Lala Kent Shares How Seeing ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Season 10 Is ‘Triggering’ Her
Lala Kent has covered a lot of relationship ground between seasons 9 and 10 of Vanderpump Rules. The reality star wrapped filming Season 9, defending her then-fiancé Randall Emmett amid cheating rumors. However, she later discovered there was truth to the murmuring — in fact, much more than she initially realized.
The couple split in October 2021, and what followed has been some relational messiness and what Kent has called a “war” over custody of the couple’s daughter, Ocean. Kent now sees herself in a much different place than she was in the midst of her breakup with Emmett and the filming of the following season of Vanderpump Rules, but is revisiting the worst of it as the season is now airing on Bravo.
Lala Kent and ex-fiancé Randall Emmett broke up after Season 9 wrapped
After wrapping filming for Season 9, Kent’s relationship with Emmett imploded. Emmett was photographed with two women in Nashville, and shortly after, the couple split. Kent later accused her ex of cheating on her with “many” women. Kent said she was “disgusted” that he made her feel safe enough to have a child with him during the Vanderpump Rules season 9 reunion.
A Los Angeles Times report accused Emmett of sexual misconduct. Emmett denied the allegations. Kent told Entertainment Tonight that she’s heard “much worse” than what has been officially reported. It was the crux of her ongoing custody battle over Ocean, who was born in March 2021. “It’s horrific; it’s disturbing, and it’s why I’m in a custody battle,” Kent said. “Ocean Kent has to be protected…I’m doing what I need to do to ensure her safety and her future.”
‘Vanderpump Rules’ Season 10 was an emotional rollercoaster
In the interview with ET, Kent said that watching Season 10 back after several months since filming gives her a new perspective. “The Lala that was on screen was still trying to process what had happened — we were so fresh and in it,” she said. “Now, I’m swimming when I thought that I would be sinking. It’s almost like watching a person I don’t really know.”
Kent states that the emotions were very raw and real at the time, but she has gone through a lot of healing since then, including retracing her steps through Alcoholics Anonymous to reclaim her sobriety. She said that she is no longer in the same emotional state as the person she sees on screen in Season 10, but it reminds her of the growth she has experienced. She feels a little triggered by the person she sees on screen and expresses sympathy toward her because they are no longer in the same place emotionally.
Lala Kent said filming Season 10 saved her: ‘It felt like the most epic purge’
Despite the relational drama that she went through while filming Season 10, Kent said it hasn’t been hard to rewatch the episodes so far. “I actually am enjoying it,” she told ET. “Season 10 — this sounds crazy — it saved me. It just felt like the most epic purge. It was like therapy every day. Even though it’s strange to relive it, it almost is like, wow, look at how far we’ve come.”
Season 10 started with Kent telling her friends and castmates that they either needed to stand with her, or not be “in her circle” at all. ET asked why she took that stance. “I was going to war,” Kent said of her custody battle with Emmett over their daughter, Ocean. “I couldn’t have anybody who wasn’t with me because they were a liability.” Kent explained that had it just been her in the picture, she could have withstood some of her acquaintances keeping up with Emmett from time to time. But with Ocean in the picture, it wasn’t an option for her.
The beginning of Season 10 contained turmoil for much of the cast including Kent, but now that she’s past filming the season, she’s in a place she feels proud of. “I feel happy, I feel free,” the star said, later adding “I haven’t felt that way in a really long time.”
