Ariana Madix’s decision to not film with Tom Sandoval during the season 11 finale of Vanderpump Rules caused a rift among her costars. The episode showed the aftermath of Ariana’s refusal to interact with Sandoval, leading to criticism from her cast members. Scheana Shay’s conversation with Sandoval about Ariana wanting an apology for how he treated her mental health further escalated the tensions.
Production edited the episode in a way that implied Ariana should have been more open to working out her issues with Sandoval. Ariana had expressed concern before the season aired that she may be portrayed as the villain, but she maintained her decision to take space for herself and protect her healing process.
The tension between Ariana, Sandoval, and the rest of the cast continued to escalate during a cast event where Sandoval attempted to approach Ariana with a forced apology. However, Ariana was firm in her stance of not wanting anything from Sandoval, leading her to walk away from the situation.
As the episode progressed, the cast members, including Katie Maloney, Scheana, and Lala Kent, expressed their frustrations with Ariana’s unwillingness to engage with Sandoval. The conflict continued to unfold, with Sandoval becoming increasingly angry and vocal about his feelings towards Ariana and her actions.
The episode culminated in Lala Kent’s harsh criticism of Ariana, accusing her of being performative and not being honest. Production appeared to take sides, with Lala’s comments suggesting that Ariana’s decision to leave filming was disrespectful to the show’s authenticity.
Ultimately, the episode highlighted the ongoing tensions between Ariana and Sandoval, as well as the wider cast dynamic. As the season wrapped up, the aftermath of the filming incident hinted at potential exits from the show for Ariana and possible changes in the relationships between the cast members.
