Not everyone from the Vanderpump Rules Season 11 cast reached out to Lisa once news of the cast shakeup broke.
n entirely new cast for Vanderpump Rules’ Season 12 has many viewers excited for what’s to come in West Hollywood’s Sur Restaurant and Lounge. But, as Lisa Vanderpump told producer Alex Baskin in the Season 3 finale of Bravo’s Hot Mic Podcast, the reactions of the former cast have been a mixed bag.
Lisa said that despite of the November 2024 announcement about the cast shakeup, she still had “a great relationship with some.” But, with others, attitudes changed.
The restaurateur praised the former Vanderpump Rules cast for being so “authentic,” but noted she didn’t want “to talk to people’s assistants.” Essentially, she felt the show had run its course, and it was time to move on.
Although most of the cast members were thankful to Lisa for being part of Vanderpump Rules' decade-plus run, some took a different approach.
Lisa Vanderpump reveals how the Vanderpump Rules cast really responded to the reboot news
“Well, I put something out on social media to talk about how I love them all, and I do love them all, regardless of their antics and their foibles,” Lisa told Alex in Hot Mic’s Season 3, Episode 13. “There’s a deep love there, but just because what we’ve been through together and seeing them at such a young age, even though they’ve been very frustrating at times, for sure, and they’ve made mistakes, but it was predictable,” she said of the individual reactions.
Once news broke of a cast takeover, some reached out to Lisa right away.
“Of course, [Tom] Schwartz straight away called me and said, ‘I just want to thank you for all the opportunities you’ve given me.’ And James [Kennedy], too,” Lisa said. “Lala [Kent], yeah, I’ve always been very close to her.”
Lisa said she hadn't heard from Katie Maloney, adding that she believed Ariana Madix had “texted me or tweeted me or something.” As seen in the later seasons of Vanderpump Rules, the two women partnered to establish the Something About Her sandwich shop in Los Angeles.
“Katie, I didn’t hear from, but you know, as I say, that doesn’t really surprise me,” Lisa said.
Although Lisa would have liked to have seen more of a spirit of gratitude, she clarified that she wasn’t looking for praise.
“It’s strange because I’m not saying they should be grateful to me, but they should be grateful for the show," Lisa continued. “That show gave them a plethora of opportunities they wouldn’t necessarily have had.”
Alex responded to Lisa's comments, giving his take on the cast’s success on and off the show.
“I think for all of them, I think the distance was kind of needed, and so I think that they’re grateful for it, but I think they haven’t had a chance to reflect on it,” Alex said. “I think the experience was so intense, and so my guess is that things look different in a year or so, but that also is the reason that we couldn’t continue.”
Changing relationships and situations helped Alex and Lisa shift into Season 12 with a fresh generation of servers, hosts, and bartenders.
Lisa noted that her experience differed from the cast in that she had amassed great success even before first joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in its first season. Conversely, the one-time aspiring models and actors that made up the original cast of Vanderpump Rules had yet to find their footing.
“They grew up with this, so they actually don’t know what it’s like to live an adult life without a reality show,” Lisa told Alex.
Lisa added that VPR cast members were “at the beck and call of hundreds” of guests before, “suddenly, they’re controlling everything, and I think that changed the balance in the show, and it was much more difficult to produce.”
Still, the former cast members show no signs of stopping. Learn “major” news about Katie’s new relationship, the latest on Ariana’s health, and more about Tom Schwartz’s life as a brother to triplets.
Listen to Lisa Vanderpump on Bravo’s Hot Mic Podcast, available anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts. You can also watch the full video version of the podcast episode here.
