Esteem Is Blind Season 8: Ben Mezzenga's Pal Lana Responds to “Hired Friend” Claim
After Esteem Is Blind fans accused Ben Mezzenga of hiring friends to fulfill his fiancée Sarah Carton all over season eight of the show shroud, his friend Lana Truong spoke out in protection of the Netflix big title.
Ben Mezzenga's most challenging friend isn't blind to the criticism.
After viewers accused the Esteem Is Blind season eight big title of hiring a various group of friends to appear on the show shroud, one in every of his friends who made a cameo within the Netflix sequence, Lana Truong, shut down the hypothesis.
“Not a DEI employed most challenging friend!” Lana wrote on TikTok Feb. 23 alongside a slideshow of photos of her and Ben placing out together over time. “Time & date stamps to prove my friendship with @Ben Mezzenga.”
Closing out her put up, she quipped, “If most efficient I was a paid actor!”
And when one TikTok particular person inquired whether or no longer she had “laborious conversations about politics” with Ben—whose spiritual views were a routine level of competition between him and fiancée Sara Carton—Lana offered extra insight into their friendship dynamic.
“Positively decide up before AND after filming of this,” Lana answered within the feedback, “because as a woman and POC, politics are very distinguished to me.”
Fans speculated that Ben employed paid actors to play his friends so that you just might well perchance bag desire with Sara, who met Lana and three other contributors of the 28-365 days-ragged's squad in episode nine of the season. All the scheme by the assembly, Sara confessed her initial grunt that Ben's faith might well perhaps perchance well war along with her passion for equality and forestall him from accepting that her sister used to be tickled.
In response, his feminine most challenging friend Leah Johnson mentioned, “I really decide up a female friend,” whereas Lana—who described herself as “agnostic”—illustrious that she had had a similarly tricky dialog with the developer about his beliefs.
“We sat and we talked for worship Forty five minutes,” Lana shared, “and it felt so, worship, energizing.”
Following the episode, many fans weren't procuring that Ben knew his onscreen friends all that neatly.
“I speak he employed this diverse group 20 minutes before filming,” one TikTok particular person wrote atop a clip of their introductions, whereas every other accused Lana of fabricating her feedback, writing, “The suppose myth about how he calls faith 'faith' used to be SOOO compelled.”
And whereas Sara and Ben haven't publicly addressed basically the most challenging friend accusation, Sara has made it certain that her values haven't shifted since falling for Ben.
“steak. xbox. dad bods. & equality, obvi,” the 29-365 days-ragged wrote on Instagram Feb. 23, alongside snaps of her within the pods. “streak 3 I was reliable frustrated I wasn’t wearing my pink sweater.”
Contemporary episodes of Esteem Is Blind drop on Feb. 28.
Whereas you wait, fetch up on the relationship location of other couples from the franchise.
Brittany Wisniewski and Leo Braudy: Not Together
Even though the now-approved art supplier determined to pop the quiz to the Maintaining Effectively creator following his be pleased triangle with Hannah Jiles, the pair in a roundabout scheme determined after their quick engagement, they were at an advantage as friends.
“The chemisattempt reliable wasn't there,” Brittany beforehand instructed Of us in a joint interview with Leo. “We had a talk initially about how this might well perhaps well work after which time went on everywhere in the outing and the chemisattempt reliable wasn't there and we mutually felt that. We're very reliable communicators, so it used to be no longer a colossal ordeal. It used to be a extraordinarily smooth, respectful realization.”
Monica Davis and Stephen Richardson: Not Together
Monica and Stephen’s relationship came to a screeching cease when she uncovered “really kinky” sext messages despatched between her fiancé and every other lady, causing the pair to interrupt up shortly after they arrived home from Mexico. As for Stephen, he apologized within the moment all over episode eight, but he furthermore shared a message on social media as soon as the episode aired.
“I am hoping I didn't spoil someone's day by existing,” he wrote on Instagram Experiences Oct. 8, “and if I did, I'm sorry you needed to accept up this morning. I wish you didn't decide up to both. But I'll be pleased you your complete identical.”
Hannah Jiles and Cleave Dorka: Not Together
Once Hannah and Cleave launched into life outside the pods, the two had their aesthetic share of americaand downs—and disagreements—to claim the least. (Let’s no longer put out of your mind: “I speak you accept treated as an equal whenever you big title contributing worship an equal.”)
And all of it came to a head when Hannah determined they wouldn’t accept down the aisle. As for Cleave, he called their breakup “one in every of the worst feelings of my life.”
Since then, Hannah has admitted the show shroud compelled her to cease some self-introspection.
“I’ve discovered a lot, I’ve discovered there’s things I must work on,” she mentioned all over an October episode of The Viall Recordsdata podcast. “As an instance, I’m a extraordinarily issue particular person. I do know that but I speak my shipping is rough. And I’ve discovered that shipping is the entirety.”
Taylor Krause and Garrett Josemans: Married
A match made in science-basically based entirely heaven (i.e. those serendipitous tattoos), Taylor and Garrett clicked from the very starting up and reliable gave the influence destined to claim, “I cease.” Even though they did hit a rough patch as soon as Taylor discovered he replied to an ex’s DM (per Garrett, he confirmed he used to be engaged and shut it down), the rest is Esteem Is Blind history.
The pair were calm married on the Esteem Is Blind reunion in October 20224.
Marissa George and Ramses Prashad: Not Together
Yes, you be taught that most challenging: Even though Marissa and Ramses rose to remodel one in every of this season’s frontrunners of the couples who would accept it, the latter in a roundabout scheme called off their wedding after having 2nd tips.
“We decide up an ideal future prior to us, I must marry you,” Marissa tells her fiancé after a sit-the complete scheme down to which he responds, “I realize falling be pleased is a risk, I realize that.”
On the opposite hand, he illustrious their differences—which decide up incorporated his stance on the navy—might well perhaps well no longer be ample for them to work by. “After being married and seeing other marriages and listening to from other married folk,” he added. “I reliable don’t assume be pleased alone is ample…I speak there wishes to be other things which are furthermore working.”
As for Marissa, even supposing she tried to navigate previous their views, as soon as she confirmed it used to be over, she broke down into tears. “I don’t assume you would calm’ve strategy to this skills,” she tells him. “How might well perhaps well I really feel so certain? And likewise you’re no longer? It sucks, I need you to resolve me,” including of their prick up, “This is the worst day of my life.”
Tyler Francis and Ashley Adionser: Not Together
Tyler and Ashley shortly grew to remodel a fan-favourite couple after viewers watched their somewhat easy-going romance unfold. On the opposite hand, the couple hit a bump within the aspect dual carriageway as soon as Tyler later shared that he had three younger folk, which Ashley in most cases known as his “sperm donor babies.” (On the opposite hand, there’s online discourse over the extent of his involvement, which he has no longer addressed publicly).
By the October 2024 reunion episode, Ashley and Tyler were in a field to switch previous this reality and went on to no longer most efficient reconnect—but finally, transform husband and partner.
“We began this roam two months within the past and this modified our complete lives,” Tyler says whereas sitting alongside Ashley after their wedding. “Now, we accept to use the the rest of our lives together.”
On the opposite hand, Ashley later shared that the pair had called it quits following over one 365 days of marriage.
“After mighty reflection, I must share that Tyler and I really were separated for several weeks and decide up now made the advanced decision to pause our marriage,” she instructed Of us in a January 2025 assertion. “Whereas I had hoped for mutual working out and transparency in our relationship, it has transform certain that our paths are no longer any longer aligned, making it no longer doable for me to proceed in this marriage.”
Alexandra Byrd and Tim Godbee: Not Together
Alex and Tim perceived to calm over their predominant dissettlement in Mexico over by the level they purchased assist home to Washington, D.C. and perceived to be better than ever. In actuality, Tim had an emotional assembly with Alex’s dad that perceived to cement their future.
On the opposite hand, after Alex met with Tim’s family, they purchased into yet every other argument and Tim ended their engagement by telling Alex that he didn’t ever want to eye her again. Since then, both decide up spoken out to shield themselves after the breakup, with Alex noting that their prick up used to be no longer “a mutual decision.”
Chelsea Blackwell and Jimmy Presnell: Not Together
After one or two (or about a) fights everywhere in the season, Chelsea and Jimmy regarded to sooner or later build their disagreements within the assist of them all over an amusement park date plight most challenging before their wedding.
On the opposite hand, Jimmy made it certain that he used to be ready for their rollercoaster scamper to pause, breaking off his engagement to a teary-eyed Chelsea—who used to be panicked at his decision.
“I such as you to death and I need a relationship with you,” Jimmy instructed Chelsea on their date, “and it want it work so wicked—but I don’t want to scamper to the altar. I will be able to’t.”
As he defined, “We’re condensing it the complete scheme down to 1 argument, on the opposite hand it’s been worship 5 or six really colossal issues that truly hit home and injure my feelings.” (One being that Chelsea revealed Jimmy’s secret about his previous relationship along side his feminine most challenging friend.)
And after yet every other assist-and-forth between the two over their respective ties with exes, Chelsea left for reliable in tears: “I was so eager for us.”
The pair were both single everywhere in the March 2024 reunion.
Clay Gravesande and AD Smith: Not Together
Whereas Clay expressed his hesitation to getting married due to his decide up outlook on his father’s infidelity, AD reassured him that they’d prevail as a pair and all perceived to be neatly between the two.
But as soon as faced with the job of announcing I cease to without end on the altar, Clay mentioned I don’t in its put, telling AD that it wouldn’t be “responsible” of him to accept married shiny he wasn’t ready.
Cue the shock.
“I’m going to build the work in for you,” he instructed AD, “and we’ll battle by this together. I don’t care what no person says; I do know completely I’m no longer ready for marriage and you deserve basically the most challenging. And if I’m no longer ready to provide you with 100%, I won’t scamper there with you after I’m no longer ready…I will be able to’t disclose certain most challenging now.”
It used to be a revelation that made AD grunt by tears that the relationship used to be a crash of her “f–king time.”
As for Clay, he furthermore revealed that monetary—and emotional—ties performed a colossal share in him walking away. “I checked out myself within the reflect and mentioned, ‘Am I a husband?’” he admitted, “and the resolution used to be no. Am I deeply in be pleased? The respond used to be no.’”
All the scheme by the reunion, Clay expressed that he made a mistake and desired to this level AD, but she performed coy on if she'd ever decide up in tips getting assist together.
AD confessed that she did scamper on a pair dates with costar Matthew Duliba after filming wrapped, but they don’t seem like together.
Amy Cortés and Johnny McIntyre: Quiet Married
Potentially the most challenging season six couple who did disclose certain to without end? Amy and Johnny, who no longer most efficient approved their contemporary starting up with a aesthetic ceremony, but furthermore seamlessly merged their households into one, with Amy’s dad sweetly telling Johnny’s sister that he feels worship he has “extra than one daughters” now.
As for Johnny, he too declared at his reception that his partner’s father used to be his “contemporary dad.”
They were calm married everywhere in the reunion episode.
Brittany Mills and Kenneth Gorham: Not Together
Even though their romance began off solid, Brittany and Kenneth’s relationship fizzled out after they returned to the real world.
As Brittany instructed Life & Model, “I speak that it really took a obvious flip when we purchased assist to Charlotte and purchased assist home. And I speak that our within the pods we were very, very passionate and extremely intense. After which coming assist home, that intensity form of died down a piece.”
The extinct fiancés dwell friends, with Brittany announcing on the reunion, “Even though we’re no longer in a relationship together, the bond that now we decide up is going to most challenging for an eternity.”
Laura Dadisman and Jeramey Lutinski: Not Together
Laura and Jeramey’s engagement came to a fiery pause as soon as Laura discovered her fiancé had reconnected with every other pod mate, Sarah Ann Bick, all over a evening out. After their anxious confrontation, Laura instructed Jeramey to kick rocks.
But in diagram of that, he went off to scamper jet skis with Sarah Ann.
All the scheme by the reunion in March 2024, Jeramey revealed he has been dating Sarah Ann off-and-on for a 365 days—ever since filming the show shroud—but they've since broken up.
Laura is dating every other particular person, who she didn’t title on the reunion.
Izzy Zapata Jr. and Stacy Snyder: Not Together
Whereas the season 5 couple perceived to decide up labored their scheme by varied issues—including Izzy’s early connection with Johnie Maraist and Stacy’s high expectations about her daily life and plateware (no paper plates, please!)—Stacy cited Izzy's dishonesty about his credit rating ancient previous as a predominant motive she chose no longer to accept married.
Despite no longer announcing “I cease” on the altar, on the opposite hand, Stacy calm desired to dwell in a relationship with the devastated Izzy.
“We’re at utterly different spots,” he instructed her. “It really breaks my coronary heart.”
As for Stacy, she used to be thankful to Izzy for opening her up “emotionally,” but she didn't really feel 100% about their future. “Rather obvious isn't reliable ample for me to claim certain for the the rest of my life,” she defined.
Izzy is now dating surgical assistant Shelby Webb.
Milton Johnson and Lydia Gonzalez: Quiet Married
Season 5's sole success myth came from arguably its very unlikely pairing.
After getting off to a rocky delivery after it used to be revealed Lydia used to be in a relationship with Milton's pod-most challenging friend Uche Okoroha before the show shroud began, the geology-loving pair were basically the most efficient ones to accept it by the experiment calm in a relationship.
“Getting married is a dream strategy reliable,” Lydia mentioned. “I really feel so, so happy. I purchased the entirety I need most challenging here. It feels worship home, it feels safe.”
Ever the analytical engineer, Milton mentioned, “All the records facets led me to: that is largely the most challenging decision.”
Paul Peden and Micah Lussier: Not Together
Opposites perceived to attract all season for this pair…until they purchased to the altar. Sensing Paul's hesitation, Micah requested him to present his resolution first and it used to be a pass on marriage for Paul.
“I actually really feel worship a catastrophe,” Micah mentioned. “If Paul would decide up desired to marry me, I 100% would decide up mentioned 'I cease.'”
At the reunion, Paul apologized for his comment in a confessional about no longer being in a field to eye Micah as a mother.
“I speak I phrased that truly unfairly toward her,” Paul defined. “I speak the greater strategy to phrase that can perchance perchance well be that I will be able to't eye us as folk.”
Whereas the duo in quick reconciled after filming, they in a roundabout scheme weren't in a field to accept their relationship work, with Paul explaining they broke up for reliable when he visited Micah in Arizona.
In After the Altar, Paul revealed he used to be dating a recent lady who enjoyed traveling and his cooking abilities. He sooner or later went Instagram decent with eyelash beautician Geneva Dunham.
Kwame Appiah and Chelsea Griffin: Quiet Married
Despite Kwame's mother refusing to serve the wedding and his arguably sinful conversations with Micah, whom he furthermore related with within the pods, Kwame and Chelsea were one in every of the three couples to change vows on the pause of season four.
All the scheme by the reunion, Chelsea revealed she has since met her husband's mother and Kwame offered an apology to his partner and her family for his habits, announcing his talks with Micah were “no longer basically the most challenging illustration.”
The couple is residing in Seattle with their loved canines Rocky.
Zack Goytowski and Bliss Poureetezadi: Quiet Married
Determined, they are saying be pleased is blind, but every so often it wants a puny little bit of time—or proposing to every other lady—to achieve you made the inappropriate want. Which is what took diagram when Zack within the delivery purchased engaged to Irina Solomonova, most efficient for the couple to interrupt up all over their outing to Mexico.
After asking Bliss for a 2nd likelihood, the pair defied the percentages (and Bliss' dad's wishes) and both mentioned “I cease” on the altar. (And, no, they didn’t sit it out, playing that every particular person distinguished first flip across the dance floor to Lee Ann Womack's “I Hope You Dance,” the song that bonded them within the pods.)
After the finale aired, Zack shared a photograph of the couple on Instagram with the caption “Eternal Bliss.”
The couple shared in November 2023 that they are anticipating their first toddler, before welcoming daughter Galileo Terri Rayne Goytowski in April 2024.
Brett Brown and Tiffany Pennywell: Quiet Married
Reach on, no longer since season one's Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Trail has an LIB pairing gave the influence so meant to be!
The oldest couple within the experiment—Tiffany used to be 36 and Brett used to be 37—exchanged vows, even supposing Brett had a sartorial emergency when his pants didn’t match wisely on their wedding day. (Shout out to seamstress Lucia, you're an true one!)
Since filming wrapped, Tiffany and Brett moved to Portland and are calm excellent! Phew!
Raven Ross and Sikiru “SK” Alagbada: Not Together
After SK mentioned “I don't” at their wedding, he and Raven apparently parted methods.
On the opposite hand, when the cameras stopped rolling, the extinct flames reunited, revealing they were dating again everywhere in the season three reunion particular.
But a month later, the couple announced that “now we decide up determined to scamper our separate methods” amid allegations that SK had been unfaithful. In a joint assertion shared on social media in November, SK and Raven mentioned, “Due to the on-going reliable proceedings surrounding these allegations, we shouldn’t be any longer going to give extra particulars and quiz that you just please admire our privacy all over this laborious time. Thank you for following our be pleased myth and believing in us.”
Jackie Bonds and Marshall Glaze: Not Together
Fans watched with fear as Jackie chose to present Josh Demas, the opposite man she related with within the pods, a 2nd likelihood, assembly up with him before ending her engagement to Marshall.
On the opposite hand, everywhere in the reunion, Jackie plight the file straight on the timeline of events. “I broke up with Marshall before I met Josh on the espresso store,” she mentioned. “It appears worship I'm a cheater. I’m no longer a cheater.”
Jackie then addressed the pause of her relationship with Marshall, announcing she “can take accountability” for her words and actions. “We reliable weren't meant to be.”
As for her romance with Josh? They were calm dating and residing together in After the Altar, but Jackie announced all over a September 2023 Instagram Are residing that that they had broken up.
As for Marshall, he instructed E! that he in quick related with fellow contestant Kacia Clark after the show shroud. “We tried,” Marshall defined, “But I desired to reliable distance myself from all of that from that skills.”
In After the Altar, Marshall revealed he's been dating female friend Dr. Chay Barnes for one 365 days and needs to use without end along with her. They purchased engaged in December 2023.
Nancy Rodriguez and Bartise Bowden: Not Together
Nancy and Bartise had one in every of Esteem Is Blind's extra explosive weddings, but no longer thanks to the bride or groom.
Whereas Nancy used to be ready to accept married within the season three finale episode, Bartise revealed he used to be no longer so assured in their relationship. The update didn’t sit neatly with Nancy's family, who unapologetically sounded off on Bartise.
Despite the drama, Bartise and Nancy decide up maintained an on-again, off-again friendship. “We've long previous from being friends to being acquaintances,” he instructed E!, “to being fully no communication assist to friends.”
And in April 2023, Bartisse, who regarded on Ideal Match, announced the appearance of his son, Hayden, even supposing he hasn't publicly shared the identification of the toddler's mother.
Several months later, he debuted his contemporary romance with Cait Vanderberry on Instagram.
Nancy has furthermore entered a recent relationship, but has yet to publicly grunt her boyfriend's identification.
Alexa Alfia and Brennon Lemieux: Quiet Married
All the scheme by the season finale, viewers watched as Alexa and Brennon purchased married in entrance of their cherished ones.
In heartwarming vows, Alexa gushed, “You accept me grunt, you accept me assume and, bigger than the rest else, you accept me happy.”
The fans announced in January 2024 that they are anticipating their first toddler and welcomed daughter Vienna Ziva Lemieux in July 2024.
Zanab Jaffrey and Cole Barnett: Not Together
Effectively, we can't disclose we're taken aback by this breakup.
The two by no strategy perceived to be on the identical page all over their courtship, resulting in several skirmishes. Even though Zanab and Cole made it to the wedding altar, Zanab declared, “You to decide up gotten disrespected me. You to decide up gotten insulted me. You to decide up gotten critiqued me. And for what it’s value, you decide up single-handedly shattered my self-self perception.”
Cole later mirrored on their tumultuous relationship.
“We were going by all these bumps, but we were working by things and finding smoother waters,” he instructed E! News. “And so I hoped that we would no longer no longer up so that you just might well perchance proceed after the wedding if we didn't accept married on that day.”
Colleen Reed and Matt Bolton: Quiet Married
Colleen and Matt efficiently exchanged vows within the season three finale.
Despite the highs and lows they faced all over their courtship, the pair felt assured in their relationship and happily mentioned “I cease.”
On why she in a roundabout scheme chose to battle by with the wedding, Colleen instructed E! News, “As soon as I noticed him remark and laugh, I was worship, 'That's my man.' So I knew that I was going to claim certain as soon as I noticed him.”
And for those questioning, Colleen confirmed, “A 365 days-and-a-half of later, we're very, very happy.”
Mallory Zapata and Salvador Perez: Not Together
All the scheme by the season finale, Sal wasn't in a field to claim, “I cease.”
In an E! News interview, he revealed that he used to be single after filming.
“Relationship within the lengthy roam now?” he mentioned. “I don't even know the scheme. I speak basically the most challenging scheme is care for off the dating apps.”
Deepti Vempati and Shake Chatterjee: Not Together
As we know, Deepti and Shake's time on the show shroud didn’t pause with a happily ever after.
Whereas Deepti revealed to E! News that she is now single, her brother and Shake were feuding on Instagram.”'Shake', bruh, you're a loser,” Deepti's brother Sunny and his partner Hina Merchant Vempati wrote in a joint Instagram. “You minimized my sister's life by making some dreadful and cringeworthy feedback about her.”
They persevered, urging Shake to “care for the f–k away” from their sister.
Looks worship Shake might well be heading to his Nobu reservation alone!
Shayne Jansen and Natalie Lee: Not Together
Even though Natalie and Shayne's time on the show shroud didn't pause with the exchanging of vows, Natalie instructed E! the “be pleased experiences” we noticed on the show shroud were “fully proper.”
“It's no longer reality TV,” Natalie shared. “It's our real lives, real feelings, and our real relationships.”
Which is why Natalie used to be so injure when Shayne allegedly agreed to very giant title on the spinoff sequence Ideal Match whereas they were attempting to accept their relationship work put up-failed nuptials.
“He texted me an ideal alternative of instances he desired to depart midway by filming because he calm had feelings for me after we noticed every other for [the] first time since our breakup on the reunion show shroud taping,” she revealed on Instagram, including that she “encouraged him to proceed filming.”
And when production for Ideal Match had wrapped, Natalie mentioned she met up with Shayne but “in a roundabout scheme instructed him we shouldn't reconcile.”
Shayne, within the intervening time, in quick dated Too Sizzling to Address alum Chloe Veitch after they related on Ideal Match.
Cleave Thompson and Danielle Ruhl: Not Together
Danielle filed for divorce from Cleave at a Chicago court on Aug. 15, 2022, bigger than a 365 days after they married on the finale.
Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones: Not Together
The two announced on Aug. 17, 2022 in a joint assertion on Instagram, “After mighty conception, we're saddened to share that now we decide up separated and can delivery the strategy of divorcing. Whereas now we decide up be pleased for every other, our lives are getting into utterly different instructions, and that's k. Coming to this decision used to be a ways from easy and we can repeatedly wish every other the absolute simplest.”
Kyle Abrams and Deepti Vempati: Not Together
Whereas the pair confirmed their friendship had blossomed into a romance within the After the Altar spinoff, which debuted in September 2022, Kyle announced reliable days later that that they had prick up within the time since the particular used to be filmed.
And in April, Kyle proposed to his female friend Tania Leanos, whom he didn’t meet in a pod.
Source credit : eonline.com
