“It’s just not fair.”
Love Is Blind Season 4 star Paul Peden is speaking out against the “malicious” online criticism of his fiance Micah Lussier – who may or may not say “I do” to Paul on the April 14 season finale – and their fellow castmate Irina Solomonova.
Viewers have slammed both women for their “mean girl” antics on the hit Netflix dating show.
These included Irina’s harsh treatment of her former fiancé Zack, whom she memorably compared to a “cartoon character” and Micah’s brazen flirting with another castmate, Kwame, behind his fiance’s back.
On Twitter, one critic dubbed the duo “the worst people I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“I have hated to see that,” Paul told E! News this week.
“I know that they made mistakes,” he said of the pair, “but they do not deserve that intensity of criticism. It’s just not fair. It’s not right.”
Love Is Blind’s Micah and Irina apologize for ‘mean girl’ behavior
In an April 2 Instagram video, Irina owned up to “mistreating” her costars on the show, apologizing to everyone whose feelings she had “hurt.”
“It was very immature and naïve of me,” she said of her behavior, adding, “None of those people deserve to be treated the way that I treated them.”
Separately, Micah also took to Instagram to issue an apology.
In a March 28 Instagram Story, the Seattle native wrote, “To the viewers that I’ve hurt, I’m sorry I’ve triggered so many of you with my behavior.”
The Netflix star went on to apologize for her “emotional immaturity,” vowing to “grow from” her experience on the show.
In a subsequent E! News interview, a visibly emotional Micah seemed to pin some of the blame for her cattiness back on her costar, telling the outlet, “I just need to be careful who I surround myself with.”
Love Is Blind’s Paul says Micah has gotten ‘thousands of death threats’
Speaking with the outlet, Paul echoed his fiance’s point, arguing that “certain people, certain friends in Micah’s life bring out those most negative qualities.”
Still, he said that the online vitriol had gotten out of control, with Micah and Irina receiving “thousands of death threats” from critics on social media.
“They know that they made mistakes,” the environmental scientist continued. “They’ve acknowledged them. I think that’s all you can ask for from somebody.”
“Anything beyond that,” the New Orleans native said, “is just malicious.”
The Season 4 Love Is Blind finale will be available to stream Friday, April 14, on Netflix. The live reunion special will stream on Netflix Sunday, April 16, at 8 p.m. ET.