Scheana Shay Calls Season 11 Filming With Tom Sandoval the ‘Most Emotionally Draining’ Experience
Scheana Shay hinted that the season 11 Vanderpump Rules cast trip one to remember — but not for the best reasons.
"We went to Tahoe, it was all filmed for season 11. Ariana [Madix] 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," Scheana, 37, shared during her Amazon Live on Monday, July 24.
She continued: "No joke, my eyelashes hurt from how much I cried that day. My contacts were dry and I was congested. I felt weak in every way possible. 11 seasons and that day got me the most."
Later in the livestream, Scheana teased a "spiritual meditation" she had with Sandoval, 41, after husband Brock Davies opted out of filming. She admitted that both she and Sandoval were not "expecting to be paired" together for the scene.
Sandoval's presence on the Lake Tahoe getaway has been a hot topic among fans since the cast resumed filming. Sandoval has been on the outs with his fellow cast members due to his affair with Raquel Leviss. (News broke about his infidelity in March, leading the TomTom co-owner and Ariana, 38, to end their nine-year relationship.)
Earlier this month, Scheana made headlines after a fan asked for a photo with the cast — Sandoval included — in Lake Tahoe. She quickly took to social media to explain why she posed with her costar in the snap.
“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,” Scheana said in an Instagram Stories video on Wednesday, July 19.
Lala Kent, who was also in the group photo, supported Scheana in the clip, adding, “It, like, still blows that people, like, don’t realize we’re filming a show. And it was that girl’s birthday. What are we going to be like, ‘No! Absolutely not.’ Like, no, happy birthday. Let’s take a f—king picture. It’s called adulting.”
Brock, 33, and Ariana later weighed in on the backlash, with Scheana's husband calling out people who sent her hate over filming with Sandoval.
“It’s hard not to reflect on the duality of public life. Love and support on one side, and hurtful comments on the other — particularly about my wife. It stings, it’s personal,” Brock wrote via his Instagram Story on Friday, July 21. “Remember this — Vanderpump Rules is about real people, real friendships and real emotions spanning over 15 years. This isn’t just entertainment, it’s a part of our lives you’ve come to appreciate.”
Brock also pointed out that Scheana and the others had no choice when it came to who joined the cast trip.
“We’re not just here for the photo ops. We’re here living our lives, sharing our journey,” he added. “It’s high time we promote respect and empathy, not just for the ‘characters’ you see on screen, but for the real people behind them. Let’s make this community as real as the friendships you tune in for. Let’s make it better.”
Ariana, for her part, made it clear that she wasn't upset about Scheana taking a photo with her ex-boyfriend. “@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,” she wrote in an Instagram Stories post on Friday. “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.”
