Not much gets past the cast of Love Island USA.
Ahead of the Monday, August 19, reunion, Us Weekly sat down for an exclusive interview with JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez to cover the reunion — “I was overly prepared,” JaNa told Us of her four pages of receipts — as well as their future as a couple and the speculation surrounding the group.
When asked to name the “craziest” rumor they’ve heard about their costars, JaNa mentioned a blind item that has gone viral about a secret hookup between two Islanders.
“I know who started the rumor as a joke, and it kind of blew up,” she explained. “But it was just a joke. And I won’t say the person’s names, but there’s this rumor going on that, like, two people were sexually active that you guys don’t know about. It’s just a joke. It was a really bad joke that turned into something way worse. But no, it’s just a joke.”
What isn’t a joke? JaNa riding for her girls — Leah Kateb and Serena Page — a.k.a. PPG. The contents of their group chat, however, will also remain top secret. (Us tried!)
JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez. The Hapa Blonde/GC Images
“If you were to know what we talked about, you wouldn’t even believe us. You guys will never know,” JaNa quipped, adding that the trio just cries laughing “all day.”
She clarified: “We have the PPG, like, OG one. And then we have the PPGM — so it’s our boyfriends and us in a group ’cause we wanna plan trips and stuff. We have one with PPG, Kaylor and Liv. And that’s it. We keep the circle small.”
While Kaylor Martin and Liv Walker are single — fans watched Kaylor rip into Aaron Evans at Monday’s reunion, with JaNa noting she is so proud of Kaylor for not shedding a single tear — JaNa, Leah and Serena have all continued to see their Love Island loves. JaNa and Kenny, for their part, put a label on things earlier this month.
“My biggest priority is to make sure Kenny feels comfortable at all times,” JaNa told Us when asked about being on a fast track to an engagement. She adds of wearing a wedding dress to the finale, “He gets my sense of humor — all gas, no brakes. I have a really bad sense of humor and I’m so grateful that he gets it. Anyone else thinks I’m psycho, like, mentally unstable. … He keeps me stable. So whatever he wants, I want!”
Kenny acknowledged that the couple “has done a good job” of being receptive to each other’s needs.
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“We call each other in the morning and at night, we give each other our time. We understand both of us are busy. But I think we’ve been pretty good. When you call me, I pick up. When I call, you pick up,” he said as JaNa praised her man for “always” answering the phone.
JaNa credits their “healthy” communication to their parents. “He has a really good relationship with his mom,” she added before joking, “and I have a degree in communications.”
Love Island USA is currently streaming on Peacock. For more from JaNa and Kenny, watch the full interview above.