Ariana Madix Reveals Real Reason She Wasn’t Returning To ‘VPR’

Like the rest of the original cast, Ariana Madix was axed from “Vanderpump Rules” ahead of season 13. However, the reality star, who joined the series during its second season in 2013, revealed that she was more than OK with Bravo’s decision.

During an interview, Ariana Madix, who reached new levels of fame after discovering her ex-boyfriend was having an affair with her best friend for seven months, admitted that she had mentally checked out of the “Vanderpump Rules” crew long before the network announced its plan to reboot the cast.

After Madix’s relationship issues with her ex-boyfriend, Tom Sandov were displayed on national television during the series’ 10th season, she returned to face the situation head-on a year later.

After wrapping season 12, which featured even more tears, explosive arguments, and betrayals, Bravo paused the series to decide how to proceed. In late 2024, however, they announced that they were rebooting the show with an entirely new cast, aside from Lisa Vanderpump.

In an interview with PEOPLEMadix revealed that she was fine with the network’s decision, considering she had no plans to return. “I don’t think I was ever going to go back to ‘Vanderpump Rules,'” she said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever said that publicly, but I was never going to.”

Filming season 12 was a challenge for Madix, who broke down in tears during the three-part reunion after being confronted with the things her co-stars said about her behind her back.

According to the “Love Island” host, returning to the series after a difficult year “didn’t feel right.”

“If I did go back, I wouldn’t have been able to do the job that would make a good show. And so it just wasn’t going to make sense; the story didn’t make sense,” she said.

During her time on “Vanderpump Rules,” Madix was involved in her fair share of feuds. From blowups with Stassi Schroeder and Katie Maloney to her biggest feud with Sandoval and Raquel Leviss, elsewhere, during her chat, Madix surprisingly revealed she never felt “made for reality TV.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been what makes ‘a good reality star,'” she continued. “I think, in some ways, that’s what has made me a good reality star. But that being said, I think that a lot of times I got in my head.”

Madix, who joined the Broadway cast of “Chicago” in 2023, admitted that she doesn’t feel she can be her authentic self when she’s around the cameras, which isn’t an environment she wants to be part of anymore.

“… when you’re not being yourself, you get yourself into situations where you’re saying or doing things that you don’t really back or believe in,” she finished.

Once the news of Scandoval’s salacious affair with Leviss was revealed, the reality star was met with a wave of backlash and negative attention. Not only was he criticized by his friends and castmates, but many viewers from the Bravoverse also chimed in, which had a negative impact on the bar he owned with his Bravo co-star, Tom Schwartz.

On Instagram, Sandoval apologized to “everyone” he hurt, but he aimed most of the lengthy caption at Madix. “Most of all, I want to apologize to Ariana,” he wrote.

“I made mistakes, I was selfish, and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love. No one deserves to feel that pain so traumatically and publicly,” he continued. “I can only imagine how devastating this has been for Ariana and everyone around us. I feel really horrible about that.”

Sandoval discussed the negative attention he received following the affair in an interview with The New York Times. During his conversation, he gave an answer that sparked anger among many watchers.

“I’m not a pop-culture historian, really,” Sandoval said. “But I witnessed the O.J. Simpson thing and George Floyd and all these big things, which is really weird to compare this to that, I think, but do you think in a weird way it’s a little bit the same?”

He faced even more criticism after his comment from Black Bravo stars, like “Real Housewives of Miami” star Geurdy Abraira. She wrote, “The disrespect… and during Black History Month… WOW, just plz 🤫 🤐.”

“PLEASE reflect on this repulsive statement you made (regarding GEORGE FLOYD r.i.p), especially in Black History Month, and take it back!! NOT OK! An immediate apology is in order, sir,” she finished.