The reboot of “Vanderpump Rules” may have introduced a new cast, but the original group is still the one fans are paying attention to.
Even after stepping away from the series following Season 11, the former stars have remained highly visible, continuing to book projects, build businesses, and stay deeply connected to the Bravo universe.
Ariana Madix Turned Scandoval Into a Career Breakthrough
Ariana Madix has had one of the most dramatic post-show transformations.
Following Scandoval, she became the permanent host of “Love Island USA” and made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” a role she later returned to due to its success.
She has also expanded into scripted television, landing roles in shows like “Will Trent” and “St. Denis Medical,” while continuing to grow her brand and business ventures.
According to People, her rise has been widely framed as one of the biggest post-reality TV success stories in recent years, especially after the scandal that ended her nearly decade-long relationship with Tom Sandoval.
Fans who once rallied around her with “#ArianaMadix deserved better” signs have watched her collect every win methodically and without looking back.
Katie Maloney Built Something New — and Opened Up About What Went Wrong
More than two years after filing for divorce from Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney has been candid about what ultimately ended their twelve-year relationship. “A lot of times, I think he is still the same person that I married. And that person is wonderful. But that person, I also fell in love with when I was 25 years old,” she said on the Brutally Honest Anna podcast. “I’ve grown a lot. I feel like I really had to drag him through a lot of phases in life — committing, moving in together, getting engaged, getting married, talking about having kids.”
Despite the split, the two have remained close friends and co-parents to their dogs Butter and Gordo, according to Bravo. “With Tom and I, our problem was never our friendship. We had a great friendship,” Katie added. “It was when I needed him to step up to be a partner, that’s when he struggled the most.”
These days, Katie is dating rock musician Nick Martin, and even Tom has given the relationship his seal of approval. “I love her boyfriend. He’s a literal rockstar, and he’s just cool as shit. And they seem so happy and in love,” Tom told Lala Kent on her podcast.
On the business front, Katie co-owns Something About Her, the West Hollywood sandwich shop she launched with Ariana Madix. She also co-hosts the “Disrespectfully” podcast with Dayna Kathan, keeping herself firmly in the Bravo conversation without needing a peach or a SUR apron.
Tom Schwartz Landed on ‘The Valley’ — With Romance Drama in Tow
After a tumultuous few years that included his divorce from Katie and the fallout from Scandoval, Tom Schwartz has returned to Bravo as a full-time cast member on “The Valley” Season 3, which premiered April 1. The trailer showed Schwartz immediately stirring things up, telling newly single castmate Michelle Sanei she is “gorgeous” while their friends cheered them on to kiss.
Per Bravo, Schwartz is “eager to settle down and find his forever person, even if that means upsetting the balance of the group.” His friends on the internet have opinions, and they are not holding back.
Tom Sandoval Is Still Making Reality TV Rounds
Tom Sandoval has leaned hard into the villain-to-competitor pipeline since Scandoval. He appeared on “The Traitors,” “The Masked Singer,” “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” “House of Villains,” and even “America’s Got Talent” with his band.
On the business side, he is still running TomTom as a junior partner with Lisa Vanderpump.
Whether fans are rooting for his redemption arc or waiting for his next misstep, he has not disappeared quietly.
Stassi Schroeder Is Everywhere Hulu Needs a Host
Stassi Schroeder made her reality TV comeback in 2025 on Hulu’s “Vanderpump Villa” and has since hosted the Season 3 reunion of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” for the platform.
Her most recent gig is arguably her highest-profile yet. Hulu tapped her to host the official “Tell Me Lies” companion podcast, which premiered January 6, 2026, one week ahead of the Season 3 debut of the hit series. The nine-episode podcast features interviews with the cast, show runner Meaghan Oppenheimer, and celebrity fans, including Katie Maloney.
She also hosts her “Stassi” podcast for Podcast One and remains a three-time New York Times bestselling author, according to Variety.
Fans who thought Bravo firing her in 2020 was the end of the story have been watching a very different one unfold.
Lala Kent Joined ‘The Valley’ — But Not Without Hesitation
Lala Kent has joined “The Valley” Season 3 as a full-time cast member alongside Schwartz, after the two made guest appearances in Season 2. Returning to reality TV was not an easy decision for Lala. “There was a lot of hesitation,” she admitted to Us Weekly. “I don’t care about the hate. But that was a different level and it taught me a lot. So when the offer came, it was like, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this.’”
On the show, she is focused on raising her two daughters as a single mother and approaching her seven-year sobriety milestone, bonding with Schwartz and Michelle Sanei as the three navigate being single within the group, according to Deadline.
Kristen Doute Has a Baby, a Fiancé, and a Storyline
Kristen Doute left VPR after Season 8 but made her comeback on “The Valley,” where she got engaged to co-star Luke Broderick and welcomed their first baby girl in June 2025. The couple co-hosts the “Balancing Act” podcast together.
Season 3 follows Kristen and Luke adjusting to life as first-time parents while their relationship takes a back seat to the chaos of a newborn, which, on a Bravo show, means the cameras are right there for all of it.
Scheana Shay Keeps Every Plate Spinning
Scheana stayed on through Season 11, popped up on “The Valley” for cameos, released her memoir “My Good Side,” and runs her “Scheananigans” podcast.
She is one of the most consistently active of the original group across social media and the Bravo extended universe, and has made it clear she is not done building.
James Kennedy Is Still Behind the Decks
According to The Things, James Kennedy continued DJing at SUR after the show’s reboot and has headlined major events including Neon Carnival at Coachella and the Electric Daisy Festival. He has toured alongside Jersey Shore’s Pauly D.
His music career has quietly outlasted his time on the show, and he has done it without the drama following him offscreen.
Jax Taylor Had a Messy Exit From ‘The Valley’
Jax Taylor stepped away from “The Valley” ahead of Season 3, citing his mental health and recovery. During Season 2, he disclosed he had struggles with cocaine addiction for more than two decades and subsequently completed a 30-day stay in a treatment facility, according to PrimeTimer.
His split from Brittany Cartwright played out very publicly in the meantime, leaving Brittany as the center of Season 3’s storylines as she navigates single motherhood and a reconnection with an old flame.
The New Cast Is On Screens — But Old Loyalties Die Hard
Season 12 of “Vanderpump Rules” premiered in December 2025 with an entirely new cast of SUR employees, with Lisa Vanderpump as the only returning face. Fans have shown up for the new cast, but the original group’s continued presence across “The Valley,” Hulu, Broadway, Love Island, and beyond makes one thing clear: They did not need the show as much as the show needed them.
“Vanderpump Rules” Season 12 is now streaming on Peacock. “The Valley” Season 3 airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
Image credit: Ariana Madix/Instagram
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