Tom Schwartz isn’t pretending Scandoval didn’t permanently change his life. But more than three years after the affair that rocked Bravo, the former “Vanderpump Rules” star says one thing hasn’t changed: Tom Sandoval is still family.
During a recent appearance on E! News’ “Hot Goss,” Schwartz reflected on the state of their friendship while discussing the current season of “The Valley.” Although he admitted he spent a long time harboring resentment toward Sandoval, he said decades of shared history continue to outweigh the damage left behind by one of reality television’s biggest scandals.
Tom Schwartz explains why he still considers Tom Sandoval family
Looking back on everything that happened after Scandoval exploded into headlines, Schwartz admitted the scandal completely altered the trajectory of both of their lives.
“It kind of turned it into a [expletive] circus,” he said.
Still, Schwartz explained why ending the friendship has never felt that simple.
“We were a trio. Me, Jax [Taylor], and Tom,” he recalled. “We lived together. They were the first two people I met. We lived together in West Hollywood, 2009.”
He said those early years created a bond that few people could understand.
“Those were formative years for me. We were out there grinding, barely getting by, and then you forge a special bond with someone when you’re just, when you’re starving and you’re hungry and like, you know, every day is a challenge. Hustling, auditioning.”
Despite everything that’s happened, Schwartz made it clear his feelings toward Sandoval haven’t disappeared.
“So like, they’re still my family. I love all of them.”
Schwartz admits he carried resentment after Scandoval
While Schwartz says he still loves Sandoval, he didn’t sugarcoat how difficult the aftermath of Scandoval was for him personally.
He admitted it was “almost impossible not to harbor a lot of resentment” toward his longtime friend as the scandal consumed the Bravo world and thrust everyone connected to it into an uncomfortable spotlight.
“And then when they’re embroiled in like these big scandals, it’s hard to… for a long time, I felt like… I was… a supporting actor in someone else’s movie,” he said.
Schwartz has been unusually candid during his recent press appearances. In the same interview, he also addressed his on-screen kiss with Lala Kent on “The Valley,” admitting it created “a little bit” of tension with girlfriend Kiana Carroll. Looking back, he called the moment “disrespectful,” described it as a “platonic peck,” and insisted the two have “never had a sexual moment together, ever.”
Even so, when the conversation turned back to Sandoval, Schwartz’s answer remained consistent. The resentment may have been real, but so is the friendship that began long before Bravo cameras ever followed the trio around West Hollywood.
Years after Scandoval changed their lives forever, Schwartz says that history is still impossible to ignore.
Schwartz is currently on Season 3 of “The Valley,” with former VPR costars, Kristen Doute, Brittany Cartwright and Lala Kent. Jax Taylor was on the first two seasons, but wasn’t asked back for the current season. “The Valley” airs Wednesday at 8PM ET/PT on Bravo.
