Grant Larsen has turned some heads in his time on Netflix's Temptation Revival as he joins this season's batch of new contestants.
Originally developed by Fox in 2001, Temptation Island returned with new episodes on the streamer, once again following several couples whose fidelity is put to the test as they are split up and forced to live with a band of eligible singles of the opposite sex (a show The Circle Season 7 star Madelyn previously appeared on).
Florida native Grant Larsen arrives on the Temptation Island revival with his girlfriend Ashley, as they test to see if their relationship can withstand the pressure of the show.
Get To Know Temptation Island's Most Hated Contestant Grant Larsen
Grant Is a Talented Musician
Outside of his appearance on Temptation Island, fans may want to get to know more about Grant Larsen and the person he is off the screen. One pastime the former Netflix star enjoys fervently is engaging in music, having played guitar and written music for several years.
In a February 2025 post from Larsen on social media, he shared his love of music, showcasing his instrumental skills with a tune for his followers to enjoy. In the caption to that post he described his relationship with music since he was a teen.
"I’ve been playing since I was 13 years old," he divulged, saying that while he first started playing to "get girls" it has "quickly turned into something MUCH MORE:"
"I’ve been playing since I was 13 years old and of course only started so I could get girls… But it quickly turned into something MUCH MORE for me."
He called himself an "artist," with guitar helping him "find the beauty in just about anything that has any bit of uniqueness:"
"You see, I’m an artist at heart. I find the beauty in just about anything that has any bit of uniqueness in it. People, nature, crafts, music, everything! Once I started playing guitar, I realized every time I plucked a string it was almost like a sound from my heart. In other words, my heart could feel something, send a signal to my brain, and my brain would make my fingers move, and what you hear is my heart. To me, that’s beautiful and just another way to feel connected to not only myself, but others around me."
Larsen's musical pursuits remain a hobby at this point with no publicly released works besides the occasional pop-in on social media to date.
Grant Owns His Own Media Company
Grant Larsen is a business owner as well, spending his days as the founder of Mo-Co Media.
His self-started media company serves South Florida and the surrounding area, specializing in video creation for various clients.
Its mission statement describes the company as "a video production and marketing company specializing in creating content every business owner needs:"
Mo-Co Media is a video production and marketing company specializing in creating content every business owner needs. We use innovative practice and strategy that is unique to Mo-Co Media. Our company will help you stand out from their competition
Since its founding, Mo-Co Media has worked with several big-name partners, producing content for everything from high-end restaurants to luxury real estate brokerages.
Grant Went On Temptation Island To Prove Himself
Despite getting a bad rap once he got to Temptation Island, Grant Larsen arrived on the series with the best of intentions.
The reality star detailed this in pre-release coverage for the series, telling Tudum he and his girlfriend Ashley came to the series after he had "given into temptation in the past," but was "ready to hold up to" the challenges of the Temptation Island experiment.
Ashley said that she was fully ready to commit to Grant, but needed to be sure he was not going to have a wandering eye. She told in her interview with Netflix that "I am not easily tempted. When I am committed, I’m all in."
About his past transgressions, Larsen said on the series he "[knows] he messed up" and hoped the show could "clear [up]" any residual resentment (via Netflix):
"I knew where I messed up. I chased her across the world to Greece. I surprised her, because there was no way I was letting Ashley go. But I think over time, it has built up into this huge mess of misstrust and resentment, and I think if we can get through this, maybe it will clear that up."
Grant Is Okay With His Controversial Temptation Island Decisions
These best of intentions obviously did not go as planned for Grant Larsen and his girlfriend Ashley, as Larsen ultimately gave in to the temptation presented on the show, setting him up to be one of the most despised characters in the show's latest season.
This came to a head early in the show, as Larsen quickly started palling around with one of the singles on the show Natalie.
The pair share several nights in the newly introduced Temptation Haven (a fully private villa away from cameras that alert the other house when someone has gone inside), showing that he and Ashley are not going to make it.
Fans turned on Larsen after this, and then again when he later in the series came back asking for Ashley to take him back, but she would not bend. This resulted in a dramatic finale where Larsen claimed he never intended on leaving with Ashley, as he ended up departing the show as a single man.
Larsen addressed his Temptation Island decisions in a forthcoming Instagram post, telling fans, "What you guys do not know is why I ended up moving on from Ashley in the first place:"
"What you guys do not know is why I ended up moving on from Ashley in the first place. While it was not really displayed on the show, it is important to understand before making the decision to cut someone down online that does not deserve it."
He called his relationship with Ashley "beyond toxic," remarking that he stayed with her with "a leash around [his] neck and a bat to [his] head:"
"For the last year and a half prior to the show, Ashley had been disrespecting me, belittling me, and emasculating me. And, just like there is no justification for me cheating, there is no justification for staying with me just to hold my past over my head. So, instead of forgiving and moving forward, she took me back with a leash around my neck and a bat to my head. There was a reason, we ended up on 'Temptation Island' and it was not just because I cheated a year and a half prior. Things were toxic, beyond toxic."
"Yes, I consciously made the choice to become intimate with Natalie, ultimately cheating on Ashley," Larsen posited, disclosing that "Nobody deserves to be cheated on. Let alone on national TV:
"Number one, I went on 'Temptation Island' to prove my commitment to Ashley. Number two, yes, I consciously made the choice to become intimate with Natalie, ultimately cheating on Ashley. And number three, I only have one regret, and it is not what you think. But if you stick to the end of this you will know.
Let me start off with being real. Nobody deserves to be cheated on. Let alone on national TV, no matter the circumstances, no matter the reasoning. And I take full accountablility for that."
How To Follow Grant Larsen On Social Media
Fans looking to keep up with Grant Larsen online can follow him on Instagram and TikTok.
Temptation Island is now streaming on Netflix.
