Spoiler alert: Things took a turn during the season 2 finale of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
After documenting the audition and training camp process for the 2024-25 season, Netflix cameras followed the new squad on a Housewives-style trip to the Bahamas. While things seemed to be all smiles during the cheerleaders’ much-needed break from kick lines, viewers learned in the final episode that Chandi, a veteran and the first group leader, had broken a DCC rule on the trip.
“In the Bahamas, we were having a great old time. We were doing all the team things,” KayDianna told the Netflix cameras before shedding light into Chandi’s state of mind. “There were certain nights that she wouldn’t come and hang out. It was like, ‘Maybe she’s not feeling good. It’s fine.’ It was just like little, small things that were weird, but you would never pick up on that something big is going down.”
Jada, another veteran and leader of the squad, revealed that “Chandi had brought somebody into the room that no one had known.”
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“A lot of people were worried for their safety ‘cause they didn’t know who this individual was. If that was me, I probably wouldn’t want to be in a room with a stranger either,” she said.
KayDianna noted that their cheerleader contract “specifically even states that we are not allowed to give out information” — including hotel room details —”that would put anyone in harm’s way.” She explained, “We still don’t know who this guy is. There’s just so many unknowns.”
Jada had more sympathy for Chandi, who had been struggling both with her leadership role and in her personal life as it’s revealed on season 2 that she had an abusive ex-boyfriend. While she initially found support in her new partner, Ryan, the twosome split around the time of the Bahamas trip.
“To other people, it came off as, ‘Oh my gosh, you put me in danger,’ or ‘You weren’t worried about my safety.’ But I don’t think she thought of that in an almost just naive way,” Jada said. “She wasn’t thinking about that. She was thinking about what she needed at the time.”
The situation seemingly went down mid-season and, according to KayDianna, choreographer Judy Trammell told the team that “they don’t know what’s gonna happen with Chandi” as she “was taking her break.”
Chandi was subsequently absent for several games and fans took notice on social media. KayDianna took over as the first group leader.
Chandi opens up about her breakup from Ryan in the show, noting that the person she “shared similar things that have happened in our past” was the man she met in the Bahamas.
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“I was just kind of like crumbling down,” Chandi said on the Netflix series, adding she had no one to talk to and, as a result, bonded with this mystery man in the Bahamas.
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“It’s nice to have someone to confide in,” she continued. “And I broke a DCC rule and had time with my friend. It was the first time I mental-dumped everything and everything that was happening and everything I’ve gone through and everything that was making me feel and think certain things. It helped me in the moment. … Selfishly, I had to do it for me. I was losing it.”
She added, “It’s really hard to have all that pressure on you all of the time. … DCC is not even happy for me anymore because I don’t know myself.
Following a lengthy interlude to a Kacey Musgraves concert, it was revealed on the episode that Chandi returned at some point during the season in a new role, giving up her leadership responsibilities.
“Regardless of how people felt or what people were speculating, she was doing what was best for her,” Jada said. “We can sit here in this or we can move forward.”
Judy added, “She’s just become a part of that group and I think Chandi’s done a great job for the situation she’s in.”
Not everyone was ready to welcome Chandi back with open arms, however. In the final 20 minutes of the season, viewers learn KayDianna left the squad after she got in trouble for a TikTok live in which she discussed the Chandi drama.
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“We had one conversation of honest feedback and I think, maybe, she didn’t like that conversation, and it was her choice. And it was sudden,” DCC director Kelli Finglass told producers.
KayDianna revealed that she felt disrespected by how the Chandi situation was handled.
“Bahamas happened. I stepped into leadership. I definitely didn’t feel supported,” KayDianna said. “I felt like I was just a body. It was as if Chandi got the perks of being a first leader and I got the responsibility part of it. And when all this went down, I was confused. My teammates were confused. We just didn’t know what was gonna happen. … I was on TikTok Live. People ask about the Bahamas, people ask about Chandi.”
KayDianna replied on the Live that she was going to “make a video on that one day” and explain the story. A screen recording of the video ended up on Reddit. “I never said Chandi’s name,” KayDianna recalled. “I got a call from staff. They said that I was under investigation for being a bully and harassing. I was officially suspended at that point. I just told myself that I needed to take myself out of the organization and that I needed to respect myself.”
KayDianna even skipped the end of the year banquet.
“I’m sad because I was there,” she said. “There wasn’t 35 girls [on the squad], there was 36. Even though it was a tough year, I still wanted to be there for my rookies. I still wanted to celebrate this year. Put staff aside, put everything that went down aside, like, we’re there for each other and I just wish I could be there to celebrate with there.”
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is streaming now on Netflix.
