Reality TV is a strange beast, isn't it? We spend weeks glued to our screens, watching strangers make out in neon-lit villas, and somehow, we convince ourselves that "villa love" is the real deal. When Love Island USA kicked off its first season in Fiji back in 2019, the spotlight hit Love Island Zac and Elizabeth almost immediately. They were the golden couple. The benchmark. While everyone else was swapping partners like trading cards, Zac Mirabelli and Elizabeth Weber were steady. They were safe.
They won, obviously. They took home that $100,000 grand prize with a massive lead in the public vote. But then, the real world happened.
The Fiji Fairy Tale of Zac and Elizabeth
It’s easy to forget how much of a "Day 1" romance this actually was. Zac, a grocery store clerk from Chicago, and Elizabeth, an advertising executive from New York, coupled up on the very first day. It was almost boring how much they liked each other. In a show built on "bombshells" and "snaking," they were the eye of the storm.
Zac asked Elizabeth to be his girlfriend during the show. It was a big moment. People loved it. The chemistry felt organic, even if the setting was artificial. They didn't have the screaming matches or the "Casa Amor" betrayals that define the later seasons of the franchise. Instead, they just... talked. They planned their future. They won the hearts of millions because they represented the hope that you actually could find something real on a game show.
But winning a show isn't the same as winning at life. Once the cameras stopped rolling and the spray tans faded, the logistics of a long-distance relationship between Chicago and New York started to bite. Hard.
Why Zac Mirabelli and Elizabeth Weber Actually Split
The breakup happened just a few months after the finale, in December 2019. It wasn't a messy, tabloid-fueled disaster. There were no cheating scandals or dramatic "I'm unfollowing you" Instagram sprees at first.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Cast of Hold Your Breath 2024 Makes This Dust Bowl Horror Actually Work
They both released statements that sounded suspiciously like they were written by the same publicist. "The breakup was mutual," they said. They claimed they wanted to remain friends.
Honestly? It was the distance.
Maintaining a relationship when you live in different states is a nightmare for anyone. Add the pressure of being "The Winners" and the constant scrutiny of fans who feel entitled to every update, and you have a recipe for burnout. Elizabeth eventually opened up more about the split on her YouTube channel and in various interviews. She hinted that while the feelings were real in the villa, the transition to "normal" life revealed that they were perhaps better as friends than life partners.
It’s a common theme for Love Island winners. You’re in a bubble. You have no phones, no jobs, no bills, and no family drama. When you leave, you suddenly have to navigate a shared bank account, career goals, and the fact that you might not actually like how the other person acts on a Tuesday afternoon in the suburbs.
Life After the Villa: Where Are They Now?
So, what happened to Love Island Zac and Elizabeth once the dust settled? They both pivoted into the influencer space, which is basically the standard retirement plan for reality stars.
🔗 Read more: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
Elizabeth Weber has done pretty well for herself. She stayed in the public eye, leveraging her platform to talk about lifestyle, fashion, and fitness. She also leaned into the podcasting world. She co-hosted the After the Island podcast, where she basically became a commentator on the very show that made her famous. It’s a smart move—who better to break down the villa dynamics than someone who actually won the thing? She’s also been very open about her struggles with skin health and the realities of being a "public figure," which has kept her following loyal.
Zac Mirabelli took a slightly lower-profile route, though he didn't disappear entirely. He moved to Los Angeles (as they all do) to pursue modeling and content creation. If you look at his social media today, he’s heavily into fitness and high-end photography. He’s matured a lot from the wide-eyed kid we saw in 2019. He seems focused on his brand and doesn't spend much time reminiscing about his reality TV days on his main feed.
The Mystery of the "Second Chance"
For a while, fans were convinced they might get back together. In early 2020, there were rumors. A few sightings. A few "likes" on photos. But it never materialized into a full-blown reunion.
The reality is that they grew apart. Elizabeth has mentioned in passing that the version of Zac she fell for in Fiji was different from the version of Zac in the real world—and vice versa. That's not a slight against either of them. It's just human nature. We aren't the same people at 21 that we are at 25, especially after being thrust into the national spotlight.
What Zac and Elizabeth Taught Us About Reality TV
There is a lesson here. Love Island Zac and Elizabeth proved that you can be "perfect" on paper and still not work out. They were the ultimate "low-drama" couple, and yet they didn't make it to the one-year mark.
💡 You might also like: Is Heroes and Villains Legit? What You Need to Know Before Buying
Compare them to some of the "messier" couples from later seasons who stayed together longer. Sometimes, the friction of the villa prepares you for the friction of real life. Zac and Elizabeth had it too easy in the beginning. When the first real obstacle appeared—the 800 miles between them—they didn't have the tools to fix it.
Key Takeaways for Fans of the Couple:
- Long-distance is the "Love Island" killer. Almost every couple that splits from the show cites the geographic gap as the primary reason.
- Winning doesn't guarantee longevity. The $100k prize is a nice consolation, but it can’t buy chemistry in the real world.
- Friendship is the ultimate goal. Both Zac and Elizabeth have managed to avoid the "ex-war" that plagues many other reality couples, maintaining a level of mutual respect.
Moving Forward: How to Keep Up With the Pair
If you’re still holding out hope for a reboot of their romance, you should probably let it go. Both have moved on to other relationships and different stages of their careers.
If you want to follow their journeys, Elizabeth is your best bet for behind-the-scenes reality TV tea and lifestyle content. She’s the one who stayed connected to the Love Island community. Zac is the one to follow if you’re more interested in fitness, male modeling, and aesthetic travel content.
The legacy of Love Island Zac and Elizabeth is that they were the first. They set the tone for the US version of the show. They showed that Americans could be just as obsessed with "finding love" in a villa as the Brits were. Even if they aren't together, they remain a significant piece of reality TV history.
Check out Elizabeth’s YouTube channel for her deep dives into villa life if you want the unvarnished truth about what goes on when the cameras aren't looking. For Zac, his Instagram remains the hub for his professional modeling work. Both have successfully transitioned from "contestants" to "creators," which is the real win in the long run.