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Brittany Cartwright Says "People Don’t Really Know What’s Going On" Amid Marriage Separation
Brittany — who recently separated from her former Vanderpump Rules costar — said she understood why Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix could have felt stuck in their relationship.
Vanderpump Rules cast members, old and new, sat with the cast of The Valley to discuss one of the world’s biggest cheating scandals, dubbed Scandoval. But during the sit-down, former SURver Brittany Cartwright also dished about the current state of affairs between her and her estranged husband, Jax Taylor.
Here's what Brittany hinted about her relationship with Jax now — and what led to the split on the Vanderpump Rules After Show.
Brittany Cartwright on Marriage Speculation
Brittany sat with Lala Kent as the group tackled the now-infamous cheating saga between Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix, discussing why Ariana might have tried to make the relationship work in the past.
On the After Show, a flashback of the episode even depicted Scheana Shay referencing Brittany and Jax’s turbulent relationship, despite them marrying and having a child after Jax admitted to cheating in 2017, as Scheana noted people have tried to make relationships work despite rough patches.
In February 2024, Jax and Brittany announced they were “taking some time apart” and living in separate homes. However, both insisted “it’s not a publicity stunt” ahead of The Valley premiere, airing Tuesday, March 19, 2024, on Bravo.
“We can put all the happy stuff on Instagram that we want to, but people don’t really know what’s going on unless you’re with them 24-7,” Brittany said in the After Show.
Here's what you missed on Bravo:
Find Out Why Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright Reunited — and How Her Mom, Sherri, Played a Role
Jax Taylor Hints at the Reason for His Separation from Brittany Cartwright: "Zero to Do With..."
Tom Schwartz Says Jax Will Be “Divorced and Miserable” Like Him in New Trailer for The Valley
Does Brittany feel “stuck” in her marriage to Jax?
When asked about Sandoval’s previous claims that he felt “stuck” in his nine-year relationship with Ariana, Brittany gave her insight — and possibly some insight into her own relationship with Jax, with whom she shares a 2-year-old son, Cruz.
“I can kind of get how you get into this friendship-roommate-type situation, and then you just feel like you are kind of stuck a little bit,” said Brittany. “Not that I am, but I feel that way sometimes, if me and Jax are going through our hard times. It can be very hard to separate that. Like, I’m thinking, ‘Am I gonna lose all this stuff I built? Am I gonna be OK?’ It can be very scary. Very hard. So, I understand, honestly.”
Kristen Doute — who once hooked up with Jax in earlier seasons of Vanderpump Rules — had this to say about her ex and her best friend:
“It’s very easy to judge Jax and Brittany knowing what I know [from] before their marriage and before Cruz,” said Kristen. “But at the end of the day, Brittany’s a grown woman with a husband and a child and she can make decisions for herself, choices for herself, and my job is to be Brittany’s friend.”
Kristen added that “literally, no one knows” what happens behind closed doors, a sentiment shared by castmates from the upcoming series, The Valley, when speaking about Sandoval and Ariana’s relationship.
“Nobody knows what you’re going through unless you’re in bed with that person,” said Michelle Lally, who, along with her husband, Jesse Lally, joined The Valley for its premiere season.
Nia Booko agreed, saying she’ll “comment as minimally as possible” on discussions about others’ relationships despite everyone in the series having an opinion.
“Even if you’re getting one side of a story about a relationship, you don’t know the depth of a relationship unless you’re in the room, in the house with them all the time,” she said.
Jesse, sitting with Jason Caperna and Danny Booko, said it was “impossible” to know what others go through, unless you learn from your closest of guy friends. Sometimes, Jesse said, it could even come down to how much affection a couple shares inside their home.
“A morning hug, a morning kiss ... once that disappears, everything else starts to trickle away, too,” Jesse said. “You don’t know that unless you’re at the counter having coffee in the morning.”
The Valley premieres Tuesday, March 19, 2024, on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock.