Are Kristen Doute and Brittany Cartwright Still Best Friends? The Latest Timeline
Kristen Doute and Brittany Cartwright always had a tight bond on Vanderpump Rules.
Kristen Doute and Brittany Cartwright are reuniting in The Valley, and it seems their friendship game is still going strong since their time on Vanderpump Rules.
Despite scandalously hooking up with Jax Taylor in Vanderpump Rules' second season — long before Jax and Brittany became an item — the trio's tight relationship will be on display when The Valley premieres on Bravo on March 19.
Kristen, a Vanderpump Rules O.G., appeared on the Show with Brittany for four seasons: Brittany was regular from Seasons 6 through 8, but also had a guest role in Season 4 and a recurring role in Season 5, soon after she moved from Kentucky and secured a job at Lisa Vanderpump’s SUR restaurant, thanks to her then-boyfriend — and now-husband — Jax.
Take a look at how Kristen and Brittany’s friendship evolved over the years ahead of the season premiere of The Valley.
Did Kristen and Brittany Hook Up?
It was (literally) minutes into the Vanderpump Rules Season 5 premiere that drama started for the women, and Jax was in the dead center of it all. Jax and Tom Sandoval were working the bar when telling Lisa that Brittany — new to the SUR staff — hooked up with Kristen.
“Jax walked in on Brittany and Kristen,” Sandoval told Lisa.
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Lisa found it to be a “vaguely bizarre” rumor. But Jax stood by his claims, and the back-and-forth over the alleged incident was a major storyline throughout the season.
Kristen admitted that when “hammered,” she and Brittany “shared a couple of wasted kisses,” but it didn't go further, despite what Jax said. Brittany added Jax spreading the rumor was “super embarrassing,” and denied the event ever took place.
The rumors didn’t seem to impact Kristen and Brittany’s friendship, though, and the Vanderpump Rules group welcomed Brittany as one of their own. Kristen later claimed Jax perpetuated the gossip because “Jax is a thrill-seeker, and I think he gets bored, and he likes to stir up drama if there's none of his own.”
Was Kristen Doute Brittany Cartwright's Maid of Honor?
In Vanderpump Rules Season 7, Episode 20, Kristen believed she was a shoo-in to be Brittany’s Maid of Honor at Brittany and Jax’s upcoming wedding. But during the engagement party, Brittany revealed her lifelong friend, Cara, would hold the honor and Katie Maloney would be Matron of Honor (because she was already married).
“I’ve known that Cara was gonna be my Maid of Honor before I knew Jax would be my husband,” Brittany told producers.
During the Vanderpump Rules After Show, Brittany called Kristen one of her “very best friends” but was unaware of Kristen’s desire until after the episode aired. She clarified that picking Katie and Cara didn’t suggest that she liked any one person more than the other but noted the honorees introduced her to Jax in the first place.
“Asking my bridesmaids and figuring out my bridesmaids was one of the — I almost wanna cry — was one of the hardest things I had to do because I didn’t want to leave people out [and] I didn’t want to upset people,” Brittany told other cast members. “It just hurts my feelings thinking that she thought that. That just makes me sad.”
Kristen later called the wedding “epic” and “magic,” citing it as the “most honest, truthful moment of Jax’s life.”
Are Kristen Doute and Brittany Cartwright best friends?
Brittany and Kristen might have left Vanderpump Rules after Season 8 in 2020, but their friendship didn’t seem to fizzle out in the slightest.
In July 2022, Kristen reportedly addressed her relationship with Brittany and Jax since their time together on Vanderpump Rules during an “Ask Me Anything” sesh on her Instagram Stories.
“Jax and Britt and I are still very close; Brittany is my best friend,” Kristen told fans. “I see them multiple times per week, probably more than Jax wants to. And yeah, they are a mom and dad.”
Brittany and Jax welcomed their son, Cruz, to the world on April 12, 2021, and their parenting ways will be shown in the upcoming series, The Valley.
Brittany Helped Kristen and Ariana’s Fractured Friendship
In 2023, Ariana Madix claimed Brittany was the peacemaker between her and Kristen after years of fighting.
Fans will recall that earlier in Vanderpump Rules history, Kristen practically made it her life’s mission to split up Ariana and Sandoval after Kristen and Sandoval’s messy breakup.
Prior to Kristen’s epic cameo in the Vanderpump Rules Season 10 finale, Ariana said on the Hot Takes & Deep Dives with Jess Rothschild podcast that Brittany was the peacemaker.
“When Brittany came into the picture, and we all loved her so much, it’s almost like Brittany kind of brought us all together in [a] sense,” said Ariana. “And then we were able to be around each other and get to know each other outside of all of that other stuff.”
Kristen and Brittany’s Friendship Since Vanderpump Rules
A quick look at Kristen’s Instagram page shows the pair’s fun-filled adventures. Recently, Kristen and Brittany had a girls’ night out with fellow castmates from The Valley, Nia Booko and Jasmine Goode.
In December, the friends were arm-in-arm when joining their former co-stars Lala Kent and Scheana Shay for the Ratner Gala. In August 2022, they were all smiles at Scheana and Brock Davies’ wedding.
Kristen also had some beautiful words for Brittany and Jax after they welcomed Cruz, whom Kristen previously referred to as her nephew.
“I have no words for how much my heart is exploding! Congratulations, I love you both so much,” Kristen said with a blue heart emoji. “Brittany, you are a queen.”
In a heartfelt post from January 2021, Kristen posted a bunch of photos of herself and Brittany for the latter’s birthday, detailing how much she valued their friendship.
“I’m so grateful to call you my best friend. Our memories are way beyond these few photos, but you’re the sweetest soul, the kindest heart, and so perfectly weird, just like me,” Kristen wrote.
Fans can expect to see more of Kristen and Brittany’s friendship in The Valley coming to Bravo on March 14.
