‘VALLEY’ GIRL
‘The Valley’ star Michelle Saniei Lally is coming into her own
NO one expected “The Valley” to go this hard right out the gate, but here we are. The freshman reality show, anchored by “Vanderpump Rules” veterans Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, and Kristen Doute, has quickly become one of the jewels in Bravo’s crown, thanks to the genuine connections between their cast members and all the resulting drama. At the center of it all is Michelle Saniei Lally, a place where she never expected to be.
Shortly before the season began airing, Saniei Lally and her husband of five years, Jesse Lally, announced their separation. As their marital woes began to play out on screen, fans everywhere knew the estranged couple would be better off ending their marriage, including Saniei Lally herself. “I’m watching the show as it airs and it just confirms that I made the right decision,” Saniei told DECIDER during a recent interview. “I’m so much happier now.” However, Saniei Lally admits she went into filming with the goal of saving her marriage. “I never actually expected us to divorce,” she explained. “I just thought we had hit a really low point. When I went into filming, my intention was to work on the marriage. However, it was our first session with the life coach that helped open my eyes to what was the best decision for me and my daughter.”
The tension the viewers are seeing on camera has lessened in real life, as the two are hitting their stride when it comes to co-parenting. “We’re still trying to figure it out,” she said. “I think we’re doing much better than we were when I first decided during filming that our marriage was no longer going to work. There’s been a huge improvement. We do have ups and downs, but it’s a process. Overall, we are in a much better place.”
While Saniei Lally and her ex are on good terms, the same cannot be said when it comes to former pal Kristen Doute. “We were good friends prior to filming,” she told us, but she still doesn’t under stand why Doute chose to dredge up past issues on the show, especially when Doute was aware that she was going through a rough time. “She knew that I personally was going through a lot with my marriage,” said Saniei Lally. “She knew that right before filming that I found out that my mom had cancer.”
At a time when Saniei Lally admits that she was “struggling” and needed a friend, it was Cartwright, similarly dealing with a separation from her husband Jax Taylor, who came through. “What are the odds that two close friends would be going through something super similar and dealing with men that have similar personalities? We absolutely text each other, call each other and try to have dinner together at least once a week,” revealed Saniei Lally.
In addition to starring on “The Valley,” Saniei Lally also maintains a successful career in real estate, while also balancing the duties of motherhood. “I’m used to juggling things,” she admits. “I did it with raising a daughter and trying to work full time. Reality TV is just one more thing to do. I don’t mind it. I like it.”
Despite all of these responsibilities on her plate, she still finds time to break bread with friends. Saniei Lally recently posted a pic on Instagram of her having dinner with “Vanderpump Rules” stars Lala Kent and Scheana Shay.
“I love them both,” she dished. “I have always gotten along with Lala and Scheana. They’ve also been very supportive of me during my separation. They’ve both been super sweet. I would love them to join ‘The Valley’ someday.”
“The Valley” airs Tuesday nights on Bravo. This interview has been abridged and condensed. To read our full conversation with Michelle Saniei Lally and watch video footage, head to decider.com/thevalley.