Roxanne 
Jesse Lally is asking viewers to give Danny Booko and Nia Sanchez a little grace.
The Valley star is speaking out amid ongoing criticism of Danny’s behavior this season, especially surrounding his drinking and the tension it has caused with Nia. While some of the cast has questioned Danny’s actions, Jesse says he does not believe a few bad moments should define Danny as a person or define his marriage.
While attending 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, Jesse told Us Weekly that Danny’s drinking has been a topic within the group for more than one season.
“I think there were a lot of comments last season where drinking was an issue with Danny, but no one quite saw it,” Jesse said.
Jesse explained that some of the cast reactions this season are tied to moments that reminded them of concerns from the year before.
The Valley viewers have watched Danny come under fire during Season 3 after lying about drinking at group events and having tense moments with Nia while intoxicated. Nia has also defended her husband to the group, denying that he has a drinking problem.
But Jesse does not think Danny should be labeled the villain of the group.
“The reason why I support Danny is, I don’t think these isolated moments are [the] definition of his individual character,” Jesse explained. “And I don’t think it defines their relationship either.”
Danny and Nia’s marriage has been under a microscope this season as the couple navigates raising four young children while filming the Bravo series. Their relationship has been tested on camera, with Danny facing criticism for yelling at Nia while intoxicated and appearing unsupportive at times following her fourth pregnancy.
Still, Jesse says the Danny and Nia fans see during difficult moments on the show is not the full picture of who they are as a couple.
“I’ve spent so much time with them on and off camera. I know how they are as a couple,” Jesse said of Danny and Nia, 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 the group admires Danny and Nia because of how they communicate and how they handle the chaos of parenting.
According to Jesse, their friends “look up” to Danny and Nia “based on their communication,” as well as “how they handle four kids under four living in Santa Clarita.”
Jesse’s comments come after Danny publicly apologized to Nia for his behavior on the show. Danny admitted that watching recent episodes back had not been easy and said he was embarrassed by parts of what viewers saw.
“It was a difficult season of life and a version of myself that I’m embarrassed by and not proud of,” Danny previously wrote on Instagram. “A short fuse, stress, alcohol and lack of sleep are never a good combination, but that’s not an excuse. I should never have taken any of it out on [Nia].”
Danny also told Nia, “I love, honor, and respect you deeply, and I did not show that in some of these moments.”
While Jesse is defending Danny and Nia’s marriage, he is less optimistic about where things stand between the Bookos and Janet 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 Danny denied. Janet later admitted her wording may have been aggressive, but she has remained uncomfortable with Danny’s behavior while intoxicated.
The tension between the Capernas and the Bookos has only added another layer to The Valley’s already messy season. What started as concern over Danny’s drinking has turned into a larger conversation about accountability, marriage, friendship and whether certain relationships within the group can be repaired.
For Jesse, however, the answer when it comes to Danny and Nia is simple. He believes they are more than what viewers are seeing in isolated heated moments.
And despite the criticism, Jesse says he still admires the way Danny and Nia communicate as a couple.
