‘Vanderpump Rules’ OG Ariana Madix has opened up about filming the Bravo reality show after the departure of original cast members Kristen, Stassi and Jax.
Ariana Madix, 36, has revealed she doesn’t miss filming Vanderpump Rules with Stassi Schroeder, 33, Jax Taylor, 42, and Kristen Doute, 38, after they were axed from the Bravo reality show. The OG cast member said she still “loves them dearly” but was enjoying this season’s new cast dynamic. “I see them off the show not filming and I do have a lot of love for them, but it does feel fresh and new with that dynamic gone,” she told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY during Travel & Give’s Travel with a Purpose fundraiser on Oct. 11 at TomTom in West Hollywood.
“I think it’s just another area to explore that hasn’t been explored yet and I think it has so much potential for people to see a different side of the show without that,” Ariana explained. She also opened up about adjusting to a different cast. “I think having a smaller cast allows for all the issues between the remaining cast to be delved into so much deeper and that’s something that I think has always made our show what it is, is the close relationships.”
She continued, “The people that are on the show currently are all super good friends and that’s what makes it hard when you have issues or you get into an argument, you love someone so much but you really are pissed.” As for whether the fighting is “more intense” on season nine, she revealed, “The cuts cut deep because everyone who’s left is such good friends.”
Vanderpump Rules. Image: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
“We all hung out during the pandemic … This is the core group that spent all of our time together. This is our bubble, so now that bubble is being on the show and being seen on the show. I think it’s interesting because the last season there was a little bit of a disconnect between new cast, old cast and this year it’s all one cast that is super close.”
Meanwhile, fellow VPR star Lala Kent, 31, told HL she misses her pals Stassi and Jax, and is hopeful they will be back in the future. “We obviously miss them tremendously,” the new mom said. “But, I think the show is great. I think we’re two episodes in. It’s absolutely fantastic and it’s deep. We’re back to the roots of the show and these relationships and friendships have so much history. We went two years pretty much without really deep diving into our issues, so it’s kind of like emotional vomit on the show this year.”
