Grant Ellis Responds to Backlash Over Stunning Bachelor Finale Choice
March 27, 2025 – Los Angeles, CA – Grant Ellis, the star of The Bachelor Season 29, has discovered himself on the middle of a firestorm following the dramatic finale of the hit ABC actuality present, which aired on March 24, 2025. After weeks of romance, heartbreak, and indecision, the 31-year-old day dealer made a selection that left followers reeling—and never all of them are glad about it. Now, Ellis is talking out to handle the backlash over his shocking determination to suggest to Juliana Pasquarosa as a substitute of runner-up Litia Garr.
The season finale noticed Ellis torn between two finalists: Garr, a 31-year-old enterprise capitalist who had shaped a deep emotional reference to him, and Pasquarosa, a 28-year-old contestant described by Ellis as bringing a enjoyable and carefree power to their relationship. In a transfer that shocked viewers, Ellis acquired down on one knee and supplied his remaining rose to Pasquarosa, leaving Garr blindsided and heartbroken. The choice sparked speedy outrage on-line, with many followers accusing Ellis of deceptive Garr all through the season.
Garr didn’t maintain again throughout the stay “After the Remaining Rose” section, the place she confronted Ellis about his actions. She claimed he had repeatedly advised her he cherished her and even hinted at an engagement the evening earlier than the proposal, saying, “I can’t wait.” “I used to be shocked,” Garr stated tearfully. “The final phrases he stated to me had been ‘I really like you,’ after which I walked up there anticipating a hoop.” Her uncooked honesty struck a chord with viewers, a lot of whom took to social media to name Ellis “the worst Bachelor ever” and accuse him of “love-bombing” Garr solely to tug the rug out from beneath her.
In an unique interview with Us Weekly on March 26, Ellis responded to the criticism, defending his intentions. “All people is totally different in a relationship,” he stated. “Some persons are extra critical, and a few folks prefer to have enjoyable. I feel in a relationship, you’ll be able to have one of the best of each worlds—that’s what I meant. Our relationship [with Juliana] is a friendship. It’s enjoyable within the sense that we will let unfastened and be ourselves.” He insisted that his reference to Pasquarosa was real, including, “I led with my coronary heart. I don’t really feel like I misled [Litia]. I expressed my emotions, which I do every single day.”
The controversy has additionally taken on a racial undertone, with some followers expressing disappointment that Ellis, the second Black lead within the franchise’s historical past, selected Pasquarosa, a white girl, over Garr, a Black girl. On-line discussions have highlighted frustration amongst viewers who had hoped to see a celebration of Black love on a present typically criticized for its lack of range. “Grant had an opportunity to make historical past, and he picked the get together woman as a substitute,” one fan wrote on X, reflecting a sentiment echoed throughout trending posts.
Regardless of the uproar, Ellis and Pasquarosa seem unfazed. In a joint interview with PEOPLE on March 25, the newly engaged couple shared that they’re in “no rush” to tie the knot, focusing as a substitute on constructing their relationship. “We’re simply having fun with this second,” Pasquarosa stated, whereas Ellis added that their differing personalities complement one another. Nevertheless, not everyone seems to be satisfied the engagement will final, with some followers pointing to Garr’s allegations as proof of Ellis’s indecision.
As The Bachelor Season 29 fades from the airwaves, the controversy over Ellis’s selection exhibits no indicators of slowing down. Whether or not his romance with Pasquarosa stands the take a look at of time or turns into one other chapter in Bachelor Nation’s storied historical past stays to be seen. For now, Ellis is standing by his determination—even when it’s left a path of damaged hearts and offended followers in its wake.
