Why This ‘Love Is Blind’ Star Says the Show ‘Ruined His Life’
Before signing up for Love is Blind, things were going relatively well for marketing executive Nick Thompson. The 36-year-old was the oldest contestant on the show’s second season but walked away seemingly a winner. Thompson found love, but since his time on the Netflix reality series, he’s lost his love (maybe), fallen on hard financial times, and lost his job. Thompson has become an advocate for reality TV stars, arguing that the genre exploits people. He even once said the series ruined his life.
Nick Thompson said ‘Love is Blind’ has made it difficult for him to find a new job
When Nick Thompson joined the cast of Love is Blind, he was a vice president of product marketing. According to his LinkedIn profile, he had spent years climbing the corporate ladder at various technology and software companies. He bought a home and was living a pretty successful life.
After the series, everything changed. Thompson said he lost his job in November 2022 and has had difficulty finding comparable work. He told the Daily Mail that he hadn’t found a new gig because people no longer take him seriously. He believes his time on Love is Blind ruined his life and made it difficult to find a foothold again. Facing potential homelessness after draining his savings and cashing in his 401K, Thompson is punching back at the reality TV genre for exploiting contestants.
The former reality TV star called out Netflix for paying less than minimum wage
With Thompson facing serious money troubles following his Love is Blind appearance, he has decided to take action. The former marketing executive has called out the production company behind the series for their unfair wages and poor overall treatment.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Thompson did the math and figured out that he and his co-stars were paid just over $7 an hour for their time on the series. Thompson said he was wearing a microphone for more than 18 hours on some days and earned just $10,000 for his time.
The unfair wages aren’t the former contestant’s only issue with the show. He also noted that when he wasn’t filming, he was essentially a prisoner in his hotel room without access to a key, money, or his identification. He said the production team weaponized insecurities and triggers discovered during psychological evaluations to make the series more interesting. Walking away wasn’t an option, according to Thompson. He said he was under a contractual obligation to stay.
The cast of Love is Blind also doesn’t see earnings from the streaming minutes their seasons amass for Netflix. The lack of residual earnings from streaming service providers has become a serious talking point for both reality TV stars and traditional actors. Netflix’s lack of transparency has been called out by Sean Gunn, the actor who portrayed Kirk Gleason in Gilmore Girls during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Are Nick Thompson and Danielle Ruhl back together?
Nick Thompson and Danielle Ruhl left Love is Blind as a couple, and they even married following the show. The marriage didn’t last all that long, though. While the duo tied the knot in June 2021, they were officially divorced 14 months later. They even feuded on social media following their breakup.
Things have settled for Thompson and Ruhl in recent months, though. Ruhl appeared on Thompson’s podcast, Eyes Wide Open, in May 2023, and the former flames discussed the negative side of filming reality TV shows. Ruhl also posted a photo with her ex-husband, but are they back together? It doesn’t seem like it. At the very least, they haven’t taken a rekindled romance public.
