Jesse Lally is asking for “grace” toward Danny Booko and his wife, Nia Sanchez, amid The Valley cast’s season 3 criticism of the couple — and Danny’s drinking habits.
“I think there were a lot of comments last season where drinking was an issue with Danny, but no one quite saw it,” Jesse, 46, exclusively told Us Weekly at the 2026 Newport Beach TV Fest ahead of Variety‘s Creative Impact in TV Award presentation and conversation with Andy Cohen on Friday, June 5.
The Valley star explained that his costars have had reactions to “seeing certain things that he’s done this season” that feel reminiscent of his drinking issues from season 2.
Despite Danny’s tendency to seemingly fly off the handle when drinking in excess, Jesse said he shouldn’t be labeled as enemy No. 1 among the group. (Throughout season 3, Danny has lied about drinking at group events while his wife has defended his actions to their friends, denying he has a problem.)
“The reason why I support Danny is, I don’t think these isolated moments are [the] definition of his individual character,” Jesse explained to Us. “And I don’t think it defines their relationship either.”
The TV personality noted that Danny’s drinking — and his controversial treatment toward Nia throughout season 3, where he yelled at her while intoxicated and seemingly being unsupportive of Nia’s needs following her fourth pregnancy — isn’t what he’s like outside of the Bravo show.
“I’ve spent so much time with them on and off camera. I know how they are as a couple,” Jesse said on Friday of the couple, who have been married since 2015. “When we all say we look up to them as a couple, they have a communication that maybe if [my ex-wife] Michelle [Saniei] and I had even remotely close, we would, you know, things might be a little different.”
Jesse added that their friend group “look up” to Danny, 42, and Nia, 36, “based on their communication,” not to mention “how they handle four kids under four living in Santa Clarita.”
The Bravo star pointed out that Santa Clarita, California, is “180 degrees” and takes at least an hour to drive to from the greater Los Angeles area, which is reason enough to applaud Danny and Nia.
“I drove up there last week for [their daughter] Adelaide’s first birthday, and it still took me an hour, and it was on a Sunday,” Jesse revealed. “So, God bless them. Give them a little grace.”
While Jesse thinks everyone should give Danny and Nia the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their relationship, he told Us he’s not sure the couple will ever mend fences with costars Janet Caperna and Jason Caperna.
“I don’t know if there’s a path forward for the Capernaus and the Bookos,” Jesse confessed. “I think there’s so much bad blood that you know — I think things were said improperly, I think things were done improperly, maybe on both sides, maybe not, but I don’t know if there’s a path forward.”
Janet previously accused Danny of “sexually assaulting” costars Jasmine Goode and Melissa Marie, which he denied. She later admitted her phrasing might’ve been a bit aggressive, but Janet is still not OK with Danny’s actions when intoxicated.
Although the Capernas and the Bookos might still be at odds, Jesse confirmed to Us on Friday that he and ex-wife Michelle, 37, are in a much better place after finalizing their divorce while filming season 3.
“Our relationship right now is purely coparenting,” he explained, referring to the exes’ daughter, Isabella, 6. “We do a really, really good job of it.”
Jesse said that while Michelle — who announced their split in 2024 after nearly six years of marriage — was on vacation recently he shifted his schedule and “took a few extra days for her” and she returned the favor when he attended the Newport Beach TV fest over the weekend.
“I’m actually supposed to be with Isabella, but Michelle took her tonight, so I could be here with you guys,” Jesse added. “So we’re doing well so far.”
The Valley airs on Bravo Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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