Why It's No Surprise Rachel Leviss Didn't Show For Bravocon 2023
The Bravolebs were out in droves at BravoCon 2023 — and by droves, we mean more than 160 of them! "Our Bravolebrities are so happy! It's really great. They're selling their merch. They're meeting their fans. They're making so many people happy. And it's a real kind of circular love fest," BravoCon master of ceremonies Andy Cohen gushed to ET about the three-day-long festivities. Alas, there was one infamous player within the Bravo zeitgeist notably missing in action! Where in the world was Rachel "Raquel" Leviss?
Perhaps, however, Leviss' BravoCon absence shouldn't really come as a surprise at all. As you may recall, Leviss became the talk of the Bravosphere when it was revealed in March 2023 that she had been secretly entangled in a longstanding affair with "Vanderpump Rules" cast mainstay Tom Sandoval, subsequently betraying the trust of Sandoval's longtime partner, Leviss' good friend, and fellow castmate, Ariana Madix, as well as the rest of the cast and crew — all in one fell swoop. And since then, she has been laying low, living her life decidedly out of the spotlight.
Rachel Leviss chose not to return to filming
In the days, weeks, and months following the revelation of the scandalous affair aptly titled "Scandoval," many wondered if Rachel "Raquel" Leviss would return to "Vanderpump Rules." But in August 2023, a source told ET that Leviss would not be filming another season. "There was a possibility up until recently she'd be returning for the new season, but ultimately decided against it," the source explained. "Rachel is focused on her mental health journey and knew going back to the show would open her up to trauma she's been working on healing. Rachel is looking forward to what the future holds for her."
It appears, however, that Leviss' potential compensation, or lack thereof, may have also had a little something to do with her decision. "The network is running to the bank — like laughing, running to the bank with this scandal, and I haven't seen a single penny," she dished to former Bravoleb and self-appointed reality television union advocate Bethenny Frankel during part one of a three-part podcast interview. "Like it's not fair," she added.
Rachel Leviss wasn't invited to BravoCon 2023
Still, the most apparent reason Rachel "Raquel" Leviss did not attend BravoCon 2023 was simply because she wasn't invited. Sources told TMZ that no one from Bravo reached out to Leviss or extended her an invitation to the three-day Bravo TV convention. And perhaps for good reason...
Bravo dropped a teaser for the highly anticipated Season 11 of "Vanderpump Rules" on November 3 during BravoCon. While Leviss was obviously nowhere in the footage as she opted out of filming, her presence was still palpable as the rest of the cast was documented picking up the pieces from the mess Leviss and Tom Sandoval left in the wake of their sordid affair.
But that's not all. Leviss' name also came up in conversation during a panel with "Vanderpump Rules" producers Alex Baskin, Jeremiah Smith, Natalie Neurauter, and Sheonna Mix. During the discussion, the producers were adamant that their interactions with Leviss were far different than the way Leviss had portrayed them during her interview on Bethenny Frankel's "Just B" podcast. "Reading that article was a little difficult because I do know ... how hard the team, everybody works to keep an open-door policy," producer Sheonna Mix said. Smith also chimed in, noting, "I feel very, very good and comfortable about how I treated and interacted with Raquel throughout the seasons she was on the show ... We were celebrating her, so for her to now be taking this stance is a little upsetting."