Katie Maloney Wasn’t Interested in Reality TV After ‘Vanderpump Rules.’ Then Came Stassi Schroeder
Katie Maloney has returned to reality television through Hulu’s House of Stassi after initially feeling reluctant to join another series following the end of Vanderpump Rules’ original cast era. She said the previous programme had taken a personal toll, but trusted longtime friend Stassi Schroeder’s approach and the production team, making the new project feel sufficiently different to consider. Her return matters because it reunites prominent figures from Vanderpump Rules in a new setting while reflecting the pressures experienced by established reality-TV personalities.
Schroeder invited Maloney to join after House of Stassi’s core cast had already been assembled, despite Maloney having known the series was in development since its August 2024 announcement. Their first on-screen meeting addresses a past fallout, with Maloney criticising Schroeder for narrowing her circle of relationships; Schroeder then says that directness is what she wanted for the show. House of Stassi premiered on Hulu on 29 July, and Maloney said she remained cautious about the renewed public attention that comes with appearing on an active reality series.
- Maloney returned to reality TV after trusting Schroeder’s new Hulu project.
- Vanderpump Rules had made her wary of another series.
- House of Stassi premiered on Hulu on 29 July.
New here? Start with this
Katie Maloney and Stassi Schroeder became known through Vanderpump Rules, a reality series about staff and friends connected to Los Angeles restaurant owner Lisa Vanderpump. The programme followed their friendships, work lives and conflicts over many years, making both women familiar faces to its audience.
Maloney and Schroeder have been close friends at times but have also had public disagreements. Their relationship is significant to viewers because changes in their friendship have often been part of the wider group dynamics shown on television.
Reality television can bring intense public scrutiny, particularly for people who have appeared on long-running series. A new programme featuring former Vanderpump Rules cast members offers a different setting, while still drawing attention to their personal relationships and life after the earlier show.