Ally Lewber once told DECIDER that she would be “too shy” to ever partake in a dating show, but flash forward one year and the Vanderpump Rules alum is making history as the first Bravolebrity to star in Netflix’s Perfect Match.

Lewber first burst onto the reality TV scene as James Kennedy‘s girlfriend in Vanderpump Rules Season 10 — a.k.a. the Scandoval season. As a budding astrologer and diehard Taylor Swift fan, Lewber quickly captivated the audience, with many, including myself, wondering what such an inherently sweet girl was doing with Kennedy (and, more broadly, that cutthroat group of seasoned reality stars). That aside, Lewber gained street cred among the Bravo fandom when she became the first person in the group to clock Tom Sandoval and Rachel “Raquel” Leviss‘ inappropriate behavior months before his then-girlfriend Ariana Madix uncovered their months-long affair. It was clear then that Lewber had found her footing in the friend group … but then tragedy struck and Vanderpump Rules was recast with an entirely new group of SUR-vers, and like the rest of the OGs, Lewber was put out to pasture.

In the time since Vanderpump Rules wrapped Season 11, Lewber has made a lot of changes in her life. She broke up with Kennedy in January 2025 after his domestic violence arrest, she started a podcast, she spent some time in Charleston with the Southern Hospitality cast, and she even released a song. While Vanderpump Rules as we knew it had come to an end, Lewber was not letting that setback slow her down.

When DECIDER caught up with Lewber exactly one year ago, we asked if she’d ever consider doing a dating show. “That would be so fun for the vibes and the aesthetic,” she said. “That show is so intimate, though. I feel like I’m too shy. I barely opened up with James and people were like, ‘Ally, do you hate James? Like, you looked like you hate him.’ So, I feel I wouldn’t do that great, but never say never.” At the same time, Lewber also said, “My Libra Moon would be like, ‘I’ll marry all of you. You’re all my soulmates, yay.'”

That manifestation became a reality when Netflix announced earlier this year that Lewber would be joining Perfect Match Season 4, which brings together reality stars from across a multitude of shows in an effort to pair them with their potential soulmates. After only five episodes of the Nick Lachey-hosted dating show, it’s clear that Lewber is this season’s breakout star.

Lewber’s presence on Perfect Match can be compared to that of a galloping gazelle in front of a swarm of hungry lions. Her quirky personality has set her apart in a show that thrives on building the archetypal influencer. While most lead with looking hot and acting cool, Lewber seems to be more interested in simply being herself. Her awkward tendencies — like kissing Married at First Sight Australia star Dave Hand then immediately waving to her current match Jimmy Presnell (Love is Blind) from across the way — have made for some of the best moments this season.

Her flirting? Unlike anything I’ve ever seen on a reality dating show. Take her conversation with basketball player/content creator Jimmy Sotos, for example. Upon hearing that Sotos has an appreciation for theatre, Lewber instinctively asks, “Oh, my God. Are we Troy and Gabriella? Oh, my God, we are!” Or when she’s talking to Hand about The Notebook-esque home he’ll someday build for her, and she demands a catio, which is a patio for her cats. A breath of fresh air in a genre that thrives on drama and tense moments, Lewber is proving that great television can be made by not taking things too seriously.

That said, the duality of woman is on full display when it comes to Lewber, whose personality stretches far beyond her love of catios and star-charts. Although she once told us she would be “too shy” to partake in some the more sexual activities that come with the territory of an island-based dating show, she has since proven to have a hidden freaky side. In the premiere episode alone, Lewber doesn’t hesitate to make out with two different guys upon their first meeting. She also shares an intimate evening with Presnell in Episode 5 after candidly telling him she wanted to have sex. That’s not all. The morning after her steamy evening with Presnell, she gets hot and heavy with new bombshell, Hashim Moore (Temptation Island), during the girls’ Casa Amor-like mixer.

Lewber has, overall, been an oddly refreshing presence in this space. In a cast of oftentimes predictable reality stars, she has stood out as someone who can expertly display a bold and confident persona while also maintaining her quirky roots. While she may not bring the most drama to the table, she has certainly become one of the most compelling characters to strut into the Perfect Match villa thus far. More people like her, please!

Perfect Match Season 4 is currently streaming on Netflix.