The New Season Of Love Is Blind Will Feature A Sibling Rivalry

One of Netflix's most popular reality TV shows is gearing up for its latest season. This time, Season 7 of Love Is Blind puts its roots down in Washington D.C., where hopeful singles will get a chance to fall in love sight unseen as all of those who have come before them have attempted. The show has never been filmed in the city before, making it a first for the franchise.

There will also be another kind of first for the show, as this season there is actually a pair of siblings participating in the pods. Sisters Nina and Tara Zafar were both selected as cast members for Season 7, and in advance of the premiere, they've spoken about what their decision to do the show together was like.

Nina And Zafar Hid Their Connection From Other Cast Members

The first few episodes of the season don't air until October 2nd, meaning that we have yet to find out how each of the sister's romantic journeys go. Ahead of the premiere, however, Nina and Tara shared what it was like going into the experiment with a sibling by their side. In an interview with the New York Post, the sisters divulged that, at least at first, they hid the fact that they were sisters from the men in the experiment.

Nina elaborated that they worried those participating in the experiment would be thrown bt finding out that she and Tara were related:

We kind of decided that we wouldn’t have a fair shot if we went in and immediately told everyone that we were siblings because then obviously they’d get weirded out and choose one of us over the other. We didn't disclose it at the beginning, but at some point, we had to.

The two sisters are three years apart; Nina is the elder at 32 years old, and Tara is the younger at 29 years old. Nina currently works as a Washington Post social media editor, while Tara is a marketing manager. Both women have been through some romantic ups and downs in the past. Tara most recently was in a serious relationship that spanned more than two years before ending in 2022.

For her part, Nina's last major relationship also ended in 2022, when she broke things off with her college sweetheart after more than eight years together. Now it seems that both sisters are willing to put themselves out there and try their hand at dating blind.

The Sisters Discussed Their Respective Types

If participating in the show with a sibling wasn't tricky enough, Nina and Tara also noted that, at times, their interest in the men on the other side of the pods could overlap. Nina notes that at the earlier stages of the experiment, there were definitely people that matched "on both of [their] lists," but that the situation "did sort itself out pretty quickly."

Tara went on to explain that each of the women's top five picks were almost identical, but that ultimately who their top picks ended up being were completely different from one another. It just goes to show how quickly things can shift on the show as cast members continue to date around. Fortunately, it seems, there won't be a sibling love triangle teed up for the season.

When asked about their respective dating histories, Nina shared that it was harder for her personally to date without being able to see what the men looked like. She expanded on her explanation, noting how her sister differed from her in that department:

I’m definitely more picky than Tara. I think physical is much less important for her than it is for me. So I already knew going into this that I was gonna be a difficult case.

As far as the other things that were important to them in a partner, Nina noted that she wanted someone who got along well with their family and who liked animals—referring in particular to her and Tara's two cats, Phoebe and Cashew. Tara agreed with her sister's checkboxes, saying that someone who didn't have an affinity for cats was a dealbreaker for her as well.

It seems that the two sisters sharing their cats and their living space played a key role in both of them being cast on Love Is Blind. Apparently a casting director initially reached out to Nina on Instagram (as much of the Love Is Blind casting is done), and when Nina spoke with a producer from the show, Tara was within earshot.

It turns out that Nina mentioned her sister enough times in her interviews that the producers inquired whether Tara was single and potentially interested in the show as well. It comes as a surprise to hear that it was the production's idea, not the sisters', to have both of them appear in the same season.

When Nina and Tara were both chosen as cast members, they recalled that they were slightly wary of what their parents' reactions would be. Thankfully, however, both of them were supportive, surprising Nina and Tara. They shared that their mother thought joining the experiment was a "great idea," and that their father came around to the concept only once they'd confirmed that it wasn't a "make out" or "bikini" kind of show.

The first six episodes of Love Is Blind Season 7 are set to drop on Netflix on Wednesday, October 2nd. After that, more episodes will be released each week on Wednesdays. Fans of the show will have to tune in and see how each of the sisters fares in their quest to find lasting romance—and how they're there to support each other along the way. All past seasons of the show can also be found on streaming platform Netflix.