Chandi was America’s Sweethearts most divisive cheerleader. She’s ready to share her story.

When America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders came back for season two, it brought some of the most confronting storylines we've seen yet.

While the Netflix series continues to showcase the glamour and athleticism of being a part of the DCC, the season didn't shy away from the darker realities some of these women face away from the field.

One of the main cheerleaders that the show spotlights this season is Chandi Dayle, whose journey reveals a deeply personal experience with domestic violence and the complex challenges of healing while performing at the highest level.

Chandi's storyline shows just how brutal it can be when personal trauma collides with the pressure to perform in a competitive environment.

Watch the trailer for America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders season two. Article continues after video.

Who is Chandi?

Chandi Dayle was a veteran Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader who made the difficult decision to return for her sixth year with the team. While she wasn't a central focus on the first season of the show, this year she landed one of the most coveted roles: co-point alongside Jada, essentially making her one of the faces of the entire team.

Her achievements extend beyond the sidelines too.

Chandi was chosen as the DCC representative for the 2024 Pro Bowl, a testament to her skill and professionalism.

However, her decision to return for another season wasn't taken lightly — she grappled with whether she was ready to take on the additional responsibilities that come with being a senior member of the team.

Image: Netflix

What happened to Chandi this season?

Season 2 of America's Sweethearts sees Chandi stepping into her role as a leader, working to build her confidence when it comes to guiding other cheerleaders. But it also delves deep into her past, revealing a harrowing experience with domestic violence that shows just how much she's overcome.

During the series, Chandi opens up about a previous relationship that started positively but quickly turned dangerous.

"It was all rainbows and butterflies in the beginning," she recalled, before explaining how her partner's drinking problem changed everything.

The impact on Chandi was profound and visible to those closest to her.

"I saw how she was pulling away from her family. I saw how she was pulling away from her friends. How she was losing her confidence. And that hurt me deeply. I literally felt like I was going to lose her," Chandi's mum explained.

Image: Netflix

The situation escalated when her two best friends on the team noticed bruising down her legs. Eventually, Chandi found the strength to end the relationship, but her ordeal was far from over.

After starting to date someone new, she began receiving threatening messages from random numbers as her ex-partner began stalking her. The harassment culminated in a terrifying confrontation when he was waiting at her apartment building and pulled up next to her car, smashed his car door into hers, and started threatening her new boyfriend's life.

Despite filing a police report, Chandi faced the frustrating and devastating reality that many domestic violence survivors know all too well.

"Even though I had witnesses, the second time in photos and notes, not that even mattered. I don't know what I can do from here. I feel hopeless and helpless," she said in the show.

Image: Instagram/chandidayle

Her ex was not charged with domestic violence due to lack of evidence the first time she was allegedly hit.

In the show, Chandi explains how she is continuously working towards healing and building what she calls a "normal" life.

What happened in the Bahamas?

During Season 2, fans noticed Chandi's absence from several games after she took a leave of absence. The reason? A 'controversial' incident that occurred during the team's retreat in the Bahamas.

The truth about what happened in the Bahamas slowly unravels on screen, and it's messier than anyone expected.

It is revealed that Chandi brought a stranger back to her hotel room, which directly violates DCC rules. The team's contract explicitly prohibits sharing information like their location or accommodation details that could potentially compromise the squad's safety.

The fallout was swift and brutal. Some of her teammates felt betrayed that their safety had been put at risk when Chandi invited an unknown man over.

Image: Netflix

Chandi later explained that on the trip she had met someone who shared similar past experiences to her own, and she found herself confiding in him during a particularly difficult time.

"When we took the trip to the Bahamas, I met someone and we shared similar things that have happened in our past," Chandi explained. "I was just like crumbling down and I was like, 'Dang, I feel like I have no one here to talk to and so it's nice to have someone to confide in.'"

"It helped me in the moment. I get it was probably the wrong place and time to do that but selfishly I had to do it for me. I felt like I was losing it," Chandi said.

She maintained that while she understood the concerns of her teammates, she was respectful in her actions. She said the interaction was not sexual. She also said she had broken up with her boyfriend before the trip.

"Everyone can think it happened, but I'm respectful and everything," she said.

After a break following the scandal, Chandi was able to return to the team shortly after her break. However, she lost her group leader position. At the end of the season, she retired.

"I think this year I found who I really am," she told Judy and director Kelli Finglass. "I lost it for sure, was lost in who I really was. There was a long time where I was scared to just not be without dance because that was just me and that was my safe space. But I feel good."

What Chandi has said since America's Sweethearts aired?

A few weeks after the season dropped, Chandi gave an interview to Vanity Fair where she opened up about how it felt to speak openly about her experience with domestic violence on the show.

"There were times I was so proud of myself for having that weight lifted off my shoulders. But there were also times like, 'Oh my gosh, did I share too much about my life? Are people going to think I'm crazy for staying in this situation for that long?'" she said.

Some of the revelations made in the series were news to her mother. "I remember her texting me, 'I didn't know you were going through all this. I didn't know you were that sad. I'm so sorry I wasn't there more,'" she recalled.

"It made us closer because I could be open with her."

Chandi was floored by the positive impact her story had on people in similar circumstances. "I've been getting a lot of messages about domestic violence, and it's overwhelming to know that so many people are going through that. It hurts my heart," she said.

"No one should ever feel that type of pain — ever. But it gives me peace, because I helped someone else maybe find their voice."

In regards to the Bahamas incident, Chandi said there wasn't much more to the story than what was shown.

"It's really nice to confide in a friend who has gone through similar things. I take complete ownership for my actions, but we're also all just humans," she said.

Despite the backlash from some teammates, like KayDianna Mackenzie, Chandi holds no ill will.

Image: Instagram/@chandidayle.

"It's a sisterhood, and I will forever cherish the 35 sisters I've shared this last season with," she said.

"I value all of them as friends and as teammates, and I think that they'll always feel my love, and I'll always feel their love."

What is Chandi doing now?

After six years of pom-poms and perfect smiles, Chandi has finally hung up her boots. While her current activities aren't entirely clear, she has remained committed to using her platform for advocacy work.

Chandi continues to be an outspoken advocate against domestic violence on her social media, using her experience to help others who may be facing similar situations.

Her fellow DCC veteran Jada McLean spoke to People about the incident in the Bahamas, telling them the squad wouldn't turn their backs on Chandi.

"There are things that go on in any workplace. Situations come up, and I think the biggest thing is how you handle it. I think we did our best as a team to handle it professionally while still being supportive of her."

"We're not going to turn our back on her," she added.

"We're teammates and we're sisters at the end of the day. As a team, I think we just kind of rallied together and kept to the job and did our best to keep things moving, because at the end of the day, we still had a job to get done and that was our goal."

Feature Image: Netflix / Instagram/chandidayle.