As Vanderpump Rules heads into Season 12, some significant changes have been made to the show. Most notably, the cast is different. Fans have bid farewell to previous favorites Katie Maloney, Ariana Madix, Scheana Shay, Lala Kent, Tom Schwartz, James Kennedy, and Tom Sandoval, who newcomers will instead replace.

Whether this was a wise decision on behalf of the producers remains to be seen. Still, the show has started filming again: Lisa Vanderpump was reportedly seen with a film crew outside her SUR restaurant in West Hollywood on April 9, per TMZ. It is also reported that the rest of the cast will join her in filming their first scenes at SUR.

Who Will Be Cast In ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Season 12?

Bravo has not yet revealed who will be cast in Season 12, but executive producer Alex Baskin has previously expressed his excitement about the changes. “What a thrill it is to build on the legacy of this series by doing it all over again,” Baskin said in a statement, per Us Weekly. “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.”

Thankfully, no one has to say goodbye to reality TV queen Lisa Vanderpump, and SUR manager Peter Madrigal will likely return for the new season. But can fans expect the drama they have come to know and crave from the show, despite all new faces? “I know the new cast. Yeah, I know them pretty well,” Madrigal told People in an interview in January. “There’s a lot of drama going on at the restaurant. There always is … So, it’s going to be insane. It’s going to be a little bit intense. Absolutely.”

What Does Lisa Vanderpump Think About Replacing Her Staff For The New ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Season?

Lisa Vanderpump is the undisputed star of Vanderpump Rules, and she has been vocal about her feelings for the old cast and how nothing is certain for the new people who have signed on. (there is no shortage of people who want to be a part of the show). “I have an existing group,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “But there’s always room for people because it’s West Hollywood. It’s always people coming through the door, ‘Can I have a job?'”

She echoed these statements in a chat with Us Weekly in February, telling the outlet that having a restaurant in Hollywood attracts “large personalities because they come to Hollywood for a reason, it’s always complicated.” In the same interview, she teased that “some very interesting characters” have been signed on for Season 12.

In an interview on Bravo’s Hot Mic podcast, Vanderpump claims she didn’t hear from Katie Maloney after it was revealed that the original cast would be replaced. Although she claimed not hearing from her was not a “surprise.” However, she did receive a call from Tom Schwartz thanking her for the opportunities she had given him, and she was contacted by James Kennedy and Lala Kent (whom she confessed to always having been “close” to). Also in the interview, the reality star stated that Ariana Madix reached out on social media.

Whether fans will love the new cast as much as the old will soon become clear!

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