A major improvement. After Ariana Madix and Lala Kent addressed their rift during season 9 of Vanderpump Rules, the former bartender revealed that the duo keep making progress.
“Lala and I are in a really great place right now and I hope it continues that way. I hope we get closer to each other and I hope that our friendship continues to grow,” Madix, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, June 29, while promoting her “Earth to Ariana” podcast.
The costars were able to work out their differences once they figured out the issues affecting their friendship. “Sometimes one of us would say something that we would hear about through the grapevine, at least for me. And instead of just hitting each other up immediately to talk about it, it would fester and it creates a worse issue,” the Florida native explained. “Then when we see each other, tensions are really high. So I’m very excited for where our friendship is headed.”
During season 9, viewers watched Madix call out Kent, 31, for comments she made about their friendship ahead of filming. “[Ariana] loves a good underdog. She loves anyone who’s drowning, which is great when you’re the one drowning because she’s definitely going to throw you the life vest. You know, with Ariana, it is what it is,” the Utah native said on the “#NoFilter with Zack Peter” podcast in March 2021, which upset Madix at the time. “It’s like, you know what, let’s not pretend. You don’t give a f—k about me. I don’t care about you — whatever. You know? Unfollowed her on the ‘gram. Which, you know, for us, it’s like, pretty — that solidifies a lot, right? Yeah, I’m good on you.”
Later that year, the Fancy AF Cocktails author pointed out that her priority was always being in a good place with those around her.
“Our friendship is — I think it’s a washing machine cycle of ups and downs. Like I said in Palm Springs, when I was like, ‘We’re going to have fun, no matter what.’ And we did. We are able to have fun together, but then there were things that were said that again made it worse,” Madix told Us in October 2021. “I don’t want to not be friends. I don’t like having bad blood and animosity with people, so of course, like, I want things to be good.”
While reflecting on their restored bond, Madix also weighed in on Kent’s state of mind following her split from Randall Emmett. (The “Give Them Lala” podcast host and the director, 51, who share 15-month-old daughter Ocean, ended their relationship in October 2021.)
“Lala is the kind of person who will always land on her feet. She [also] has a really great support system. Her mom and her brother are really amazing and they’re there for her and Ocean,” Madix detailed. “I just think that she’s grown a lot from that situation. I really think that whoever comes next, they better be good. They better be solid. There better [be] no more of those shenanigans.”
Prior to reuniting with her costars onscreen for season 10, Madix is looking forward to her new podcast — which is all about forming meaningful connections.
“It’s been something that I’ve been working on for a long time. During the pandemic, I just had this desire to connect with people that I know personally, people that I’m a huge fan of that I don’t know personally and then people who might consider themselves a fan of me,” she explained to Us. “I’m fascinated by everyone. I don’t know why there’s this divide between me and [the fans]. It just shouldn’t be that way. I just fall in love with people when I meet them and so I want to talk to everyone.”
For Madix, the biggest priority is creating conversations that make everyone feel “safe and comfortable” together. “I’m a cancer so I do have this hard outer shell sometimes and I’m very soft inside and very sensitive,” she noted. “When I feel comfortable with people, that’s when I feel like I can truly be myself. And I want everyone to feel comfortable with me talking on the podcast as well.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
