Season 11 reunites most of the Bravo ensemble following the megahit 2023 season.
The Emmy-nominated and most-watched 10th season of Vanderpump Rules had loyal Bravo fans and new viewers alike hooked when Tom Sandoval was revealed to have engaged in a months-long affair with castmate Raquel Leviss nine years into his long-term relationship with castmate Ariana Madix. The cast has since teased that the upcoming season will explore the fallout and have even more in store following the explosive three-part reunion that tackled “Scandoval,” including the return of some familiar faces.
Ahead of the season 11 premiere, which airs on Bravo Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. ET, The Hollywood Reporter gives a refresher on what’s happened to the show’s main cast since season 10 — and what those who have left the show (several who now have their own spinoff) have been up to.
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Tom Sandoval
After causing the biggest scandal Vanderpump Rules has seen yet, Tom Sandoval ventured out into other reality shows before the start of season 11. In the midst of the media frenzy surrounding Scandoval, Sandoval competed in the second season of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, but ultimately got disqualified early into the finale. He then tried his luck on The Masked Singer, hiding behind a diving helmet until being unmasked. “Being able to come out here and perform, you know, behind the mask, not being judged [for my actions], just being judged on my performance…it was really nice,” he said onstage when he was eliminated. He also has a Lifetime movie about relationship and deception, Tall, Dark and Dangerous, set to air Feb. 8.
When speaking to THR about filming season 11, the castmember claimed he considered not returning, saying of filming with the rest of the cast: “It was very isolating and hard. It’s going to be a very unique season. It wasn’t easy for a lot of people because there’s a lot of pressure from the public, not just on me but on other people, so it’s like if anyone is seen talking to me they get backlash. So, it’s tough.”
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Rachel Leviss
Following the media frenzy surrounding Scandoval, Rachel Leviss (who used to go by Raquel on the show) decided to leave Vanderpump Rules for good, a decision she said was due to pay and mental health. She received treatment for her mental health at facility The Meadows in Arizona for two months during the summer of 2023, following her post-reunion sitdown, and has continued sharing updates on her mental health journey on social media and on her recently launched iHeartMedia podcast, Rachel Goes Rogue. In a recent Instagram post shared on Jan. 1, she candidly wrote about regretting her actions, noting, “My life had become completely unmanageable and I was so far down the rabbit hole of making bad decisions that I NEEDED help. I’m so blessed I was able to get the help I needed. Now, I finally feel like I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. As we set intentions into the new year, I vow to be a better friend to the ones close in my life.” As for where she stands with Tom Sandoval, she blocked him on Instagram after he publicly commented in a post sharing birthday wishes.
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Tom Schwartz
The last time we saw Tom Schwartz on Vanderpump Rules, he received flack from ex-wife Katie Maloney for standing by his best friend Tom Sandoval amid Scandoval. He also struggled with entering the dating world again while having to be within close proximity to Maloney. Merely a couple of weeks into the world finding out about Sandoval’s affair, Schwartz took some time away from the media circus by joining the cast of Bravo’s Winter House season three. He began a romance with another Katie — Below Deck‘s Katie Flood — and hinted in the reunion that Flood would be making a crossover onto Vanderpump Rules‘ new season.
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Ariana Madix
After Scandoval, Ariana Madix was seemingly everywhere, from Uber Eats ads to The New York Times. During her filming break from Vanderpump Rules‘ new season, Madix was invited to compete on season 32 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in third place. She also appeared in Lifetime movie Buying Back My Daughter and somehow found time to also release the book Single AF Cocktails, in which she shares recipes of drinks that each represent the trajectory of her relationship with Tom Sandoval. “Each drink tells part of the story of what happened from my perspective— from when we first met, through the affair and its aftermath, to now as I am coming out the other side. These stories are all very real and very personal, written during an emotionally raw time in my life,” she wrote in the book’s foreword. Additionally, Madix is gearing up to open sandwich shop Something About Her with Vanderpump co-star Katie Maloney and — coinciding with the return of Vanderpump on TV — will make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago during an eight-week limited engagement. Needless to say, she’s kept busy.
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Katie Maloney
When we last saw Katie Maloney on Vanderpump Rules, she was trying to move on from her marriage to Tom Schwartz and exploring her newly single life with various flings, including an actor in his mid-20s named Satchel. Since then, Maloney has been focusing on her many endeavors outside the show. Besides putting the finishing touches on her sandwich shop Something About Her alongside Ariana Madix, Maloney is gearing up to launch her podcast Disrespectfully, co-hosted with Vanderpump Rules alum Dayna Kathan, who appeared in season nine. In the sneak peek of season 11, it appears that Maloney’s attempts to not have to deal with her ex will be futile, as the two will be involved in a love triangle with the same woman.
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Lala Kent
Following her breakup from Randall Emmett and custody battle over their two-year-old daughter Ocean after dealing with allegations of his misconduct towards other women coming to light, Lala Kent has been focused on motherhood and wants to have another baby. “I would like to expand my family and I would like to not have a man be part of that. I know that sounds very strange but I would like to build an empire and create a family without a man involved,” she told The Messenger in October. Kent has also been focusing on her business endeavors, including cosmetics brand Give Them Lala Beauty and podcast Give Them Lala Pod.
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Scheana Shay
Bravo’s sneak peek for Vanderpump Rules‘ new season left fans with plenty of questions about what’s going on in Scheana Shay’s life, as Tom Schwartz confessed he kissed her in Mexico. Shay has since shut down Schwartz’s claims, writing on Twitter that she “didn’t” do it. She then commented further about the situation on her podcast Scheananigans, teasing, “The full story of what he meant when he said that will be revealed so I’m not going to get into too much of it. There’s so much more to this story and it’s not what you guys think. I hate when I say stay tuned, but stay tuned.” However, it appears to not have affected her marriage to Brock Davies, as the parents to 2-year-old Summer celebrated the arrival of 2024 on vacation in his homeland of Australia.
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James Kennedy
Since season 10 of Vanderpump Rules, James Kennedy has been thriving. He purchased his first house, which he shares with girlfriend and castmate Ally Lewber; he announced a Las Vegas residency for 2024; and was reunited with his dog Graham — who Kennedy’s ex Rachel Leviss had surrendered to a shelter while receiving treatment for her mental health — and renamed him Hippie.
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Jax Taylor
He’s back! After being fired from Vanderpump Rules in December 2020 following alleged racist actions towards his Black former co-star Faith Stowers, Jax Taylor (whose real name is Jason Cauchi) profited off various sponsorship deals on Instagram. He returned to reality TV in 2023, competing in House of Villains. But his chance at winning $20,000 was quickly cut short after he annoyed the fellow TV villains with his redemption story of being a doting family man and bragging about his newfound success as an influencer, causing him to be voted off first. He then made his way back to the Bravo series, as a sneak peek from season 11 showed him confronting Lisa Vanderpump. Though no details have been shared yet about his return, it appears he’s trying to become the #1 guy on Vanderpump Rules again. Following the trailer’s release, Bravo confirmed The Valley is officially a go at Bravo, with the unscripted Vanderpump Rules spinoff to star alums Taylor and wife Brittany Cartwright, along with Kristen Doute.
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Brittany Cartwright
Like her husband, Brittany Cartwright Cauchi turned into an Instagram influencer following being outed from Vanderpump Rules. In the summer of 2023, she teamed up with swimsuit brand Cupshe for a swimwear collection. Along with Taylor, she will co-star on Vanderpump spinoff The Valley, which is set to debut this spring on a yet-to-be-announced premiere date.
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Kristen Doute
After being fired from Vanderpump Rules for her alleged racist behavior towards Faith Stowers, Kristen Doute has enjoyed her life out of the spotlight. She’s currently in a serious relationship with her Sex, Love, and What Else Matters podcast co-host Luke Broderick, whom she began dating in September 2022. In November 2023, she shared on the podcast that she had experienced a miscarriage and is continuing to try to have a child with Broderick. She briefly made her return to Vanderpump Rules in the Scandoval episodes from season 10, comforting Ariana Madix, and will co-star on The Valley.
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Stassi Schroeder
Stassi Schroeder was another former Vanderpump Rules cast member to be fired after her racist actions towards Faith Stowers came to light. She appeared on the Tamron Hall Show in September 2020, where she acknowledged her behavior towards Stowers. Schroeder also explained why she didn’t want to return to Vanderpump. “That ship has sailed, and my life feels very different right now,” she said. “I think when something like this happens and you get pregnant on top of it, you take inventory of your life and you think what is going to be the best for my future child and I think getting drunk and starting conflict and misbehaving on a reality show isn’t my journey anymore.” She is currently focused on her podcast Straight Up With Stassi and motherhood, as she recently gave birth to her second child, Messer, with husband Beau Clark. Lisa Vanderpump recently told THR that Stassi was “in a different place and was about to give birth again; she’s doing really well on her own” when asked why she didn’t return for The Valley.
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