It's official: fans think Vanessa Papa from 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love' is the new Irina and Micah

Vanessa Papa has hit the scene, and she's made quite a splash on the new Netflix dating series

vanessa papa from the ultimatum queer love on netflix
(Image credit: Netflix)

It didn't take long for the internet to come for Vanessa Papa. 

The Ultimatum: Queer Love couples have just been introduced, and now that the season officially kicked off on Wednesday, May 24, fans have found pairs to root for...and other cast members to pick apart.   

Vanessa, our outspoken wildcard, seems to have been pegged as the mean girl of the season, though we're only four episodes in. Everyone watching is starting to think back to Irina Solomonova and Micah Lussier's bad behavior in Love Is Blind season 4. Are you sensing the similarity? Twitter certainly has caught on!

So, what's happening, exactly, with Vanessa Papa? We'll break it down. 

Who is Vanessa Papa from 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love'?

Vanessa Papa and her long-term girlfriend, Xander Boger, originally met through their high school boyfriends. Slowly, as their sexual identities began to shift, they gravitated toward one another. They've been together for several years, and Xander is ready to take the plunge—ready for marriage and kids. 

Given that Vanessa, an influencer based in California, is a free spirit who claimed to not want marriage with anyone, Xander included, she was issued an ultimatum. She's not fazed by the challenge and even looks forward to meeting new people, seemingly while Xander suffers through the process. 

Then, in a pleasant surprise to viewers, Xander actually finds herself compatible with Yoly Rojas, and seemingly giddy over their trial marriage. Though Vanessa had no problem mixing and mingling, she's positively infuriated when Xander finds another match and goes as far as to curse at her girlfriend under her breath while the whole cast is meeting with host JoAnna Garcia Swisher—something she's called out for by her peers. 

Plus, tensions are particularly high between the two. Vanessa's not pleased that her girlfriend did not immediately come to her defense when the group first met. Upon the meet and greet, Vanessa had asked everyone who their number one pick was, annoying the cast with the insensitive question.

What happened between Vanessa Papa and Lexi Goldberg?

Vanessa originally hits it off with Lexi Goldberg, who issued an ultimatum to her girlfriend, Rae Chung. The two are laughing and enjoying one another's company, but given how serious Lexi is about marriage and settling down, everyone's on edge about her connection with Vanessa. 

Then, on their final date together, things take a horrific turn—to the point of no return. When Vanessa reveals that she's not really interested in settling down, Lexi senses she's on the show for fame rather than love and isn't open to taking the experiment seriously. She goes from being smitten to referring to Vanessa as Voldemort. (Ouch!)

Then, seemingly out of spite, Vanessa opts to pair off with Rae, Lexi's girlfriend. Rae is definitely on edge but decides not to let everyone's opinion stand in her way. Was that a mistake?

We still have several weeks to go before we learn how things play out between the couples. Will Vanessa find a new appreciation for Xander, or will she opt for Rae? Considering the other women are hesitant to get too close to her, is it possible she leaves the experiment solo? Are we judging her before giving her time to redeem herself? 

Fans react to Vanessa Papa from 'The Ultimatum':

See more
See more
See more
See more
See more
See more
See more

The Ultimatum: Queer Love released its first four episodes on Wednesday, May 24 on Netflix. Subsequent episodes will hit the streamer on Wednesdays through June 7. 

Danielle Valente
Digital News Writer

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.


Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 


When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again.