Amaya Espinal | |
|---|---|
| Born | Amaya Elizabeth Espinal November 9, 1999 |
| Alma mater | Midwood High School [1] LIU Brooklyn [2] [3] |
| Occupation | Cardiac Nurse [4] |
| Known for | Love Island USA |
Amaya Elizabeth Espinal [5] (born November 9, 1999) also known by the nickname "Amaya Papaya", [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] is an American reality television personality. She appeared on the Peacock reality show Love Island USA in 2025, winning the season alongside Bryan Arenales. [12] They are the first Latino couple to win in the franchise's history. [13] [14] [15] [16]
Espinal was born on November 9, 1999, in New York City, New York. [17] [18] She is of Dominican descent, [14] [19] and is the first generation in her family to be born in the United States. [17] She became a licensed cardiac registered nurse in December 2021 and worked at a hospital in New York prior to her appearance on Love Island. [20]
Espinal entered the Love Island villa as a bombshell in episode 4 of the seventh season. [19] She stood out for her humor, authenticity, and iconic [16] one-liners, [10] [21] slowly but surely becoming a fan favorite [8] [9] [22] and the season's breakout star. [10] [17] [19] [23] Some media outlets and fans began referring to Espinal as the "people's princess." [6] [9] [10] [24] [25] Various clips of her impromptu singing, often while alone in the makeup room, quickly went viral. [8] [17] [23] In one widely circulated moment, she sang, "I never said I was perfect. I never said I didn't have any flaws." [8] [17] [26] As of July 2025, the phrase appears as an animated banner when users search "Amaya Papaya" on Google, accompanied by papaya emojis raining down on the page. [5] [10] [11] A Google spokesperson confirmed the feature was added in response to the popularity of the moment. [9] Throughout the season, she explored connections with Ace Greene, Austin Shepherd, and Zak Srakaew. [19]
During the "Stand on Business" challenge in episode 26, Espinal responded to criticism from her former connections — who claimed she cried "more than needed" [27] and came on too strong [28] — with remarks such as "God forbid I'm a sensitive gangsta," [21] and “I’m just not your cup of tea to be drinkin’, so don’t f—ing drink it.” [14] [19] Bryan Arenales, who at the time was coupled up with Andreina Santos, [24] [29] defended Espinal [7] [14] explaining that being affectionate is a common aspect of Latino culture and that terms of endearment such as "babe," "mi amor," and "mi vida" are frequently used. [19] [24] Espinal and Arenales later coupled up [29] and eventually won the seventh season, taking home the $100,000 prize together. [30] [31] [32] The pair have stated their intention to donate a portion of the winnings to charity. [16] [24] [33] [34] [35] [36]
In July 2025, Espinal signed with Gersh and Untitled Entertainment for representation in all areas. [37]
In August 2025, Espinal announced via social media that her and Bryan Arenales are no longer together due to their different visions of their future and journey together. [38] [39]
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Love Island USA | Winner; Season 7 | [40] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Call Her Daddy | Herself | Guest | [41] |