Sandy Gallagher “Lost Some Respect” For Louis After Perfect Match

Sandy Gallagher’s second reality TV experience was “night and day” from her first. The 29-year-old former corporate sales manager from Los Angeles appears in Perfect Match Season 3, but viewers were introduced to her on The Ultimatum in December — and her life was very different when that show was filmed in early 2024.

“The Ultimatum was so intense and stressful, and honestly, it was such a hard experience,” Gallagher says. (The series asks couples to test their connections by dating other people, then they must decide whether to get engaged or break up at the end.) Gallagher entered the show with a long-term partner and left single, so when she got the call for Perfect Match later that summer, she was ready to do something “more fun and adventurous.”

Viewers now get to see her flirting her way through the reality-TV blending series, which has been airing on Netflix since Aug. 1. But unlike her castmates, who have (mostly) had to keep their relationship statuses under lock and key, the fate of Gallagher’s showmance with Louis Russell has been well-known long before the finale. Russell, who appeared on two seasons of Too Hot to Handle, has been spotted on multiple occasions holding hands with Love Island USA’s Huda Mustafa, making it pretty clear that he and Gallagher weren’t each other’s perfect match after all.

It seems very convenient for him to all of a sudden be dating the biggest reality star right now.

Gallagher says her romantic relationship with Russell fizzled out once filming ended, but they’ve remained cordial — until recently, at least. “Louis is doing Louis. He's on what seems like a PR tour of his new relationship,” she says. “To be honest, the cast is really upset with what he's doing because it's disrespectful to the production, cast, and audience. It seems very calculated, and I definitely lost some respect for him as a friend.”

While she doesn’t know Mustafa personally, she worries about Russell’s intentions. “It seems very convenient for him to all of a sudden be dating the biggest reality star right now,” she says. “That makes me a little sad and concerned for Huda's sake, because I think anyone in this space needs to be careful with that type of stuff. It's pretty obvious that he's using this for his own benefit.”

Despite some recent annoyance with her ex, Gallagher has moved past her time in the Perfect Match villa. Here, she tells Elite Daily about what really happened.

Elite Daily: You connected pretty quickly with Louis on the show. What drew you guys to each other?

Sandy Gallagher: Louis and I have similar personalities — sassy, banter-y, and flirty. We were both looking for a fun, lighthearted connection, and we had good chemistry. Out of all the guys and girls there, we were definitely a match for each other.

ED: Were you aware of his reputation as a major flirt from his other shows?

SG: I had not watched his seasons of Too Hot to Handle, but I did hear of his reputation a little bit from talking to other castmates. Maybe I should have done my research more.

ED: You two were matched up throughout the season, but you encountered a few speedbumps when he connected with Alex Zamora and Olivia Rae. Who did you see as the biggest threat to your connection?

SG: Probably just Louis himself. It's not about the girls, to be honest — respect to Alex, Olivia, and all of them. I can't be mad at somebody who was put on a date with him. It's about Louis and how he’s always wanting something new and shiny and exciting. He loves the thrill of being in a love triangle.

ED: Looking back, do you feel like his intentions were genuine?

SG: I don't think his intentions are genuine, no. Look where he is now.

ED: You brought J.R. Warren into the house via a date with AD Smith, but you obviously had history with him from your Ultimatum trial marriage. How seriously did you consider giving your connection with him another try?

SG: To be honest, I was not really open to giving it another shot. When I saw his name on the board, I knew that was a layup for me — they brought him there because we had history, just like they did with Clayton [Echard] and Rachel [Recchia]. I felt like I had to entertain it. Of course, I wanted to see J.R. and have a conversation with him. I had not spoken to him since we wrapped Ultimatum. But I wasn't interested in him romantically at all.

Looking back, the intentions of a lot of these men were questionable.

ED: From what we saw, it seemed like J.R. was quite interested in pursuing you. Is that how you perceived it at the time?

SG: Not when I put him on a date with AD. We caught up as friends, but he wasn't actively trying to pursue me, nor was I trying to pursue him. I could have put him on a date with myself, and I didn't. But obviously, as the show progressed, I think he was still open to the idea of something.

When we got put on a date together in Episode 9, I was his only hope to get into the house. If he were actually interested in me, he would've tried earlier. Something felt a little fishy about it in the moment because of the timing — I think he was doing what he needed to do to play the game. We do have history together, but I think the answer was pretty clear early on.

ED: Have you spoken to him since filming?

SG: We did press for The Ultimatum after we filmed for Perfect Match, so I did speak to him then, but otherwise I haven’t.

ED: I noticed from your ex Nick Tramontin’s Instagram that he’s been hanging out with J.R. How do you feel about their friendship?

SG: I haven't looked at either one of their Instagrams, but if they want to be friends, great. I'm friends with Zaina [Sesay, J.R.’s Ultimatum ex], so I think we've all moved on from the drama and the trauma.

ED: Who did you think was the strongest couple in the villa at the time, aside from AD and Ollie Sutherland?

SG: Outside of them, it's difficult to say who the strongest couple was because, looking back, the intentions of a lot of these men were questionable. Once we wrapped filming, people stopped playing their part. I thought Louis and I had a strong connection at the time, but I think AD and Ollie were the only real match.

ED: It was shocking that they didn't win. Do you think the votes from the other contestants were fair?

SG: Everybody gets their vote, so of course it’s fair for them to vote for whoever they want. There are 22 people, and only around 10 people are in the house at a time, so the majority of the votes come from people who were not watching the relationships unfold. Only those of us who are living together every single day can see the ins and outs.

ED: Has it been weird for you to have people seeing you in this relationship on TV, but already knowing how it’s going to end?

SG: Yeah, totally. I think Louis is damaging the show as a whole. I don't personally care — I don't need the connection to him. I have moved on, and it’s actually a little bit of a relief to me in a way, but it’s a disappointment for the show and the rest of the cast.

When you go on these shows, you have to keep your dating life very private until after it comes out, so you don’t ruin the thrill. If you're watching a movie and you know the ending, you're less invested. That’s standard reality TV protocol, and I've been honoring that as a cast member.

ED: Can we expect to see you back on our screens at any point?

SG: I never say never. I enjoy the experience of putting myself out there and providing entertainment. It just depends on what the opportunity is.

SG: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from your experience on both shows?

SG: Being true to yourself is really important. It can be difficult in environments like this that are heavily produced, where you're being encouraged to do certain things, and you want to appease everybody. You have to stand up for yourself through all of it because if not, you can get pulled in any direction.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.