Vanderpump Rules Stars React To The Show Being Completely Re-Cast

Vanderpump Rules is changing things up for Season 12. The reality show is getting a completely new cast, leaving behind fan-favorites like Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney. On Nov. 26, Bravo announced the change, sharing that the upcoming season will feature Lisa Vanderpump and a new group of “close-knit SUR-vers who are as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessors.”

The press release continued, “Under Lisa Vanderpump’s watchful eye, the West Hollywood mainstay SUR — and now TomTom — welcomes the next batch of servers, hosts and bartenders rife with plenty of drama, situationships and frenemies.”

Vanderpump shared her thoughts on the show’s surprising turn. “The last 12 years of filming have been an extraordinary run full of laughter, tears and everything in between,” she said in a statement on Nov. 26. “I can’t thank enough those who have shared their lives. How I love you all. In the restaurant business, one shift always gives way to another. Cheers to the next generation of Vanderpump Rules.”

Alex Baskin, VPR’s executive producer, also released a statement about the decision to re-cast. “What a thrill it is to build on the legacy of this series by doing it all over again,” Baskin said. “With profound appreciation for the original group and their iconic run, we can’t wait for the audience to see a dynamic new group of co-workers and friends make their way through life together.”

The Vanderpump stars are now weighing in on the announcement. Here’s why they have “mixed feelings” about the show’s new direction.

Ariana Madix

Madix is easily one of VPR’s most successful alums after Scandoval launched her into a new realm of celebrity. Following the Season 12 announcement, she posted about the show on Instagram, emphasizing how “grateful” she felt to be a part of it.

“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,” she captioned her post. “i am forever grateful to have been a part of such an incredible cultural phenomenon.”

Madix continued, “thank you @bravotv , @lisavanderpump, @evolutionusa for every experience over the last 10+ years.thank you to every single crew member, producer, and our showrunners. seeing you guys every summer was like coming home to see family!”

She also had a message for her fans. “thank you especially to the fans. you’ve been the constant over the last decade your love and support is what I’ll miss the most about it ending,” Madix wrote. “im feeling at peace with closing this chapter and im excited for everything that is to come. i don’t know that these were the best days of our lives, but they were definitely something special 💖.”

Katie Maloney

Maloney kept her statement simple. After the Season 12 announcement, she shared an IG Story with a throwback photo. “It’s a mixed bag. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for the memories and the love the last 11 years,” she wrote.

Lala Kent

Lala Kent also posted about the Season 12 change. “Where to begin. I was a young girl from Salt Lake City who made her way to L.A. I would introduce myself as Lauren, but because my childhood best friend referred to me as Lala, my nickname quickly stuck,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Sur was a place that became home,” she recalled on IG. “I found myself not only sipping on vodka sodas there, but behind a hostess stand… it still to this day is the most intimidating job I’ve ever had. A short time later the opportunity to be on a show called Vanderpump Rules landed in front of me.”

“I have such mixed feelings right now. It’s no secret I do not like change,” Kent continued. She also thanked Bravo and NBCU, as well as the cast and crew. Plus, she gave a special note to her fans: “We rocked this b*tch until the wheels fell off 💃.”

Scheana Shay

Scheana Shay wrote a lengthy post about VPR’s future. “The end of an era, and the start of something new,” she wrote on Instagram on Nov. 26. “We had one hell of a run! I never could have imagined while shooting the pilot for VPR that it would become what it has, nor go on for as long as it did.”

She continued, “To the fans who’ve been with us from the beginning, and to everyone who joined along the way, THANK YOU. Putting our lives out there isn’t always easy, but every time one of y’all reached out to say our stories resonated with you made it all worth it!”

“We truly have worked with the best cast, crew and been part of so many special moments in each other’s lives,” Shay added. “Cheers to the next chapter! The rest is still unwritten…😉.”

James Kennedy

James Kennedy wrote a heartfelt note about the announcement on IG. “I can’t lie, I’m holding back some tears as I write this. It’s been a pleasure being a part of Vanderpump Rules and filling your TV screens with our lives over the past decade,” he wrote. “I’ve dedicated my life to this show and I’, forever grateful to everyone who tuned in.”

Kennedy also thanked fans and the show for helping him fulfill his DJ career dreams. “It’s been a wild ride and I’m excited to see what the future holds,” he added. “Although this is a bittersweet ending, for me, this is just the beginning!”

Tom Schwartz

Tom Schwartz shared a fan edit of VPR, set to the theme song of Friends. He kept his message simple, captioning the post, “How the last 12 years replays in my mind ❤️.”

Kristen Doute

Previous VPR cast membet Kristen Doute hasn’t released a full statement about the new direction — currently, she’s celebrating her pregnancy on IG — but she did leave a comment on Madix’s post about the show. “i am so grateful because without it, would we have found eachother?! cheers to the memories and making new ones 🤟🏽,” Doute wrote.