What Is Raquel Leviss From Vanderpump Rules Doing Now?
Raquel Leviss' reputation has been quite sketchy since her affair with her "Vanderpump Rules" star Tom Sandoval was exposed in the spring of 2023. Sandoval was the longtime boyfriend of Leviss' friend and fellow co-star, Ariana Madix. The affair destroyed Leviss and Sandoval's bonds with the majority of the cast and also turned many of their fans against them. The backlash — which fans called "Scandoval" — also led to Leviss' early departure from the cast, per Us Weekly. Although Leviss took some much-needed time to focus on restoring her mental health, the former reality star hasn't given up the spotlight.
For starters, Leviss has returned to using her real name (which is Rachel, if you weren't aware). During an appearance on Bethenny Frankel's "Just B" podcast, Leviss revealed the reason for switching back to her old name. "I'm really just trying to come back to my roots and I'm introducing myself as Rachel," said Leviss, who previously revealed she started going by Raquel as a young child (via People). She added, "I feel like most of my life I've been afraid, I've struggled with social anxiety, I've struggled with judgment from other people, so having a fear of vulnerability makes sense."
But this isn't the only major change taking shape in Leviss' life.
Raquel Leviss attended Jingle Ball 2023
Raquel Leviss has always been one of the most fashion-forward cast members of "Vanderpump Rules," with her red carpet looks showcasing the best of her fashion aptitude. However, Leviss was noticeably absent from public events for several months following the Scandoval fallout. But that changed in December when Leviss turned up for Jingle Ball 2023, per Today. The fashionista donned a sparkly mini-dress with a frilly, translucent skirt overlay. And though Leviss refrained from speaking directly to any media at the time, she offered more insight into her fun night on Instagram.
"Welcome to the sprinter van. We are on our way to The Jingle Ball," Leviss said in a a video documenting her eventful night. The video started with Leviss walking down the aisle of her personal sprinter van, then shifted to clips of her enjoying the various acts with her friends, one of whom was model Paige Lorentzen. Leviss also gave fans a sneak peek of her glam process, including makeup touch-ups and onsite photoshoots. Every clip featured Leviss either smiling, dancing, or being in overall good spirits. "Dancing the night away last night at @iheartjingleball with @paigelorentzen Thank you to my glam fairy @beautybynorad and glow by @instaglam_tan," Leviss captioned the post.
Raquel Leviss has a new podcast deal with iHeartRadio
Raquel Leviss' departure from "Vanderpump Rules" means fans won't get to see her interact with Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix on-screen. However, she'll still have a voice as the scandal continues to unfold. Leviss announced on Instagram in November 2023 that she'd scored her own podcast called "Rachel Goes Rogue," which went live a couple weeks before "Vanderpump Rules" Season 11 premiered. As of this writing, Leviss has released three episodes — with the second featuring her commentary on her affair with Sandoval. While Leviss approached the affair from numerous angles, one of the most interesting revelations is her claim that Tom Schwartz knew about her and Sandoval long before the public and even agreed to keep the secret from Madix (via People). Ouch!
As expected, Leviss' podcast deal has stirred up mixed reactions from Bravo fans. Leviss also hasn't done herself any favors with "Vanderpump Rules" star and producer Lisa Vanderpump, who feels she should've returned to the show instead of appearing on Bethenny Frankel's podcast. "I wish she'd actually come to me instead of sitting in the safety of somebody else's podcast," Vanderpump said to Page Six in January 2024. "Had she come to me, I think I would've been good to her. Because it's one thing just saying this out here, just saying that out there. And some of it wasn't true!... I know exactly how much money she made. It was six figures. It was good!"