Addressing the drama. Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright offered their thoughts on the end of Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix‘s relationship — including what led to his affair with Vanderpump Rules costar Raquel Leviss.
“[Sandoval] never had control of Ariana. She’s a very strong, independent woman and I feel like he couldn’t control her, and he can control Raquel very easily,” Taylor, 43, claimed during an interview with Entertainment Tonight on Tuesday, March 21, referring to Sandoval, 40, and Madix’s split. “[Raquel’s] very easily manipulated, and you can control her like that just by looking at her. She’s easily controllable, you can just tell she’s very codependent. She’s the definition of codependency.”
The Michigan native, who appeared alongside Sandoval on the hit Bravo series from 2013 to 2020, had some choice words for his former friend amid the drama.
“You know, we all make mistakes in life, and God knows I’ve made my fair share,” he continued. “I think it’s gone to his head a little bit, the nine-person cover band and the little bar in a strip mall, like, that’s getting to his head a little bit and he’s gotta, like, come down to earth and realize what he’s done. Again, it’s coming from me, coming from me doesn’t mean a lot, but just humble yourself a little bit, and show some sympathy.”
Taylor, who married Cartwright, 34, on Vanderpump Rules in 2019, praised Madix, 37, for supporting the TomTom co-owner for nearly a decade.
“I mean, look at Ariana. She stood by you whether you guys are right for each other or not. She stood by you for how many years? She’s put up with a lot. I see what’s going on behind closed doors,” Taylor added. “What people don’t see, she’s put up with a lot. He’s not the easiest person to be around, so, you know, just humble yourself a little bit.”
Earlier this month, Us Weekly confirmed that Sandoval and the Florida native called it quits after nine years because he cheated with Leviss, 28. Taylor and Cartwright, who left the show in 2020, both took to social media to show their support for Madix at the time.
“I’ve called a lot of things on that show that people never believed … everything I say always ends being true.. #pumprules,” Taylor tweeted. Cartwright, for her part, uploaded an Instagram photo of her and Madix, writing, “Obviously.”
According to the former sweater designer, it hasn’t been shocking to see the scandal publicly play out. “I mean, I don’t wanna say I predicted it, but I predicted it. I mean, I’m just not surprised, I’m just not surprised, I’ll just leave it at that,” he said on Monday, referring to his past allegations that Sandoval hooked up with a girl in Miami while with Madix. “You know, he’s done this before and nobody believed me. It’s just not his first time.”
The Kentucky native, for her part, opened up about how Madix has been doing since the breakup.
“Yeah, I’ve checked in on Ariana a couple of times. I haven’t gone to see her yet, but definitely checked in on her and, you know, just trying to be there for her as much as I can. I know that she hasn’t been alone for a second so that’s good,” Cartwright, who shares 23-month-old son Cruz with Taylor, noted. “Having to go through this so publicly is so mortifying. Having to live this publicly and being so embarrassed by it and, like, having to go through it, like, I just feel so bad for Ariana having to go through this so publicly.”
