Ally Lewber and Jimmy Presnell’s Perfect Match love story was a slow burn.
“He’s great, [but] it wasn’t an immediate attraction, I feel like, that we had, but over time, I feel like we were just comfortable around each other and we became friends,” Ally, 30, said on the Wednesday, May 20, episode of the “Viall Files” podcast. “I think it grew into something more.”
Ally and Jimmy, also 30, met on season 4 of Netflix’s Perfect Match, where they coupled up on the first day.
“Why Perfect Match really seemed fun to me was that it wasn’t serious like A Love is Blind or something like that,” she recalled on Wednesday. “I was like, ‘I’m curious to see if I can even form a crush.’”
Ally eventually was able to have fun and spark a romantic connection with Jimmy, though a few aspects of her personality were hard to read.
“I do feel like nobody understood my sarcasm or, like, Jimmy’s very sensitive, and he’s such a communicator,” she recalled. “I just say, ‘Oh, my God, here we go again. Like, it’s not that deep.’ He says how he feels all the time.”
Ally further acknowledged that it would be “interesting” to relive her experience, which was filmed in 2025, on the Netflix show.
“When you’re filming and you’re just in it, and especially when you’re in a villa and you’re sharing a bed, it’s weird how quickly you can get almost just obsessed with everyone,” she said. “I mean, even the girls and, like, your friendships, like, you just latch on to each other.”
Ally particularly bonded with Temptation Island alum Natalie Cruz and Building the Band’s Alison Ogden during production.
“Alison, we were close. It’s so funny. She went to the same college as me. We’re both Allies [and] we both matched with Jimmys,” Ally joked, referring to Alison pairing up with influencer Jimmy Soto. “That was funny, [and] she sings. I sing for fun.”
According to Ally, she also formed a friendship with Married at First Sight Australia alum Dave Hand.
“Dave was my favorite. We were like besties,” she quipped. “He just felt like a warm presence, and I could be myself with him. He also was just there to have fun and was taking it seriously but also was, like, very grateful for the experience and just wanted to enjoy it.”
Perfect Match was Ally’s first time stepping back into the dating pool after her 2024 breakup from James Kennedy.
“I haven’t seen him, haven’t talked to him. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend,” Ally said of her ex. “He moves quickly, and I’m happy for him. … I just hope he’s healthy and happy.”
Perfect Match season 4 is currently streaming on Netflix. New episodes drop Wednesdays.
