Tom Schwartz has his “rose-colored glasses” again on with regards to actuality TV — however that doesn’t imply he isn’t hesitant to start out filming season 11 of Vanderpump Rules within the wake of Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’ affair.
“I’m always slightly terrified when we start a new season. We’ve been through so much with this group and we’re a volatile crew,” Schwartz, 40, solely informed Us Weekly on Friday, June 23, whereas selling his new Fox sequence, Stars on Mars. “We’ve always been a volatile group of friends. I don’t think I’ve ever had an argument outside of this group, to be honest. We have a lot of history together and there’s been trials and tribulations, but it comes from a place of love.”
The actuality star added that whereas he’s “scared” for cameras to choose again up for the brand new season, he appears like all of the drama between the Pump Rules crew is all the time “earned” – and he’s “grateful” to be a part of a present that’s spent greater than a decade on air.
Schwartz initially confronted backlash after information broke in March that Sandoval, 40, had a months-long affair with costar Leviss, 28. Schwartz — who attached with Leviss at Scheana Shay and Brock Davies’ wedding ceremony in August 2022 — got here beneath hearth when he revealed he knew concerning the dishonest scandal however didn’t inform Sandoval’s then-girlfriend, Ariana Madix, concerning the infidelity. (Earlier this month, Leviss revealed on half 3 of the Pump Rules season 10 reunion that she and Sandoval attached for the second time on the similar occasion.)
Schwartz later made headlines as soon as once more when he requested for empathy for his enterprise companion and BFF amid the drama. (Schwartz and Sandoval are co-owners of L.A.-based eating places Schwartz & Sandy’s and TomTom.)
“First of all, Ariana, love you. I know you don’t love me right now, but I still love you. And also, Tom, I know the whole world hates you. But I’m not going to abandon you, old buddy. I’m not going to abandon you,” the Minnesota native mentioned throughout an April look on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “He knows he’s a monster for what he did. If you see him, maybe give him a hug. Even if he doesn’t deserve it, give him a hug. He’s down bad.”
Madix, 37, for her half, confirmed that she was now not on talking phrases with Schwartz due to his continued loyalty to her ex.
“I don’t think you are a [co-conspirator] but I will not have mutual friends with him. So I am not your friend anymore,” Madix, who unfollowed Schwartz on social media in March, mentioned through the season 10 finale of Pump Rules. “I was his ride or die and defended him — to you even. Trying to get him to go five days without drinking so he could get his sperm tested so we could have embryos because if he really wanted that down the road I wanted him to have that. I wish I didn’t miss him but I feel like what I miss isn’t real.”
This time round, Schwartz has a distinct plan of assault with regards to coping with the group’s drama. “I feel like I’ll be a little more stoic moving forward, Maybe I waffled a little bit at the beginning of [Scandoval],” he informed Us on Friday. “I retreated within.”
Following the explosive season 10 reunion, which aired earlier this month, Schwartz has claimed that he’s “taking a break” from the feuding after dealing with a lot scrutiny for his longtime pal’s actions.
“My friend had an affair that just happened to sweep the nation and it’s incredibly messed up, but the thing is, I’ve become mired in it. It’s become a huge source of just angst in my life. I’ve been in this extended funk,” he mentioned throughout a June episode of Stars on Mars. “He made a big mess. And then you know, he left it for us to clean up back at the businesses. And it’s hard for me not to be resentful of him.”
Another factor Schwartz will probably be altering for season 11? Taking extra “pride” in his “appearance.”
“I feel like I’ve rocked Mumus for half of the duration of Vanderpump Rules, you know? I’m kind of a scrub by nature. I like to be cozy. But maybe now that I’m single I need to polish u my act a little bit,” he joked to Us. “I’m gonna do that. I’m gonna step my game [up] and try to be a little more suave. A little more debonair. … I’m gonna get the makeover that I intended to do last year.”
Schwartz credit his newfound confidence to Stars on Mars, which premiered on Fox earlier this month and follows celebrities in a simulated house station on the purple planet the place they stay, eat, sleep and strategize whereas dealing with bodily and emotional trials. Telling Us that he appears like “Tom 5.0” after collaborating within the competitors sequence, he shared that he’s develop into “more stoic” and “a little bit more ready to take on whatever life throws at me.”
“I think I have my rose-colored lenses back on. I think this was a reoccurring theme last season, last year, last few years, is trying to get my Schwartz back,” he shared. “I think I learned doing the show going to ‘Mars,’ that it was always there. I just needed to, like, dig it out, refine it, and I kind of am doing what I set up to do, which is falling in love with myself all over again.”
Schwartz famous that Mars additionally taught him just a few classes he’ll be bringing into the Pump Rules universe. “I did shovel a lot of s—t and we ended up having to repurpose that for fertilizer,” he mentioned. “And I don’t know, maybe there’s a metaphor there. Maybe there’s something I can glean heading into the next season. I’ll leave it at that.”
Stars on Mars airs on Fox Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and is obtainable to stream on Hulu the next day.
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Reporting by Christina Garibaldi
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