Amaya Papaya’s Reunion With Bryan Arenales Was Easier Than You Think — Here’s Why
Amaya Papaya Espinal joined Love Island: Beyond the Villa fully expecting a run-in with ex Bryan Arenales — and she didn’t blink, choosing her own path over the past.
If you watched Love Island USA season 7, you saw Amaya 'Papaya' Espinal and Bryan Arenales go from villa bliss to... not that. Now they are both on Peacock 's spinoff Love Island: Beyond the Villa, and yes, the reunion you expected finally happened.
Amaya vs. the past (aka Bryan)
Amaya, 26, went into Beyond the Villa fully aware she could end up face-to-face with her 28-year-old ex. Her take: she is focused on her own lane, his presence does not rattle her, and the whole chapter is closed. When the cameras caught their one-on-one, she said she agreed to it partly because she wanted clean closure on what fell apart once they left the original show — and because viewers watched that whole relationship unfold in real time and deserved to see where it landed.
'Even though we did not work out, I wish you the best.'
Where things stand now: no lingering drama. She wishes Bryan well, and she is not centering him in her life. New chapter, period.
- The quick timeline: Amaya and Bryan won Love Island USA season 7, then announced their split in August 2025 — less than a month after leaving the villa.
- Both returned for Love Island: Beyond the Villa, which pulls in fan favorites from the most recent Love Island USA season.
- New Beyond the Villa episodes drop Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
The brand tie-in (because of course there is one)
Amaya is also the face of Corona Sunbrew right now. The pitch: a bold citrus spin brewed with real orange and lime peels plus a splash of actual orange and lime juice — basically the brand is selling it as a combo where the flavors do more than just add up. Amaya says that energy matches her vibe: trying new things, staying bright and bold, and getting people to taste it for themselves.
Where her head is at
Post-villa, Amaya says she is leaning into being her best self — showing up for herself, keeping the self-love tank full, and, after a long workday, unwinding with that Sunbrew in hand. Between the fan support and her family, she sounds locked in on what is next, not what already happened.