Brittany Cartwright is finally putting herself first — and giving Us Weekly all the details.
Cartwright joined Vanderpump Rules in 2015 when she started seeing Jax Taylor. The pair left the Bravo show in 2020 but have returned to the network with the Vanderpump Rules spinoff series, The Valley, which premiered on the heels of Cartwright’s real-time separation from Taylor.
“Maybe [Jax] got a bit of a big head again. He’d made a lot of changes for Cruz, but he started being the old Jax [again],” Cartwright said in her Us Weekly cover story of their reality TV return. “All season long I wanted to be with him and then things got continually worse. And he likes to throw things in your face like, ‘’I got us a show.’ Like, I wouldn’t have anything without him.”
Cartwright and Taylor share son Cruz, 3, who they are prioritizing as they navigate next steps in their separation, including a potential divorce.
Read Us Weekly’s cover story with Cartwright here and keep scrolling for more takeaways:
Brittany Cartwright’s Search for Something More in Her Marriage
Taylor’s lack of appreciation for their marriage and family took a toll on Cartwright.
“He definitely takes me for granted and takes everything that we have for granted. He’s always looking for something else, even if it’s working or this or that, he just never seems to be satisfied,” she told Us. “He can’t really slow down and be grateful for what we have. And that’s always a lot of pressure on me, because I’m very happy. I feel so blessed for the things that we have and I feel like he’s just never content and always is just, like, running around like a crazy person.”
Cartwright said Taylor struggled with feeling happy, adding, “We finally have our son and then he still needs more. We have this beautiful home, we have a bar and we have a successful podcast. We have all these amazing things, a new show coming out and he still just doesn’t seem happy. So it’s just like when are we ever going to get to that point.”
Inside Jax Taylor’s Lack of Commitment When It Comes to Their Marriage
Cartwright expressed frustration at Taylor making attempts to work on their issues — only to walk that effort back.
“He’s talked about getting help many times. And then he cancels all his appointments. So he’s just not really going by his word,” she told Us. “He says he’s gonna do something and then he never does it, but then complains that he needs help but he never goes and gets it done.”
Cartwright called Taylor’s behavior “super frustrating” for her.
Marking Her Return to Reality TV
“I was not really hesitant. The only thing I kind of was up and down about is I have a son now, so he’s our main focus, but we were ready to come back,” she shared. “I feel like I’ve always been here to open a book. I feel like I give everything and that’s what makes a good show.”
Which of Brittany Cartwright’s ‘VPR’ and ‘The Valley’ Costars Have Supported Her?
“My friends have all been so amazing. As you know, Janet [Caperna] is always there for me. Kristen [Doute] is there for me,” she noted. “I mean, everybody on [The Valley] cast has been there for me. Everybody’s been reaching out [such as] Jasmine [Goode]. The entire cast has been incredible. I’m always with them. They always are stopping by or checking in on me.”
Cartwright’s former costars from Vanderpump Rules have also remained by her side.
“Scheana [Shay] and Lala [Kent] are always texting me, checking in randomly and making sure that we’re seeing each other,” she told Us. “I’m really close to my family. My mom is always there for me and I’ve got so many friends from back home who have been best friends since childbirth.”
‘Disappointing’ Her Loved Ones — And Debating Going Back
Cartwright recalled having concerns that she was “disappointing” her loved ones with her separation.
“In reality, they all have been around Jax for so long as well and they’re not, like, judging me or anything like that. It’s a weird thing because I really thought that I was going to be a disappointment because my marriage might not work out and that was devastating for me. They are completely supportive. I have so many emotions,” she told Us. “One day I’m like, ‘Absolutely not. I’m never getting back with him. I’m never talking to him again.’ The next day, I’m like, ‘Oh, but I feel lonely.’ Like, it’s very crazy. And Kristen said to me, she’s like, ‘You’re grieving. You’re going through all these different steps of grieving. You’re mad, you’re angry and you’re sad.’ That is very true.”
Brittany Cartwright’s Attempts to Clean Up Jax Taylor’s Mess
Cartwright weighed in on Taylor’s tension with Doute on The Valley. (Season 1 showed Taylor questioning Doute’s decision to start a family with boyfriend Luke Broderick.)
“Me and Kristen have been close friends the whole time. I’ve been in L.A. right now and she’s been closer to me than Jax. Then of course, here I am trying to smooth things between them all the time. I am like, ‘Why am I doing this? Why?’ she said. “I still catch myself trying and I’m like, ‘I gotta stop doing that.’ He needs to see what it is like without me doing everything for him.”
Having Hope for Her Former Friendship With Stassi Schroeder
Cartwright has not remained in contact with Stassi Schroeder since she skipped her May 2022 wedding to Beau Clark in Italy. According to Cartwright, Schroeder has “not” reached out or checked in after news broke about her separation.
“It’s still sad for me but I’m hoping maybe one day we can get it back because we had such a good friendship,” she added. “I definitely miss her.”
