Scheana Shay Reflects on Her Complex Relationship with Tom Sandoval
Scheana Shay recently opened up about her feelings towards Tom Sandoval, shedding light on their intricate history during an episode of her podcast, “Scheananigans.” In this heartfelt conversation with guest star Kelly Osbourne, Scheana, 37, shared her emotional turmoil regarding her relationship with the 41-year-old Sandoval.
She expressed, “I never thought he was a bad guy. He was one of my best friends for almost 15 years. He was the only person who had my back on this show, who fought for me whenever something was unfair, and he was the person there in my corner.”
Scheana’s long history with Sandoval complicated her ability to sever ties, saying, “I have personally really struggled with all this because I’m like, ‘Yes, you did a really bad thing. But you weren’t a bad friend to me. But then what you have done has affected me.’ So it’s just changed the entire dynamic of our group.”
Sandoval and Raquel Leviss’ Infidelity Saga
Sandoval and Raquel Leviss faced a significant public backlash when their cheating scandal came to light. This dramatic turn of events made headlines in March 2023, with Us Weekly confirming that Sandoval and Ariana Madix had ended their nearly decade-long relationship due to Sandoval’s infidelity.
Scheana, who is best friends with Ariana Madix, told Us Weekly that she had bid farewell to her friendship with Sandoval, saying, “I can picture [us filming together] because I’ve had to picture it. That’s the name of the game. But I can’t envision what type of event that would be at. It would have to be something Lisa Vanderpump hosts because they’re not getting invited to any birthday parties, that’s for sure.”
Scheana’s Controversial Photo with Sandoval
Scheana faced criticism when a fan photo surfaced, showing her with her arm around Sandoval during a group picture. In response, she addressed the issue on Instagram Stories in July, explaining, “I don’t know why I feel the need to defend taking a photo with my hand like this [in a fist] in the back of someone.” This incident occurred as the cast continued filming for season 11.
Ariana’s Support for Scheana
Amid the online backlash, Ariana, aged 38, came forward to defend Scheana, emphasizing that she harbored no ill feelings towards her for the photo with her ex-boyfriend. She wrote in an Instagram Stories post, “@Scheana is an amazing friend who took a photo with a fan for their birthday. There’s been so many mean comments towards her for it, and she was just doing something nice. We always try to stop for photos, and when the whole cast is present, it’s common for the whole cast to be in the photo regardless of what is going on between any of us at the time.”
Filming Season 11: Emotional Moments
Scheana hinted at the challenges of filming season 11, particularly during a difficult day where she had to film one-on-one scenes with Sandoval. She described a “spiritual meditation” experience that unexpectedly paired her with Sandoval, leading to an intense emotional day in Tahoe.
“We went to Tahoe, it was all filmed for season 11. Ariana and Katie [Maloney] did not come, but Tom Sandoval did. There was one day [that was] beyond the most emotionally draining day I have ever had in 11 seasons of Vanderpump Rules,” she shared during her Amazon Live session, revealing the profound impact the day had on her.
As the drama unfolds, Scheana continues to navigate her complex relationship with Tom Sandoval, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the forthcoming season of Vanderpump Rules.