Stassi Schroeder Is Back to Reality
Jason Pham
Stassi Schroeder would like to reintroduce herself. Five years since she was last seen on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules, the show that made her a household name in the world of reality TV, Schroeder is back to her reality roots in Hulu’s Vanderpump Villa.
But this time, she’s not serving goat cheese balls and pinot grigios to the clientele of Vanderpump Rules and Vanderpump Villa executive producer Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant, SUR. Nor is she fighting with ex-boyfriends, ex-friends, and ex-enemies like she did for eight seasons on Vanderpump Rules. Instead, Schroeder is doing what she does best on Vanderpump Villa: gossiping and reporting the information back.
“Lisa and I have stayed in touch for a really long time because of my kid and her grandson. I would go to his birthday parties. I would see her at different places every now and then and run into her,” Schroeder tells StyleCaster. “Then she came to me, and she was like, ‘What do you think about going to Italy? You wouldn’t have to do literally anything, but have fun. You can bring your children, you can bring [husband] Beau [Clark]. You just have to snoop and live your best life.’”
But Vanderpump Villa—which returned to Hulu for its second season on April 25—isn’t the only reality show Schroeder has in the pipeline. At the same time as her casting announcement for Vanderpump Villa Season 2, news also broke that she also had another Hulu unscripted show in the works, which Variety described as a comedic half-hour docuseries titled Stassi Says. While Schroeder can’t say much about the show, she teased that Vanderpump Villa is only a taste of what’s to come.
That’s reality TV. You have to be OK with people picking you apart.
“I want to talk about that so bad. Without saying too much, Villa was the perfect way to reintroduce reality TV back into my life. I can’t wait until the day comes where I can finally say all the things,” she says. “I made that opportunity. That was not handed to me in any way. When I pitched my show to Hulu, it was just an easy, “Oh, well, Lisa’s doing this. Would love to have you.’”
Ahead, Schroeder talked to StyleCaster about the differences (and similarities) between Vanderpump Rules and Vanderpump Villa, the Villa cast member who reminded her of ex-boyfriend Jax Taylor, and what really went down during Tattoo Gate.
How was the experience on Vanderpump Villa different than Vanderpump Rules?
I had a completely different role, and I’m older now. I started Vanderpump Rules when I was 22. I was a server at SUR. That was just a completely different life, and Lisa was also my boss. To be able to come in now almost like 14 years later and almost be Lisa’s friend, the pressure was off. It was a completely different experience, and that was part of also why I wanted to do it. It’s low stakes for my personal life. This was a really great way to transition back in.
Did the experience remind you of Vanderpump Rules at all?
All of their personal problems. I got so close to the staff members and to see them having the same issues I had when I was working at SUR and filming Vanderpump Rules, like the betrayal, the falling for this person, someone being shady, and then having to work on top of that in the service industry. I was like, “Oh, I so fucking relate to what you guys are going right now.”
You say in Vanderpump Villa that Hannah and Marciano’s relationship gave you PTSD. What was it about their dynamic that reminded you of yourself?
Hannah reminds me of a younger me — not thinking things through, not knowing your worth, flying off the handle, making poor decisions. Thinking that if you’re the loudest, bossiest, seemingly strong one, that’s what gives you some power, but It really doesn’t. There’s something to be said for being thoughtful and thinking things through before you speak. She just reminds me so much of what I used to be like in my early 20s. Marciano is just running her around sometimes gaslighting her. She wasn’t being treated the way that she should be treated, and it just reminds me of Jax.
Vanderpump Villa revolves around the staff, but Season 2 did show a lot of your personal life, especially your marriage with Beau. Did you expect to share as much as you did?
I’m a reality TV veteran. I’ve been on reality TV since I was 16 years old. It’s all I know. I know the type of reality TV that people want to watch is real. What’s going on in your life? It’s the real conversations you’re having in private. When Beau and I decided to do this, we were like, “Yeah, we have to be real about everything. Otherwise, we shouldn’t be in this line of work.” I’m also proud of the things we were talking about, because I don’t see our dynamic represented that much in other shows. And if it is, it’s looked down upon if the man is more the stay-at-home father and takes care of the household and the mom is the breadwinner. We’re both proud of our lives and the family and life we’ve created together. That should be fucking represented.
I want to talk about Tattoo Gate.
I swear it’s not about the tattoo, and it sounds like it’s not about the pasta. It sounds like that line. But I wish it was just about the tattoo. It was just about something more. Like, “No, you’re not choosing me. You don’t need to get a fucking tattoo.”
Do you still want Beau to get a tattoo of your name?
No, but ask me when I’ve had, though, like, a million Aperol spritzes in Italy, and I probably would pick that fight again. But every day when I’m normal, I don’t think like, “Oh, he needs to get a tattoo of my name. I really don’t care.” It’s about what it represents.
I’m a reality TV veteran. It’s all I know.
What was going your head when you broke the fourth wall and told producers to take your mic off.
Take this mic off because I’m gonna say shit I’m gonna regret. I know I have to be truthful here and honest, so if I just end it here, then great. I was just trying to save myself from myself. It’s not easy to watch. It’s awkward. Then to be like, “Wow, people are gonna watch this and make opinions and assumptions and pick it apart.” But that’s reality TV. You have to be OK with people picking you apart.
Are there any celebrities you would want to host at the villa?
Oh, my God. Kris Jenner. I’d love to host Jennifer Coolidge, Seth Rogen is a big Vanderpump fan, and I’m watching The Studio right now. Those are my top three right now. But when I get in the car leaving here, I’m gonna think of 10 more and I’m gonna be kicking myself.
What’s the status of your Italian citizenship?
My way of getting Italian citizenship is going to be a different way. You don’t always have to follow the rules in order to get what you want, and I need to find a roundabout way. I don’t know if that’s bribery, bang someone off… I’m joking, but maybe I’m not. I’ll come up with a different way on how to do it versus passing the test. I don’t have an apt for language. I can’t be good at everything.
Photographer: Shane McCauley
Makeup: Hailey Hoff
Hair: Bradley Leake
Styling: Clothed LA
