Nick Thompson says 'Love Is Blind' made job hunt impossible

Nick Thompson of 'Love Is Blind' smiles as he poses in a light blue blazer and yellow shirt

Aug. 1, 2023 2:40 PM PT

“Love Is Blind” alum Nick Thompson is an open book when it comes to discussing his life after reality TV fame.

Thompson recently said he has been unable to find work since filming for the second season of the Netflix reality dating show wrapped production in 2021.

“I’m having an incredibly hard time finding [a new] one,” Thompson told the Daily Mail. “I’ve got two months left in the bank to pay my mortgage. I can’t get a job because people don’t take me seriously. I was a VP in software for five years, so it’s not like I don’t have track record of experience or success.”

He has said that being on TV has “ruined” his life and that he longs for the way his life once was.

“I wish I could just go back to having a nice life that I had built for myself, instead of wondering whether my mortgage is gonna get paid,” he added.

On top of alleging that appearing on the show ruined his professional credibility, Thompson claimed that he felt like a “captive” while on the set of “Love Is Blind.”

“You are filming 18 to 20 hours a day,” he purported. “Then when you go home at the end of the day, you’re locked in your hotel room. ... You literally are held captive like a prisoner and there is absolutely no reason that you shouldn’t be considered an employee when you’re technically under the control of your employer for 24 hours a day.”

In April, former contestants on the dating program alleged that they experienced inhumane working conditions and emotional distress on set. The “Love Is Blind” alumni accused the production of subjecting them to 20-hour filming days, rarely allowing them to go outside, failing to provide adequate food and mental-health services, and ignoring their pleas for help.

In a statement provided to The Times in April, “Love Is Blind” production company Kinetic Content said, “The well-being of our participants is of paramount importance to Kinetic. We have rigorous protocols in place to care for each person before, during, and after filming.”

Kinetic Content and Netflix did not immediately respond to The Times’ most recent request for comment.

Earlier this year, Thompson co-created the Unscripted Cast Advocacy Network, or UCAN, an organization dedicated to providing mental health and legal support to current and former reality TV show contestants.

Thompson, who split from his reality TV sweetheart Danielle Ruhl in 2022, pointed to the ongoing Hollywood strikes as future sticking points for the prospect of a reality TV star union.

He alleged that Netflix is leaning on reality TV programs because they are “extremely cheap to produce, and they can continue to do so through the strike.”

Last month, “Real Housewives of New York” veteran Bethenny Frankel floated the idea that reality TV stars should go on strike to prevent increased exploitation during the ongoing actors’ and writers’ strikes. On top of the constant public scrutiny, Frankel noted that she has “never made a single residual” from “RHONY.” She added that networks shouldn’t continue to profit from the work reality stars provide without acknowledging the talent’s value.

“Love Is Blind” star Thompson said, “When you think about the amount of money that’s being made, and the way that it’s the path for future seasons, and the fact that anyone can go on and watch me … and I’m going to be homeless.”

He said he knew of “100, 150 people” who had complained to him about working conditions on reality shows, but added that most have been afraid to speak out due to NDAs.

“[Netflix has] a great opportunity to lead in the industry and get on the right side of the issue right now,” he told the Daily Mail. “But they need to get on the right side of the issue. They are going to write themselves out of business if they don’t start treating writers, actors, and all reality cast members properly. I invite them to the right side of the fight.”

Times staff writer Christi Carras contributed to this report.