Exclusive Interview
‘Perfect Match’: Madison Reveals Cody’s True Reaction to Her Boardroom Decision
After walking out of the Love Is Blind pods without a match, Season 8 star Madison Errichiello didn’t say goodbye to the idea of finding love on TV. She took a trip across the Netflix Reality Universe and joined the cast of Perfect Match Season 3.
Madison explored her options in the first six episodes of Season 3 and matched up with Temptation Island‘s Cody Wright fairly quickly. They worked well together to win the first challenge, which made them the first couple to step into the boardroom. However, that’s where Madison and Cody’s brief relationship came to an end. In a surprising twist, Madison decided to ditch Cody (in front of his face!) and go on a date with Love Is Blind: UK‘s Freddie Powell. Madison spoke with Swooon about her short-lived match with Cody, what went down in the boardroom, and more.
In the first episode, you ultimately matched with Cody, but that was short-lived. Can you walk us through why you chose him and then how you realized he wasn’t the one?
Madison Errichiello: I really liked that Cody was kind of all in on me at first. I mean, I’m a Leo, so we love to see that. But I talked to Louis [Russell], talked to Ollie [Sutherland], and Clayton [Echard], and they all were like, “Oh, yeah, I’m interested in you and so and so.” And when that happens, I’m kind of like, “Okay, go get your girl. I have someone who’s interested in just me.” We did have good conversation, and we did get along at first, and it was fun and flirty, so I think that was kind of my mindset going into that.
How did you realize maybe he wasn’t right for you?
Errichiello: It was lots of small things. One thing from Love Is Blind that I learned was never date a man who’s gonna put his friends before you. I don’t know if I mean specifically like that way, but put someone else’s feelings in front of yours, or make them more valid, or make them whatever. With Cody, he was so set on trying to… I don’t even know how to describe it. He was trying to be a guy’s guy.
He was just there for a bromance?
Errichiello: Yes. And I don’t like that. You can have your friends, you can have your fun time, whatever, but don’t put me in the middle of it. We had off-camera moments, too, that I just was like, “You’re not for me.” He was just such a complainer. I was like, “If you want to be here for your bros, be here for your bros. That’s fine, but good luck staying in the house being for your bros because I’m not the one.” The whole Louis wanting to go on a date/not wanting to go on a date situation and him just truly defending him instead of just owning up to the fact that he did actually say that.
Courtesy of Netflix
We know Cody wasn’t thrilled that you chose to go on a date with Freddie, but we didn’t see his reaction in the moment. How did Cody react to your choice to go on a date in the boardroom?
Errichiello: Oh, that’s interesting. I mean, he wasn’t happy. Obviously, I think he was kind of expecting it. When I first went into that boardroom, I wasn’t planning on putting myself on a date. I think we were kind of bumpy in that moment, and it was just really a game time decision for me. He was like, “Oh, you’ve been thinking about putting yourself on a date.” I was like, “Well, we should all be thinking about putting ourselves on a date because that’s what we’re here to do.” But I was like, “But this is how I feel about you,” and he basically just invalidated all of that. He was like, “That’s how you feel. That’s not what the truth is.” In the moment. I was like, “I’d like to see my face on the board.” And he just went silent and didn’t say anything. [He] just kind of stood there with his arms crossed, so he really, he really had nothing to say. I think he was expecting it.
During the first episode, you almost matched with Clayton. Do you think there was any potential there?
Errichiello: No, Clayton and I would not have gotten along. I think it would have ended the same.
Reporting by Rebecca Perlmutter
Perfect Match, Season 3, Episodes 1-6, Streaming Now, Netflix
Perfect Match, Season 3, Episodes 7-9, August 8, Netflix
Perfect Match, Season 3, Episodes 10, August 15, Netflix
