personal therapy aide.
His social media suggests he stays close to his family and travels often.
He mentioned on the show that he has been to Vietnam, and his Instagram includes photos from Japan, where he also studied abroad.
Schmidt is half Chinese and speaks both Chinese and Japanese.
Who Caught Carl’s Eye at the Villa?
His first night in the villa drew significant attention, largely because of the connection he appeared to form with Aniya Harvey.
The two found common ground quickly: Schmidt's entire family plays volleyball, which Harvey also played, and he said he is drawn to tall women.
When Harvey mentioned an interest in visiting Japan, Schmidt taught her a sentence in Chinese, a moment that circulated widely after the episode aired. The two ended the night sharing a bed.
Harvey was not the only woman Schmidt paid attention to. During a challenge in which the new arrivals were asked to kiss two villa contestants, Schmidt chose Harvey as one of them, along with Kenzie Annis.
The picture is not entirely straightforward, however. Even as the connection between Schmidt and Harvey developed, Harvey told Melanie Moreno that she missed KC Chandler, her original partner.
Chandler, meanwhile, had shown considerable chemistry with Casa Amor arrival Tierra "Titi" Davis during his own time away, including sharing a bed with her.
Earlier in the episode, Chandler had described his relationship with Harvey as a pairing "by default," according to Parade, a comment that did not go unnoticed.
Where Harvey's head sits heading into the next episode remains the central question, with Schmidt on one side and the memory of Chandler on the other.
Other men who entered the villa are Chandlar Wilson, Chay Nehra, Corey Sawyer Jr., Dylan Wrona, Gal Tshnieder, Keyon Harry, Kyle Greene, Ronnie Gunter, Ryan Ten Hulscher, Tino Ellis, and Trae Taylor.