The Big Picture

JaNa was supported by friends Serena and Leah throughout her
Love Island
journey.
JaNa clarified she was joking about her affections towards Kenny.
Rob’s crush on JaNa was debunked, and JaNa and Kenny are closed off after the show.

The road to the Love Island USA season 6 finale wasn’t easy for JaNa Craig. She started the season leaving Coye Simmons for Connor Newsum, which shook the villa. Connor later pursued her close friend, Leah Kateb, while coupled up with JaNa. The men were ready to get her off the reality show. But luckily, her friends, Serena Page and Leah supported her journey to find love.

Kenny Rodriguez entered the villa and asked JaNa on a date and the next weeks showed them falling for each other. Collider spoke to the couple who placed third about their journey throughout the season and their plans. They also cleared up some theories and questions about their relationship.

Love Island In a stunning villa, a group of attractive singles lives together as they seek love and connections. Contestants must pair up and stay coupled to survive elimination rounds. Along the way, they participate in engaging challenges and games that put their relationships to the test. New islanders are regularly introduced, causing shifts in alliances and romantic interests. Viewers play a crucial role by voting for their favorite couples, with the most popular pair ultimately winning a cash prize and the title of the strongest couple.

Did JaNa Curve Rob on ‘Love Island USA’?
JaNa told Serena and Leah in the finale that they “checked” her throughout her time in the villa. “They had to check me literally every day,” she told Collider. JaNa admitted she had the habit of falling fast and Serena and Leah would remind her it had only been a day. “Or like, when I made Miguel [Harichi] eggs, I didn’t realize that it was bad timing on my end. Serena told me straight up, ‘Don’t do that again. If I’m having a conversation with him, be respectful of my time.'” JaNa apologized and didn’t do it again.

We asked JaNa how often she was serious and joking about her affections. She told Kenny she would build him a house and some fans were worried. “No one gets my sense of humor,” she said. “Can I change a tire? No! Can I learn how to, and change his tire? Yes. I’m joking I wouldn’t.”

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There has been a running theory that Rob Rausch had a crush on JaNa. This shocked JaNa and Kenny. Rob pulled JaNa for a chat and she called him “buddy” multiple times seemingly friend-zoning him. “No, you know what’s so crazy?” she asked. “Maybe because I’m from Hawaii we just say, ‘buddy.'” JaNa said she was “strictly friends” with Rob after he was the first person she kissed in the icebreaker challenge. “I know for a fact I’m definitely not his type,” she said. We mentioned that even Connor Newsum said Rob would talk about how attractive JaNa was and she laughed. “No, I think Rob is just being nice,” she said. JaNa revealed there was a time when she believed he was the only person in the villa who couldn’t stand her.

What did Kenny think of JaNa before entering the villa? “She’s a baddie,” he answered. “She’s beautiful, she’s outspoken, she’s smart.” He was confused by her struggle to find someone. “So when I came in I was a little skeptical like maybe there’s something that I’m not seeing,” he said. But their first date was a good vibe.

After placing third it’s almost unbelievable to think about JaNa almost going home. The girls chose to send Andrea Carmona home instead and the men angrily claimed it wasn’t right because she had a connection with Rob. “I love my girls and I know a lot of people [are] like, ‘They’re saving JaNa because she’s just like the closest of them all.’ But the reasoning was very logical,” she said. “It was because Andrea kind of verbally mentioned it’d be really hard for a new islander to turn her head ’cause she was so focused on Rob.” JaNa said the women didn’t think that’s fair to the bombshells and new islanders to keep her around because she wasn’t open to more connections like JaNa and Nicole Jacky.

JaNa said none of the men had the “balls” to say the name of the woman they thought should’ve gone home. Rob finally said JaNa’s name are host Ariana Madix asked him. “It really hurt because he didn’t get to see it from the girls’ perspective,” she said. “Your girl is only focused on you, that’s not fair to new islanders. So the next day I’ve never felt so uncomfortable in my life.” JaNa said some of the guys told her they hoped she wasn’t offended, but she was, since she saw the men like her “brothers.” JaNa said Rob apologized but felt like things were different between them after that.

Kenny and JaNa’s Favorite Speech Moments
Image via Peacock

The couple had some amazing speeches to each other throughout the season. But which words to each other are their favorite? “My favorite was like, the recoupling speech after Casa Amor. The way he poured his heart out. It was giving he loves me. I’m like, ‘Wow, Kenny where is all of this coming from?” JaNa joked. “Specifically, when he says when I am coming down the stairs every night, he just takes a moment to admire my beauty, and I was just like that was so thoughtful,” she continued. JaNa said she went to bed happy after that speech.

Related Connor Is ‘Sad’ ‘Love Island USA’ Fans Question Connection With JaNa [Interview] Connor explains his shady comments about JaNa on ‘Love Island USA.’

“For me, the last one, I mean I got a little emotional there at the end when she started speaking Spanish and professing, […] how she feels to me in Spanish,” Kenny answered. “And I was like, wow, she took the time to just write that and made sure I understood that. It meant a lot for her, doing that for me and no one else really understands Spanish. So I knew she was […] trying to just speak to me.”

JaNa said she takes Spanish lessons every week. Her siblings are already fluent in the language. “She understands a lot,” Kenny said. He said her accent was good, but it’ll take some time before she’s bouncing between the languages with him casually.

Are Kenny and JaNa Closed Off After the Show?
Image via Peacock

Kenny asked JaNa to close things off “in here” during the season. That had some people wondering if they’d be open to dating other people after the finale. “There is no way that I’m playing around with anyone,” he said. JaNa added that they’re closed off in the real world as well.

Kenny tagged JaNa’s handle in his Instagram bio and said he “found love.” We asked what made him do that, which was news to JaNa. “We just got our phones back,” she said and called it cute. “For me, I’m the type of guy like once I establish an emotional relationship with a girl it’s more than just sex like sexual,” he said. “It’s hard for me to be everywhere. I like to focus on one woman at a time.”

The cast has their phones back and the couple is very aware people are comparing them to Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog. JaNa claimed she told Serena that Kenny looked like Prince Naveen who agreed. “I haven’t watched it yet,” Kenny said. “That’s the first movie we’ll be watching,” JaNa said.

Love Island USA can be streamed on Peacock.

Stream on Peacock