Yes, Allegra From ‘And Just Like That...’ Is A Real Peloton Teacher
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Allegra is a Peloton instructor who is featured in the new Sex And The City revival series, And Just Like That...
So, is she an actress? Or does she really teach Peloton classes?
Here's everything to know about Allegra.
The brand new Sex And The City revival, And Just Like That..., just dropped its first two episodes, and fans are clamoring for more. Plenty of your faves are back, including Carrie's husband, Mr. Big.
In the series' first episode, viewers got to see Mr. Big's love for his Peloton bike—and a certain instructor named Allegra. But who is she? And does she really teach Peloton classes?
Here's what to know about her:
Yes, Allegra is played by a real Peloton instructor.
Allegra is played by Jess King, who is a real Peloton instructor. She teaches Bike and Tread classes (so if you're a regular user, you've probably seen her before!).
"Jess is a charismatic instructor with a boundless energy and passion for movement. With a background in dance, performance and fitness, Jess grew up down South and moved to NYC to commit to a career in wellness," her Peloton bio reads.
Plus, her dance background is intense. King was one of the top ten finalists on So You Think You Can Dance season four, and she also starred in a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas.
Being a Peloton instructor was never King's plan.
After King's attempts to land a role on Broadway didn't work out, she switched gears and became a Peloton instructor after meeting with the CEO, John Foley.
"I was initially very resistant to abandoning my dance career; I had never even been on an exercise bike before. They also wanted me to audition to be an instructor at Peloton, but I told them no, that I could take the job and would be great at it. I might be the only instructor ever who never had to audition for Peloton," King told Self.
And when King branched out into doing Tread workouts, she launched herself into the program without much running experience. "The way I feel about running is the way I feel about shaving my legs—I never want to do it, but I’m always very glad that I did. I just feel so excited to be able to represent that category on the Tread, even though I’m not a professional runner. I love that I can tell people, 'I did it and you can do it too, and we’re not here to be perfect,'" she shared.
King recently thanked all of her followers who noticed her on the show in an Instagram Story: "Thank you for all of the messages,” she wrote. “Go watch @justlikethatmax on @hbomax!”
Peloton just released a statement about *that* plot twist.
Warning: Major And Just Like That... spoilers ahead! Stop reading here if you don't want to know what happens on the new HBO Max series!
Viewers were shocked by Big's sudden death in the first episode of And Just Like That.... He suffered a heart attack while finishing his 1,000th ride on the bike.
Peloton reacted quickly to the scene. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventative cardiologist and a member of Peloton's health and wellness advisory council, released a statement in response to Big's death.
"Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle—including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks—and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in Season 6," she explained, per the Los Angeles Times. (ICYMI, she's talking about Big's heart procedure in Sex And The City season 6, episode 11: "The Domino Effect.")
"These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event," she said.
"More than 80% of all cardiac-related deaths are preventable through lifestyle, diet and exercise modifications," Steinbaum continued. "And while 25% of heart attacks each year are in patients who already had one (like Mr. Big), even then they are very, very treatable."
"The lesson here is, KNOW YOUR NUMBERS! It's always important to talk to your doctor, get tested, and have a healthy prevention strategy. The good news is Peloton helps you track heart rate while you ride, so you can do it safely," the statement finished.
Peloton apparently did know that Jess King had signed on to be in the series. But the company wasn't aware of how its bike would be used (or that Big would die while riding one), according to BuzzFeed News.
"HBO procured the Peloton Bike on their own," Denise Kelly, a Peloton spokesperson, said. "Peloton was aware that a Bike would be used in the episode and that Jess King would be portraying a fictional Peloton instructor."
"Due to confidentiality reasons, HBO did not disclose the larger context surrounding the scene to Peloton in advance," Kelly continued. (Oops!)
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