Ally Lewber joined the ranks of the Vanderpump Rules family in season 10. At first, the newcomer seemed like a quick replacement girlfriend while DJ James Kennedy was processing the recent break-up from his fiancé, Rachel “Raquel” Leviss. The number of times that James brings up Rachel’s name in the first few episodes of season 10 left the audience with an impression that, although he claimed to have easily moved on from the relationship ending, he might not have been as emotionally ready as he thought. However, as the season progressed and the relationship matured, Ally proved that not only was she nobody’s replacement, she was a bright new star in her own right.
In fact, Ally was the source that first led to suspicions about the inappropriate relationship between Rachel and Tom Sandoval, dubbed “Scandoval.” The fallout from the scandal continues to affect group dynamics in Season 11, and the group is so fractured that it is sometimes difficult to picture a way forward for them. Ally has been a surprisingly unifying force in Season 11, which has solidified her position in the group while bringing them together in unexpected ways. While her new friends have occasionally felt concern about how quickly her relationship is progressing, Ally’s firm, but fair, attitude seems to be the exact remedy for James’ constant need for break-neck speed. Ally’s ambitions as an astrologer and her new musical endeavors also prove that she has more tricks up her sleeve to keep audiences invested over time.
Ally Lewber Succeeds at Bringing the ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Group Together
Even in Season 10, when she was coming in to the group as the new girlfriend and Rachel was attempting to start life anew as a single lady, viewers might have expected animosity between the two. But Ally handled Rachel’s need to speak to her about her relationship with James at each function they mutually attended with incredible grace. This is a far cry from the mean-girl tactic of icing someone out of the group that would have been standard in past seasons of the show. Later that season, Ally does comment about how strange it is that, in this group, it is completely normal to be hanging out socially with an ex. In a confessional, she drawls: “In my friend group, it’s not really normal to see an ex. Usually you break up with that person and then you never see them again. But in this friend group, you look around and it’s nothing but exes. It’s really weird.”
In Season 11, the effort to draw firm lines that exes cannot cross has caused tension in the group. Ariana has every reason to expect to keep Sandoval at a distance, Katie Maloney has continued to keep ex-husband Tom Schwartz at arms length, and Scheana Shay and Lala Kent have struggled to keep firm lines in place stuck between the two. It seems that they have fallen in line with executive producer Lisa Vanderpump’s wishes to keep the group together by forgiving the Toms. In the midst of all of this, Ally has often provided a neutral ground for the group to get together, and either repair relationships or establish new boundaries in Season 11.
Ally invites the ladies to an astrology night at her and James’ Burbank home, a neutral space for the women to come together without the Toms. At first, the energy between the women is friendly and full of laughter as they learn about each other’s charts. Katie and Lala eventually butt heads over the narrative that the group should be working towards forgiving Sandoval. Ally eases tensions by quickly pointing out their argument could be avoided if they better understood each other’s birth charts. She tells Lala and Katie that “the point of astrology is to really explain how we are all different.” Ally’s segue allows Lala to make a joke about how Pluto is in her first house, which she has learned from Ally means that her communication style is confrontational. The ladies laugh off the tension as Ally makes way for the friends to gradually hash out their issues.
Ally and James Kenendy Work As Twin Flames
Ally’s view on relationships is very aligned with her astrological background. When she and James were first dating, she introduced him to the concept of “twin flames.” His and Ally’s instant attraction to one another, plus her love of astrology, seems to reinforce the concept for the couple. Their immediate bond is endearing, but it is also nice to see that Ally and James do seem to compliment each other’s personalities as well. During the segment of the reunion for Season 10 when Ally joined the group on stage, the conversation turned to how consistently triggered James gets when it comes to his ex-fiancé. Rather than becoming defensive, Ally exhibits an insightful understanding of James’ reactivity. She explains that James is hot-tempered and easily triggered, but that her partner felt deeply betrayed and so, in that way, his anger makes sense. Reunion host Andy Cohen asked why Ally recommended that James see a therapist. Without missing a beat, she delivers an iconic quip, “I think everyone should see a therapist. Especially men.”
It seems that everyone is enjoying the qualities that Ally brings to the table. One of the best of which, is her sense of self. James can sometimes come across as controlling in this relationship, a quality which several of the cast have called him out for. An example is when James brought home Graham, the dog he used to share with Rachel. Ally had told James in the past that she was not sure the couple were ready for the responsibilities of owning a dog. So when James surprised her with Graham, Ally firmly told him that she expects James to address any behavioral problems that arise, especially those that might affect her cat, or the dog will go “straight back to Lisa.” However firm this stance may be, she also capitulates that having the dog back in his life seems to be important for her partner.
Ally proves herself able to not only stand up to James when the moment calls for it, but also allows him to channel his controlling energy into areas of her life that suit her. Ally’s first on-camera appearance in Season 10 was a moment where James was telling her to wear a champagne-colored dress because it went better with his outfit. She insisted that she preferred the blue option, and that’s what she wore. However, by Season 11, she has grown comfortable with his taking control of her wardrobe. She explains that she is not much of a “shopper,” so now she lets James pick out her clothes, and even has him steaming her dresses for her. She jokingly requests that he curl her hair as well, and tells producers in a confessional, “we’re working up to that.” During the Season 10 reunion, James even admits that in their relationship, Ally is “the boss” and he tells everyone “I respect that.” This is a far-cry from the young James viewers first saw on the series, and it appears that his twin flame has done a lot to help him grow into the partner she deserves.
Ally’s Career Ambitions Aim for the Stars
In Season 10, shortly after she was introduced on the series, Ally filled producers in on her career plan: “My goal one day is to be a full-time astrologer, and to do readings for a living.” By Season 11, Ally has progressed toward that goal, and has been performing readings for many of her co-stars throughout filming. Ally proves that her career as a reality TV star is also on the rise by turning around and spilling all the tea from her reading with Jo Wenberg to her slightly judgmental co-stars. Although Ally seems uncomfortable for a moment with the mockery that the women engage in as they talk about “Spooky Jo” and her somewhat unusual responses to her reading, Ally has proven that she has what it takes to read the room exceptionally well.
But when it comes to ambition, Ally has even more in store for viewers. In a recent episode, Ally and Scheana were getting ready to see Taylor Swift perform the Eras Tour. This prompted Ally to confess that when she was younger she decided she wanted to be “just like Taylor Swift.” This was followed by home-footage of a young Ally, strumming an acoustic guitar, singing her heart out in a local talent contest. Like many young hopefuls that end up in L.A., Ally once aspired to be an entertainer. And while she has already figured out a day job for herself, she has also progressed in her aspirations as a singer/songwriter as well. With the help of James, who has a history of producing songs with his musical co-stars, Ally announced her new single, “Girl’s Girl.” Her Instagram feed is also filled with sponsorships from brands like Pretty Little Thing, Soap & Glory, Walmart, and Nexxus. Wherever Ally focuses her attention, whether it is on singing, reading birth charts, or reality TV, the future looks bright for the young star.