Lala Kent. Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Evenflo
Lala Kent is making her way to The Valley after Bravo announced season 12 of the hit show Vanderpump Rules will feature a whole new cast.
“It’s natural for Lala to be around everyone [on The Valley]. It’s not forced,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “She’s naturally around them all the time.”
The Valley — which premiered in March — is a spinoff series that stars several Vanderpump Rules alums, including Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright and Kristen Doute. The Bravo show follows the group as they transition from their party days in West Hollywood to family life in the San Fernando Valley. The series was an instant hit with fans and was quickly renewed for a second season.
While Taylor, 45, Cartwright, 35, and Doute, 41, left SUR behind, they still remain close to Kent, 34, and some of their other former costars, like Scheana Shay.
“They are all friends and their kids are around each other too,” the insider adds of Kent’s dynamic with The Valley stars. “She enjoys hanging out with them.”
The source notes that Kent also “recently filmed something” with Tom Schwartz — reportedly separate from the Bravo series.
Bravo announced on Tuesday, November 26, that there would be a casting shakeup for Vanderpump Rules season 12. Only Lisa Vanderpump will remain as she welcomes a new group of “close-knit SUR-vers who are as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessors.” No additional casting information has been released and season 12 will begin production next year.
After news broke of the decision, Kent was the first Vanderpump Rules star to react, sharing a sweet message reflecting on her time on the reality series.
“Where to begin. I was a young girl from Salt Lake City who made her way to L.A. I would introduce myself as Lauren, but because my childhood best friend referred to me as Lala, my nickname quickly stuck,” Kent wrote via Instagram on Tuesday. “Sur was a place that became home. I found myself not only sipping on vodka sodas there, but behind a hostess stand … it still to this day is the most intimidating job I’ve ever had. A short time later the opportunity to be on a show called Vanderpump Rules landed in front of me.”
Kent added that she had “mixed feelings right now” but remained appreciative of being part of the cast for so long.
“This show changed my whole life. I’m unbelievably grateful for every moment,” she continued “I’m unbelievably grateful for Bravo, for NBCU, for our crew, the entire cast, and most importantly all of you. We rocked this b— until the wheels fell off 💃.”
With reporting by Andrea Simpson
