Talking the talk? After Tom Sandoval and Rachel Leviss’ affair was exposed, their Vanderpump Rules costars have spoken at length about the drama.
Us Weekly confirmed in March 2023 that Sandoval and Ariana Madix called it quits after nine years together due to his infidelity. Immediately after the news broke, Madix’s present fand former castmates — including Katie Maloney, Kristen Doute, Scheana Shay and more — surrounded her with love and support while simultaneously slamming Leviss and Sandoval.
The Schwartz & Sandy’s co-owner, for his part, broke his silence via Instagram shortly after the affair made headlines, sharing a statement regarding the backlash toward his businesses with costar Tom Schwartz. (Schwartz, for his part, hooked up with Leviss at Shay and Brock Davies’ wedding in August 2022 amid his divorce from Maloney.)
Fans — and several Bravo personalities — were upset with Sandoval’s initial response. He issued a lengthy public apology to Madix days later.
“I want to first and foremost apologize to everyone I’ve hurt through this process. Most of all, I want to apologize to Ariana,” he wrote in an Instagram statement. “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.”
Leviss, for her part, addressed the scandal for the first time via Instagram as production picked back up on season 10 of the reality series.
“I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships,” she noted in March 2023. “There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana. … I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships. I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices.”
Leviss later revealed her current status with Sandoval. “I care for Tom and I don’t want to label anything or predict what lies ahead,” she explained. “Right now I need to heal.”
Amid the drama, a source exclusively told Us that Sandoval and the former beauty pageant contestant were “the real deal,” adding that the pair’s romance wasn’t “a regrettable fling or one-night stand.” Instead, the insider said, “They have confided to pals that it’s love and they have fallen hard for each other.”
Madix, for her part, thanked her “friends, family and people [she’s] never even met” for “the outpouring of love and support i have received.
“When i have felt like i couldn’t even stand, you all have given me the strength to continue and seen me through my darkest hours. to say i have been devastated and broken is an understatement. however, i know that i am not in this alone,” she added. “So many of my closest friends are also grieving this loss right now and reeling from this betrayal on so many levels. i am so f–king lucky to have the best support system in the world and i hope i can repay every single person for the love you have shown me. what doesn’t kill me better run. love, ariana.”
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