Jax Taylor Is ‘Really Sorry’ About Falling-Out With Stassi Schroeder: ‘I Handled It Wrong’
With The Valley premiere just days away, Jax Taylor is ready to open up about his relationships with the Vanderpump Rules cast, including those who won’t appear on the upcoming spinoff.
Speaking at The Valley premiere party at Jax’s Studio City, Jax, 44, said he respects ex-girlfriend Stassi Schroeder and her husband Beau Clark’s decisions not to participate in the new show. Jax and wife Brittany Cartwright, from whom he’s currently separated, famously had a falling-out with Stassi, 35, and Beau, 43, stemming from Jax and Brittany’s decision not to attend the couple’s wedding. Jax now says he regrets his behavior.
“I handled it wrong and I'm really sorry,” he exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, March 14. “I wish I could take it back because I lost two amazing people in my life and Brittany's life.”
He explained that the circumstances around the wedding — including COVID, the cost, new parenthood and not having a passport — made it difficult to attend.
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Years later, Jax says Stassi and Beau decided The Valley “wasn’t for them,” but he hopes he and Brittany, 35, can reconnect with the couple down the road.
“Even though they don’t like me, I still love them and I'm very open about that,” Jax told Us. “I love them and I wish we could all be friends again. I wish Beau could see my restaurant, because this is what he would love. I miss him dearly. I wish they were part of this. Who knows what’s going to happen in the future. But yeah, I miss him. I miss him a lot. It’s emotional. We all make mistakes in life. You know?”
Brittany added that The Valley has been in the works for years, and that before the falling-out, the couple “1,000 percent” wanted Stassi and Beau on the show. Now that the dynamic has changed, she supports their decision.
“Hell, yes, I would want [Stassi] on the show,” Brittany told Us. “Are you kidding me? Of course I would. We had some good times. I would love for them to be on it, but if it doesn’t make sense for their life right now, I completely understand, and it didn’t make me mad. If she doesn't want to do the show, she doesn't need to.”
As for Jax and Brittany's relationship, Jax confirmed that the two are separated but are coparenting and running a business together without issue. He also insisted the split wasn’t caused by infidelity. Jax has denied cheating on Brittany despite persistent rumors.
“We're just not communicating right now, and that's all there is to it,” he explained. “Everybody goes through it at one point or another in their relationship. Some people get through it. Some people don't. We're taking some time for ourselves.”
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Ultimately, it seems Jax is leaving the future open with Brittany, as well as with Stassi and Beau. That attitude, however, does not apply to Rachel “Raquel” Leviss. Asked whether Jax would welcome her as part of the cast, his answer was blunt.
“No, I want nothing to do with her,” he said. “Just seeing what I'm seeing on social media. She needs to get a real job. She's doing everything she can right now besides get a real job.”
The Valley premieres on Bravo Tuesday, March 19, following a new episode of Vanderpump Rules and will stream the next day on Peacock. Beginning Tuesday, March 26, the series will move to its regular time slot of 9 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Mike Vulpo
