The Valley’s Michelle Lally Reflects on Jesse’s ‘Red Flags’ Prior to Their Breakup
The Valley‘s Michelle Lally reflected on the warning signs in her relationship with Jesse Lally, including his attempts to prevent her from receiving an epidural during the birth of their daughter.
During the premiere of her “Pursuit of Sassiness” podcast on Monday, March 17, Michelle, 36, confessed that she sensed Jesse, 43, might not be her soulmate from the very beginning.
“Jesse and I were together for a long time, and things were generally going well. There were clear red flags, but when you’re young, you tend to overlook them,” she remarked. “You might push them to the back of your mind and hope for the best.”
Michelle described her relationship as being mostly “good” until a significant shift occurred. She specifically referenced the birth of their daughter, Isabella, in 2020 as a pivotal moment.
“When I arrived at the hospital, I said, ‘I need that epidural right now.’ Jesse was very opposed to everything; he preferred a natural birth. But at four centimeters [dilated], I felt like I was going to die,” she recounted on the podcast. “After I got the epidural, I was stuck at seven centimeters for nearly a day.”
Jesse Lally and Michelle Lally at the 21st Annual Discovery Awards, Skirball Cultural Center, November 04, 2021, Los Angeles, California. Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Rayni & Branden Williams of The Beverly Hills Estates
The situation worsened when Michelle’s doctor discovered high blood pressure, necessitating a C-section.
“Then Jesse began arguing with the doctor, saying, ‘No, she’s not having that.’ He wanted to try inducing me,” she explained. “They were arguing, and finally my doctor insisted, ‘Do you want her to die? Or do you want a healthy baby? We’re doing this now. I’m overruling you.’ Thank goodness, that night, I delivered Isabella.”
Bravo viewers were first introduced to the tumultuous relationship between Michelle and Jesse when The Valley premiered in early 2024. Just before the show launched, Us Weekly revealed that Michelle and Jesse filed for divorce following their fifth wedding anniversary.
“After becoming a mother, your life changes dramatically. That’s when things began to shift for us. My marriage turned into a nightmare,” Michelle reflected. “It was an incredibly isolating experience for me. My world revolved around my daughter, yet Jesse continued living his life like a single man. Communication dwindled, and he was often absent.”
Michelle justified her choice to initially stay in the marriage.
“When you’re married, you can’t just walk away. It requires time,” she elaborated. “My aspiration was to be married to him for life. That was my vision for happiness. But he changed, and not for the better.”
Jesse Lally and Michelle Lally Felix Kunze/Bravo
She added, “I felt like I was evolving while he was regressing. I stayed in the relationship for longer than I should have out of fear of the unknown. I couldn’t fathom starting over in my 30s with a child while possibly needing to find a new job since we worked at the same company.”
According to Michelle, filming The Valley made her realize it was time to leave her marriage. “Watching the show back, I can see how unhappy I was and what I was enduring mentally,” she confessed. “I attempted to mask my feelings, and I’ve heard that I looked robotic, which I believe reflects my emotional state. I was unsure at the time about whether to stay or depart.”
Since then, Michelle has found love with her boyfriend Aaron Nosler, while Jesse began dating his new girlfriend, Lacy Nicole, after their separation.
