The highly anticipated Vanderpump Rules Season 12 is bringing a fresh new cast to West Hollywood’s iconic Sur Restaurant and Lounge, and fans are buzzing with excitement. However, in a candid conversation with producer Alex Baskin during the Season 3 finale of Bravo’s Hot Mic podcast, Lisa Vanderpump shared that the reactions from the former cast members to the reboot have been mixed.
Despite the November 2024 announcement about the cast shakeup, Lisa revealed that she maintains “a great relationship with some” of the original stars. Yet, with others, attitudes have shifted over time.
While praising the Vanderpump Rules cast for their “authenticity,” Lisa made it clear that she was no longer interested in working with “assistants,” feeling that the show had reached its natural conclusion and it was time to move on.
Lisa Vanderpump Talks About Cast Reactions to Vanderpump Rules Reboot
In the podcast, Lisa opened up about how she personally handled the news of the reboot. “I put something out on social media to express my love for them all, and I do love them all, regardless of their antics and their foibles,” Lisa shared. “There’s a deep love there because of what we’ve been through together… even though they’ve been frustrating at times and made mistakes, it was predictable.”
Following the announcement of the cast shakeup, some of the original cast members reached out to express their gratitude.
“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.”
However, Lisa noted that she hadn’t heard from Katie Maloney and joked, “Katie, I didn’t hear from, but you know, that doesn’t really surprise me.” She also mentioned that she believed Ariana Madix had “texted me or tweeted me or something,” referring to their partnership in launching the Something About Her sandwich shop in Los Angeles.
Gratitude and Reflection: Vanderpump Reflects on the Show’s Impact
While Lisa would have liked to see more gratitude from the cast, she clarified, “I’m not saying they should be grateful to me, but they should be grateful for the show. That show gave them a plethora of opportunities they wouldn’t necessarily have had.”
Alex Baskin chimed in, explaining that for many cast members, the distance from the show may be needed for reflection. “The experience was so intense,” Alex noted, “so things may look different in a year or so, but that also is the reason we couldn’t continue.”
A New Era for Vanderpump Rules
With shifting dynamics, Lisa and Alex have embraced the idea of bringing in a fresh generation of servers, bartenders, and hosts for Season 12. Lisa also reflected on her own experiences in the entertainment industry, explaining that while she had already achieved success before joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the original Vanderpump Rules cast had yet to find their footing in the real world.
“They grew up with this show, so they don’t know what it’s like to live an adult life without a reality show,” Lisa explained.
The Future of the Cast
Despite the changes, the former Vanderpump Rules stars show no signs of slowing down. Fans can look forward to new developments, including major updates on Katie’s love life, Ariana’s health, and more about Tom Schwartz’s adventures as a brother to triplets.
