Bravo Katie Maloney-Schwartz, Lala Kent, and Raquel Leviss,
“Vanderpump Rules” fans think a cast member has changed a lot over the past year.
Raquel Leviss joined the Bravo reality show as a recurring cast member in 2017 as the girlfriend of James Kennedy. The couple’s engagement was featured on the 9th season of VPR, but by the time the reunion taped in December 2021, the two had ended their engagement.
Some fans felt, based on some of Leviss’ comments, that she was planning to leave “Vanderpump Rules” for good and pursue the career she went to college for. A Reddit thread titled “Goodbye Raquel” even popped up online.
But not only is Leviss back for “Vanderpump Rules” season 10, but she is rumored to be part of a big love triangle storyline—or two. In addition, her social media has looked different lately.
Here’s what you need to know:
Some Fans Think Raquel Leviss Has Changed Since the VPR Season 9 Reunion Aired
After five years with Kennedy, Leviss has been living her best single life in L.A. But some fans have also noticed that she has started to post ads on her Instagram page. In November 2022, Leviss shared a video of her in a light blue Porsche as she rocked a matching “customizable silk driving scarf.” Leviss tagged @porscheusa and @revolve in her post and did end it with “ad.”
On social media, some followers questioned Leviss’ moneymaking post and compared her to co-stars Lala Kent and Scheana Shay, who have long been known to tag products and offer promo codes online.
One Reddit user wrote that “the 180” with Leviss “happened so fast.”
“When she broke up with James and said she would actually do something good with her life, I was so proud of her,” the Redditor wrote. “Now she’s becoming like [Scheana] and Lala.”
“At the reunion when she dumped James she talked about she went to school to help disabled kids and that she was going to pursue that and it didn’t seem like she was going to be on the show,” another wrote. “Here she is and I’ve heard nothing about her career with disabled kids and she’s acting like the rest of the cast.”
“Her personality flipped so quickly!” another agreed. ”She would’ve been the first cast member to quit the show to pursue a new career. What an honor to escape reality TV with a good reputation and fan support. But then…”
“I was totally fooled. I was expecting her to leave the show and work with kids or whatever it was, but I guess here we are,” another wrote.
But many others defended Leviss and said she’s simply “capitalizing” on her time on reality TV and trying to get “paid” like the rest of her co-stars.
“If you could make $30-$50k posting instagrams wouldn’t you do it too?? This is her job let her make her money,” one fan wrote.
“She’s smart to milk VPR for all she can,” another agreed.
“She also said she went through some things after the reunion aired on IG. I didn’t know people can’t change their minds or career paths,” another wrote in defense of Leviss.
Raquel Leviss Previously Revealed She Was Pursuing a Career in Occupational Therapy
GettyRaquel Leviss.
Leviss had previously hinted that reality TV would not be in her future. According to BravoTV.com, the Bravo star studied kinesiology and pre-occupational therapy at Sonoma State University in Northern California and had planned to further her education. “I’m actually gonna go get my Master’s [Degree] in Occupational Therapy to help kids with special needs,” she said in 2019.
In 2020, she gave an update to The Daily Dish, saying, “I think I’m gonna start applying [to grad schools] very, very soon. I still have to take the GRE. I do have to study for that exam. And then I’ll start applying to schools. I’d like to stay in California, obviously. And it’s something that I’m ready to start pursuing sooner than later.”
Leviss did note that her future career goal was taking “longer than expected,” but added, “I am just enjoying my time now. And living out my L.A. life until I’m ready to move on with that career.”
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