Ariana Madix is setting the record straight — kind of — after Vanderpump Rules fans thought she was cutting certain costars out of the photos in her goodbye post.
Madix, 39, took to social media on Tuesday, November 26, to reflect on her journey with the hit Bravo series after the network confirmed the show would be coming back for season 12 — but with an entirely new cast.
“Vanderpump Rules, you will forever be that girl 💖 I was up til 4am looking for all the right pics and the right words, but there’s no post or caption that could ever encapsulate everything. I am forever grateful to have been a part of such an incredible cultural phenomenon,” Madix wrote alongside a wide variety of photos from her 11 seasons on the show. “I’m feeling at peace with closing this chapter and im excited for everything that is to come.”
Several followers, however, couldn’t help but notice that certain costars were missing from Madix’s post. While Tom Sandoval‘s absence made sense after their bitter split over his 2023 cheating scandal with Rachel Leviss, fans pointed out that Lala Kent was also nowhere to be found.
“I’m just here for all the cropped photos,” read one comment while another person added, “And thanking everyone but the cast 😳.” Madix was quick to point out that her thanks came in the form of the photos, writing, “That’s what the pictures are for pookie.”
Meanwhile, another fan said they were “Living for this carefully curated photo selection 👏🏼🙌🏼.” Madix noted that certain exclusions didn’t appear to be on purpose, adding, “I wish i could do more slides. I had a lot more things. maybe another post!”
Madix’s most recent season on Vanderpump Rules was not without its obstacles. Filming picked up months after Madix found out about Sandoval’s affair with Leviss, 29, and the aftermath played out during season 11. While Madix initially received support from most of her costars, some loyalties wavered as the cast continued to film the show.
Kent, 34, notably called Madix out multiple times for not filming with Sandoval — yet still residing in the same home. (Madix has since moved out of her previously shared house with Sandoval and purchased her own home.)
“I’m going to be real about Ariana. She coasts through every single f—king season. And we are asking you to have one conversation with Tom Sandoval — the guy you shoved down our throats for so many years,” Kent said on an episode of the Vanderpump Rules After Show in May. “That guy, who you still live with. We are asking you to have one conversation and you can’t do that?”
According to Kent, every Vanderpump Rules castmember has had “tough conversations” — except Madix. Many Bravo viewers, however, didn’t agree with Kent and called her out on social media for refusing to address her statements after the reunion special.
Kent issued a statement apologizing to fans after calling viewers rabid on her “Give Them Lala” podcast before clarifying she had no regrets about what took place on screen.
“It was hard this season. I was talking about things that we’ve all spoken about. And then when a camera comes up, everyone runs scared. I have Ariana, who I personally believe really forgot why she was catapulted into opportunity,” Kent claimed on a June episode of the “Two Ts in a Pod” podcast about Madix’s various deals since the scandal. “Again, [I’m] so happy for you, but let’s not forget where we come from. None of us have anything without Vanderpump Rules. What we built outside of it, we should be very proud of.”
Madix, meanwhile, defended her decision to not film with Sandoval while pointing out how she always allowed cameras into her life.
“Here’s the thing that’s so stupid. I gave them the best f—king ending to what that season could have had in that moment by leaving. It was real and it was exciting to watch. Sorry, if you literally are only looking at it from a perspective of like good reality TV, I gave you good reality TV,” she explained on Katie Maloney and Dayna Kathan‘s “Disrespectfully” podcast in May. “[A conversation] would have been a boring cap to a boring ass season, to be honest.”
Madix made it clear that she allowed cameras into her life — whether the footage was used or not.
“As far as real life stuff, that’s always been real and authentic for me. I can’t fake that. What did I not show you? I showed you my storage unit of a f—king bedroom,” she concluded. “If you watch the season and you don’t see how low I am during the whole time, you need glasses. I showed all of that stuff. And if there’s stuff that they filmed and then decided not to air, that has nothing to do with me. But I gave it all.”
Vanderpump Rules is currently streaming on Peacock.
