Carl Love Island fans first met Carl Schmidt as a Casa Amor bombshell, but he quickly became one of the most talked-about Islanders of Love Island USA Season 8. The 28-year-old fitness instructor from Denver walked in late, got dumped, came back through America’s vote, and still finished as runner-up with Aniya Harvey. Here is a complete, clear look at who he is beyond the villa.
Carl Schmidt Biography
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Carl Witness Lee Schmidt |
| Nickname/Stage Name | Carl Lee Schmidt; “Witness Lee” (fitness account) |
| Age | 28 (during Love Island USA Season 8, 2026) |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Half-Chinese (mixed Asian heritage) |
| Profession/Occupation | Fitness instructor, NASM-certified personal trainer, physical therapy aide, entrepreneur, reality TV personality |
| Years Active | 2026–present (reality TV) |
| Education | Carleton College (Asian Studies, 2020); University of Colorado Boulder (Pre-Physical Therapy, 2023–2025) |
| Genre/Field | Fitness, wellness, reality television |
| Dating/Relationship Status | Dating Aniya Harvey (no official label as of mid-2026) |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in |
| Notable Works | Love Island USA Season 8 (runner-up); founder of Hapa Strong |
| Social Media | Instagram: @carl_witness_lee |
Who Is Carl From Love Island USA?
Carl Schmidt is a Denver-based fitness instructor and physical therapy aide who joined Love Island USA Season 8 during Casa Amor week. He was one of 12 new single men brought in to test the original couples, and he made the final six.
What made him stand out was not just his height or his athletic build. Viewers noticed his calm manners, his interest in culture and language, and the way he treated Aniya from the very first chat. He came across as gentle, respectful, and sure of himself without being loud.
Having followed many Love Island seasons, I can say late arrivals rarely get a real story. Most Casa Amor bombshells are gone within a week. Carl broke that pattern, and that is exactly why so many people are now searching for him.
Carl Love Island Age and Birthday
Carl was 28 years old when he entered the villa in June 2026. That made him the oldest Islander in his group and older than Aniya, who was 23 at the time.
His exact birthday has not been confirmed by Carl himself. Some online profiles list a July 1997 date, but until he shares it publicly, it is best treated as unverified. What is certain is his age as announced by the show.
The age gap came up among fans, but it rarely felt like an issue on screen. Carl’s maturity actually worked in his favor. He handled rejection calmly and came back without bitterness, which many viewers linked to his life experience.
How Tall Is Carl Love Island?
Carl stands 6 ft 4 in, which made him one of the tallest men in the Season 8 villa. His height was obvious the moment he walked in, and it became part of his on-screen charm.
He openly said he likes tall girls, and he often offered his arm to Aniya in a classic, old-school way. His posture and presence helped build the “prince” image fans later gave him.
His height also ties into his sporting past. At 6’4″, he played football and volleyball, both sports where size and reach matter a lot.
Carl Love Island Family
Carl comes from a close-knit family, and it shows on his social media. He often posts with his mom, including sailing trips on Nantucket just days before he flew out for the show.
On the show, he spoke warmly about his mother and his grandfather. He even wore his grandfather’s shirt and beads in the villa as a way to honor his roots. Those small details said a lot about how much family means to him.
His family also stayed involved after the show. During the finale week, both families met, and fans later learned that Carl’s mom and Aniya’s mom had become friends who talk regularly.
Carl Love Island Ethnicity and Heritage
Carl is half-Chinese. He shared this with Aniya during their first chat in Episode 18, which aired on June 22, and his Asian heritage became a steady thread in his time on the show.
He did not treat his background as a talking point only. He shared Chinese idioms, talked about his beads, spoke about his grandfather, and brought some Japanese philosophy into conversations. He also taught the boys in the villa a little Mandarin.
In his final alone chat and in later interviews, Carl said he felt proud that the show captured this side of him. For many Asian American viewers, seeing an Asian man portrayed as romantic and desirable on a major dating show felt meaningful.
The word “Hapa,” which appears in his business name, is commonly used for people of mixed Asian heritage. It reflects how Carl sees himself and the community he wants to reach.
Education: Carleton College to CU Boulder
Carl graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, in 2020 with a degree in Asian Studies. This explains his comfort with Asian languages, history, and philosophy.
During college, he studied abroad in Japan. He documented that time on Instagram, and it clearly shaped his interests. When he mentioned Japan to Aniya, she said she wanted to visit someday, which gave them an early bond.
He later went back to school at the University of Colorado Boulder, completing a Pre-Physical Therapy program between 2023 and 2025. He has said he is grateful for that step because it pointed him toward a long-term goal of becoming a physical therapist.
The mix of cultural studies and exercise science is unusual. It is also the exact foundation he later used to build his own business.
Carl Love Island Job and Hapa Strong
Carl works as a fitness instructor and NASM-certified personal trainer. He has also worked as a physical therapy aide since 2022, a role he held for over three years before the show.
Before that, he spent several months as a personal trainer on Nantucket, Massachusetts. Working with real clients, including older adults, gave him a patient, practical coaching style.
His biggest project is Hapa Strong, a fitness program he co-founded with his high school friend Justin. Its mission is to help Asian men reclaim their strength and masculinity through fitness. The brand shares workout tips and motivational videos and has plans that include a clothing line.
The idea came from personal experience. Carl and Justin both felt out of place growing up, pushed toward being quiet and studious rather than strong. They wanted to break those stereotypes and create a community where mixed Asian men feel seen.
Carl has also done modeling work, including for Reebok and Walmart fitness products. His Instagram fitness account, “Witness Lee,” connects his training work with his personal brand.
Sports Background
Carl has been an athlete for most of his life. He played football in high school and continued in college, alongside lacrosse, basketball, and volleyball at different stages.
A serious college football injury changed his path. That experience of recovering from injury is a big reason he became interested in physical therapy and helping others rebuild their strength.
Volleyball holds a special place for him. He told Aniya his whole family plays it, and she plays too. That shared love of the sport later became one of the cutest parts of their story.
He has said he tries to be a gentleman first and an athlete second. It is a simple line, but it matches how he carried himself in the villa.
Hobbies, Travel and Languages
Carl is an adrenaline seeker who loves the outdoors. His Instagram is full of snowboarding in Jackson Hole, surfing, snorkeling, sailing, and paraboarding. He even takes his dog surfing.
He has traveled widely, with trips to Vietnam, Alaska, Hawaii, and Japan. Summers on Nantucket are a regular part of his life, where he sails with his mom and goes crabbing with friends.
Language is another passion. Carl speaks Mandarin and Japanese, and his Mandarin lesson with Aniya became a fan-favorite moment early in Casa Amor.
He is also a salsa dancer. Dancing, by his own account, taught him a lot about leading with care, which he later connected to how he thinks about masculinity.
Carl’s Love Island USA Season 8 Journey
Carl’s time in the villa was short but full of twists. Here is how it played out:
| Stage | Timing | What Happened |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | Episode 18, June 22 (Day 17) | Entered as one of 12 Casa Amor men and made the final six |
| Connection | Casa Amor week | Bonded with Aniya over kindness, volleyball, Japan and Mandarin |
| Dumped | June 26 episode (Day 20) | Aniya chose her Day 1 partner KC Chandler; Carl was sent home |
| Return | June 28 episode (Day 21) | Voted back in by America alongside Amora |
| Recoupling | Final weeks | Picked Aniya after Movie Night and became a steady couple |
| Finale | Day 32 | Crowned runner-ups with Aniya |
When Carl met Aniya, she had just hit a rough patch with KC. She watched him flirt with the Casa Amor women days before, and Carl became a safe, kind presence. He told her his biggest turn-on is kindness.
The twist hurt when Aniya stayed loyal to KC, only for KC to return with Titi Davis. Aniya was left single, and fans pushed hard for a second-chance romance. America voting Carl back showed just how strong his support had become.
After returning, Carl made breakfasts for Aniya, shared kisses in the Say Less lounge, and delivered one of the season’s best recoupling lines: “Revenge is sweet, but this girl is a little sweeter.”
Their final week included a sweet karaoke performance and a fairytale finale date built around a custom storybook. They did not win, but finishing second after arriving so late is a real achievement.
Aniya and Carl Love Island: Are They Still Together?
Yes, as of the Season 8 reunion, Aniya and Carl were still together, though they had not put an official label on it. They were making long-distance work, with Aniya in Georgia and Carl back in Colorado.
On July 29, they appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Carl explained they were not officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet because he arrived late and they only had a couple of weeks together. He said the connection still felt strong.
Soon after the finale, both posted Instagram tributes. Aniya wrote that she cherishes their connection and that Carl made her fairytale dream real. Carl captioned his post with a playful nod to his famous “walls are up” comment.
At the reunion, which aired Aug. 31, Aniya said they FaceTime and text every day. She also shared plans for a Nantucket trip, which the couple later took together. Their families remain close, and that kind of support often matters most for reality couples in the next stage.
Carl’s Ex-Girlfriend Caroline Cray
Before Love Island, Carl dated influencer Caroline Cray. She confirmed the relationship on TikTok after he appeared on the show.
The two met on Nantucket in 2022, where they both worked at the same country club. They dated for a couple of years, spending most of their time together during summers.
They split mainly because of distance, as Carl lived in Colorado and Caroline in Massachusetts. She spoke kindly about him afterward and described him as respectful and caring, which lined up with how viewers saw him on screen.
What Viewers Got Right and Wrong About Carl
Fans got a lot right. The show captured his pride in his heritage, his kindness, and his quiet way of comforting Aniya during hard moments. Even a small scene of him gently releasing a moth became a talking point.
Some viewers ran with jokes that went too far. His calm posture and polished manners led to fan theories that he was a “secret billionaire.” In reality, he is a personal trainer and physical therapy aide with a growing small business.
Carl has said he was happy with how he was shown overall. Most of what aired matched the person he is off camera.
Handling Fame and Fan Comments
Sudden fame came with social media scrutiny. Like many Islanders, Carl faced a flood of opinions from strangers after his episodes aired.
To protect his peace, he stopped reading comments and turned off comments on some of his posts. He said this helped him feel more like himself again.
He still engages with others’ posts and supports fellow Islanders, but he keeps distance from the noise. For anyone new to the public eye, that is honestly a smart approach.
Carl’s Views on Healthy Masculinity
Carl describes healthy masculinity as being gentle but firm. Growing up with two sisters shaped how he sees women and how protective he feels toward the people he loves.
He believes men should be free to express themselves, whether through fitness, salsa dancing, or open emotion. For him, strength and softness are not opposites.
In relationships, he values giving a partner space rather than controlling the situation. You could see this in how he handled Aniya’s choices during Casa Amor. He respected her decision instead of pressuring her.
Training His Mom and Older Clients
One of the most wholesome parts of Carl’s story is that he trains his mom. They work out together, and he helps her with meal prepping, in exchange for time and support that goes both ways.
His client list has also included an 85-year-old he trained about twice a week. That kind of work needs patience, and it reflects his physical therapy mindset of building strength safely.
From a practical view, this is where his background really makes sense. He is not just a gym influencer. He works with real bodies, real limits, and real progress.
Why He Joined Love Island
Carl said he joined Love Island to find love, but also to make a point. He wanted to show America that Asian men can be desirable, masculine, and romantic leads.
He has spoken about the lack of Asian men in dating shows and how that affects young people’s confidence. His time on the show sparked interest from AAPI clubs and colleges, where he has been invited to speak.
In that sense, his run became bigger than one relationship. It gave many viewers a new picture of what a Love Island lead can look like.
Fairytale Comparisons
Fans quickly gave Carl and Aniya a fairytale label. After his first episode, many compared them to the couple in Brandy’s Cinderella, one of the most loved fairytale couples for a whole generation.
Others compared Carl to Li Shang from Mulan. Fans even dressed up as the pair online, which shows how deep the shipping went.
The show leaned into it, too. Their finale date turned Aniya’s princess dream into a storybook moment, and the “Prince Charming” nickname stuck.
Carl Love Island Instagram
Carl’s personal Instagram is @carl_witness_lee. It features his travels, outdoor adventures, family moments, and now posts with Aniya.
He also runs a fitness account under “Witness Lee,” focused on workouts and training tips. Hapa Strong has its own page for community content and motivational videos.
His follower count grew sharply after Season 8. For fans who want updates on his relationship and business, Instagram is the most direct place to follow him.
FAQs
Did Carl Win Love Island USA Season 8?
No, Carl did not win. He and Aniya finished as runner-ups, while Trinity Tatum and Bryce Alakai won Season 8. Reaching the final after entering during Casa Amor still made Carl’s run one of the season’s biggest comeback stories.
Where Does Carl From Love Island Live Now?
Carl lives in Denver, Colorado. Since the show, he has been in a long-distance relationship with Aniya, who lives in Georgia. They visit each other and have traveled together, including to Nantucket.
What Does “Hapa” Mean in Hapa Strong?
“Hapa” is a term often used for people of mixed Asian heritage. Carl chose it because his business focuses on mixed Asian men and anyone who supports that mission.
Is Carl From Love Island a Model?
Yes. Alongside his fitness and therapy work, Carl has modeled for brands like Reebok and Walmart fitness products. He is also represented by a modeling agency in Denver.
What Is Carl Love Island’s Net Worth?
Carl has not shared his net worth publicly. His income comes from physical therapy work, personal training, modeling, and Hapa Strong, and post-show brand deals are likely to add to it.
Was Carl Voted Back Into the Villa?
Yes. After being dumped on Day 20, Carl returned on Day 21 after a public vote. America brought him and Amora back, which gave him a second chance with Aniya.
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