‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’: Angelina Pivarnick’s ‘Bond’ With Sammi Giancola Persuaded Reluctant Reality Star to Return
The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation cast had no idea plans were in the works for former castmate Sammi Giancola to return for season 7 of the MTV series. The reality stars had gathered together for yet another family getaway in the Poconos, PA, when Sammi walked in the door accompanied by current castmate Angelina Pivarnick. Angelina reportedly persuaded the reluctant reality star to return, citing their “bond” as the reason for the surprise reunion.
Sammi Giancola returned to ‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ after Angelina Pivarnick reached out
At the close of season 6 of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Angelina Pivarnick was in another stressful situation with her roommates. As the season ended, she became engaged to Vinny Tortorella but wasn’t thrilled with how some of her roommates reacted to the news since she had just gotten divorced from Chris Larangeira.
As a trailer for the new season revealed, Nicole Polizzi, Deena Cortese, and Jenni Farley were unsure where they stood with their longtime friend. Said Jenni of Angelina, “I’ve cut people out of my life for less.”
However, the group managed to reunite for another family trip, which took place in March 2023 in Pennsylvania. Angelina would not arrive at the gathering alone, but it wasn’t her fiance who accompanied her.
“I like that I was actually able to pull it off, and everybody else couldn’t,” Angelina explained to Page Six. “She and I always had a bond,” the reality star declared.
However, she was not allowed to leak news of Sammi’s arrival at the event to the cast. The idea was to capture their reactions as Sammi walked through the door.
Angelina Pivarnick says ‘everyone’s mouths were on the floor’ when Sammi Giancola arrived
In a teaser trailer for the new season, the women are seen as they arrive at the Poconos home they will share with the cast. Sammi asks, “Did you tell them you DM’d me?” Angelina replies, “No.”
As they walked through the door, with Sammi ahead of Angelina, she announced her arrival. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late!” The cast was shocked, and Paul DelVecchio shouted, “What the f***?”
Angelina says that it was essential that the secret was kept between her, Sammi, and the show’s producers so that a natural reaction could be caught on camera.
She said, “The producers were amazing about not telling anybody. Everyone’s mouths were on the floor.”
How close were Sammi Giancola and Angelina Pivarnick?
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation fans were privvy to the friendship between Deena Cortese and Sammi Giancola. The women kept in touch after the original series ended.
When the reboot series first aired, Deena wouldn’t allow anyone to speak poorly about Sammi. She said this after Pauly D produced a life-sized doll in her likeness to include her in the cast’s shenanigans.
For some time, Sammi, Nicole, and Jenni also remained friendly. Sammi was a member of Nicole’s bridal party when she married Jionni LaValle in 2014.
But, as years passed, the women fell out of touch. In an interview with E! News in 2022, Nicole admitted that Sammi blocked her on social media.
“I went to message her a while ago, and she blocked me,” Nicole said. “I don’t know what I did.”
Therefore the person Sammi filmed least with, Angelina, would be the person she continued to speak with. Angelina only lasted for three episodes during season one of the original series. She left midway through season 2, not returning to the show until its reboot, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.
Angelina told Us Weekly in 2019, “I said this in the beginning — like, years ago — that Sammi should return. But she’s living her best life.”
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation season 7 begins Aug. 3, 2023. The series airs at 8 p.m. EST on MTV.
