Chickenfry Reacts to Zach Bryan's New Girlfriend's Striking Resemblance
Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia is aware of the widespread online discussion suggesting that her former partner, Zach Bryan, is now with someone who bears a striking resemblance to the Barstool Sports figure.
“My next query is one I’ve received countless times. ‘How do you feel about Zach’s new girlfriend looking just like you?’” LaPaglia, 26, commented on the Sunday, October 12, installment of her “Plan Bri Uncut” podcast. “I believe that is textbook narcissism 101; that’s precisely what narcissists do. They simply go and find another version of you to date.”
LaPaglia and Bryan, 29, were in a relationship from summer 2023 until fall 2024, after which she alleged he engaged in emotionally abusive behavior. (He never publicly addressed these claims. Us Weekly had contacted him for comment at the time). The country musician began a relationship with Samantha Leonard this summer, leading many fans to inundate social media with observations about the striking similarity between the two women. (Neither Bryan nor Leonard have made any public statements regarding these comparisons.)
“Individuals are asking, ‘Does it unnerve you? Are you upset? Do you feel complimented?’ Frankly, I am flattered,” LaPaglia shared. “I altered my hair color to prevent people from constantly sending me every photograph he shares of her, and I’ve also blocked him. I wish to avoid seeing this, and I don’t want to engage with any of his activities.”
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She added, “His presence only registers with me when he, for instance, scales barriers or discusses ICE — essentially, when he's featured in headlines. I’ve blocked him across all platforms, so news articles are the only way I encounter him, typically through my [TikTok] For You Page. Still, the fact that his [new girlfriend] is my spitting image is undeniably wild.”
Each time Bryan and Leonard share an updated picture together, numerous fans frequently message LaPaglia, inquiring if she has reunited with the “Something in the Orange” artist.
“I respond, ‘Folks, no, that isn’t me. I explicitly colored my hair to avoid this,’” LaPaglia clarified, describing her replies to the numerous direct messages. “My sentiment was, ‘I can’t keep enduring comparisons to someone else; it’s draining.’ It’s bizarre and strange that he’s pursuing a new iteration of myself, but really, at this stage, who gives it any thought?”
LaPaglia additionally emphasized her indifference to Bryan’s life choices.
“I’m simply relieved he’s not close to me — only close to my doppelgänger,” she humorously remarked. “Forgive me, but I must state it: your new partner is my exact likeness.”
Bryan publicly disclosed their breakup in October 2024, stating that their separation was amicable.
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“Brianna and I have ended our relationship, and I hold immense respect and affection for her. She has consistently offered me unconditional love for a significant period, and for that, I will be eternally grateful,” Bryan posted in an Instagram Story message then. “I’ve experienced a profoundly challenging personal year, enduring several difficult circumstances. I believed it would be advantageous for both of us to pursue separate paths. I acknowledge my imperfections and always will.”
LaPaglia, conversely, asserted that she was taken by surprise by Bryan’s choice to publicly declare their separation.
This split even served as her impetus for participating in season 4 of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
“I believe the experiences I faced last year provided me with the challenges and psychological fortitude to accomplish almost anything,” LaPaglia shared in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly last month. “Without those trials, I doubt I would have completed Special Forces. I don't think my mental resilience would have been sufficient. If there’s any positive aspect, it's that it equipped me to overcome this program.”
