Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, who won Love Island in 2022, has revealed that she tried out for a part in the hit HBO series The White Lotus as she tried to get back into acting
20:50, 14 Dec 2025Updated 22:32, 14 Dec 2025
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu lost out a major Hollywood role to an A-list actress (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has revealed that she lost out on a Hollywood role to a top actress. The former Love Island star, 31, who won the ITV2 reality show in 2022 alongside then-boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti, and went on to appear on other reality programmes like Celebrity Big Brother and Dancing on Ice.
Ekin, who also went to America to star in the US version of The Traitors, appeared on a Turkish soap opera before she found fame on Love Island and had tried to venture back into acting by auditioning for The White Lotus.
In the end, though, the reality star was unsuccessful and lost the part to Aimee Lou Wood, who played the main role of Chelsea on the hit HBO series throughout its third season. During an Instagram Q&A, Ekin-Su told her followers: “I auditioned for the role of Chelsea on @thewhitelotus in 2023.
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Ekin-Su won Love Island in 2020 alongside then-boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti(Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“It wasn’t my strongest work or even the right time, so it didn’t go through for a reason.” But the setback only made Ekin-Su more determined to make it in show business, although she would consider a comeback to reality television in one form or another, especially if it was something like I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
She said: “I’m stepping back into acting and focusing more on passion projects. I know many people discovered and supported me through reality TV, but that was a temporary direction I took after Love Island.
“Acting has always been the bigger picture for me and something I was doing in Turkey before LI. I’ve mentioned the jungle is one of them, but for now I’m excited to see where this new direction takes me.”
The TV star was then asked what she has been up to lately by a fan, and she teased that there is something really “different” on the cards, but she is not at liberty to say what it is just yet.
She added: “Productive meetings, laying the groundwork for the New Year with my team. As well as kicking off a project I can’t share just yet, but will do soon. It’s different to anything I’ve done, that’s all I can hint!” When it comes to her personal life, Ekin-Su recently revealed that she is looking for love again.
The part of Chelsea eventually went to Aimee Lou Wood(Image: AP)
The Mirror caught up with Ekin-Su at the Pride Of Britain awards, where she said: “I’m single, ready to mingle. I’ve been on dates and dating around, and I am enjoying it now, whereas before I would be a bit paranoid.
“Now I’m just like I ‘I don’t really care’ if he is in the industry, if he is not in the industry, if I meet him on the dating app, if I meet him on the street. I am open to it”
After the relationship with Davide came to an end, Ekin-Su tried to find love again on Love Island All Stars and walked away with professional dancer Curtis.
The pair called it quits in May, and Ekin previously told The Mirror: “We are [friends]. We are. We still speak all the time, and I’ve got nothing but lovely words to say about him.”
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