Lala Kent Tearfully Shares How 'Pump Rules' Cast Changes Remind Her of Losing Her Dad

Vanderpump Rules Farewell

Lala Kent recently opened up about how her departure from Vanderpump Rules brought up unexpected emotions, comparing the finality of the moment to significant losses in her life.

"I’ve known this was coming for a while," Kent revealed on the November 29 episode of former costar Scheana Shay’s Scheananigans podcast. Reflecting on the show’s intense ups and downs, she acknowledged, “It just felt very final to me,” adding that her outburst during the season 11 finale confirmed what she already knew in her heart.

Kent explained that her connection to Vanderpump Rules was deeply personal, likening the sense of closure to a poignant memory involving her late father. “I’m not comparing this to the passing of my dad,” she clarified, “but moments like these carry emotional weight, where you realize something meaningful is coming to an end.”

The Bravo hit series, which launched in 2013 as a spinoff of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, announced that season 12 would feature an entirely new cast. Kent, who joined the show in season 4, expressed mixed emotions about the transition.

“When Alex [Baskin] called me, I knew it was coming,” she noted. “But it still hit differently. It’s like the ‘graduation effect’—you don’t want to go back, but there’s a strange nostalgia for everything, even the bad times.”

Kent acknowledged that while her time on the show was filled with drama and personal growth — including her journey to sobriety—she’s choosing to focus on the positive memories. “I feel this intense bond to my cast,” she said, quipping, “They probably don’t feel the same way.”

The exit comes after a particularly turbulent final season, which centered on fallout from Tom Sandoval’s highly publicized affair with Rachel Leviss. Kent initially supported Sandoval’s ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix but later clashed with her during the season finale.

While Kent admitted to some regrets about how things ended with Madix, she stressed the importance of the show's legacy. “This was a wild, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she reflected, adding that she’s “at peace” with closing this chapter.

Madix expressed gratitude for Vanderpump Rules, calling it “an incredible phenomenon,” as she and Kent prepare for new beginnings while cherishing its legacy.