Ariana Madix Teams Up with Shahs of Sunset's Nema Vand for His Latest Career Move
The Vanderpump Rules cast member connected with Nema for a special project.
Nema Vand had some very kind words for Ariana Madix.
During a recent appearance on Scheana Shay's podcast, the Shahs of Sunset cast member dished on reuniting with Ariana for a special project. Nema told listeners he had worked with Scheana's Vanderpump Rules castmate on a battery commercial, which he directed inside Ariana’s SoCal home.
“It’s a really cool thing when directing crosses over into the Bravo world,” he told the Scheananigans host. “And I’m out of the Bravo world now, but we had a client… [they] had a campaign with Ariana and when they found out I knew Ariana, we were part of the same group of friends, it was just, like, ‘Oh yeah, we want her to feel comfortable. We should do that.’ And it was a real worlds crossing… Ariana was amazing, by the way.”
Nema said working with Ariana was "so fun"
Nema teased the commercial via Instagram this month when he posted a behind-the-scenes photo of him and the Vanderpump Rules cast member smiling on set.
“Directing friends (esp Bravo friends) is so fun,” he wrote in the Instagram Story. “We’re dropping a fun one tonight.”
Ariana welcomed Nema into the Bravoverse
Nema, who briefly dated Scheana several years ago, admitted he wasn’t super close to Ariana but always appreciated her kindness, especially during his early Bravo days.
“One thing that always stuck out to me about her was she was always nice to me,” he revealed. “Ariana, from Day 1, every time I met her… she would always come out of her way and be like, ‘How are you doing? How are things? How are you enjoying the process?’ And I was always taken aback by how nice of a human being this person was.”
Nema pursued directing after his business folded
Nema is currently living in New York City working as a commercial and film director. The Los Angeles native spoke about his career goals in Shahs of Sunset Season 9, in which he also addressed his business struggles. Nema revealed that his casting company was hit hard during the COVID lockdowns, so much so that he was forced to shut it down. However, Nema managed to find the silver lining and chose to make a career shift.
“Four months ago, the pandemic crushed the company. And it’s a reality in my life," he said in the June 13, 2021 episode. "It sucks. But it’s an opportunity for me to pivot. I’ve wanted to get into directing forever, and this company’s kept me complacent. Now that it’s not in my life, this is the time… I’m at a crossroads, too. I think directing is the next step for me.”
