Jax Taylor and Katie Maloney weren’t the biggest enemies on Vanderpump Rules when the show started, but nearly a decade later they’re still at odds.
Viewers were introduced to the former costars when Vanderpump Rules debuted in 2013. In addition to getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it’s like to work at Lisa Vanderpump‘s various Los Angeles restaurants, fans were also treated to plenty of drama.
As Katie’s relationship with — and subsequent marriage to — Tom Schwartz played out on screen, Jax often ended up at odds with his friend’s significant other. It didn’t help that Katie was (and continues to be) close with Jax’s ex-girlfriend, Stassi Schroeder.
Following a high-profile split early into Vanderpump Rules‘ tenure on Bravo, Jax and Stassi were able to remain friends. They even developed a bond with each other’s respective partners, Brittany Cartwright and Beau Clark.
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Things took a turn, however, when Jax and Brittany skipped Stassi and Beau’s wedding in Italy in May 2022. Jax and Brittany tried to explain why they had to miss the big day, but Stassi and Beau haven’t publicly accepted their apology or let them back into their inner circle.
Katie, for her part, was the maid of honor at the wedding and as a result remained loyal to Stassi. Brittany has since confirmed that Katie has kept her distance from her and Jax since the wedding drama.
Scroll on for a timeline of Katie and Jax’s feud through the years:
Caught on Camera
When they joined Vanderpump Rules in 2013, Katie and Jax were not close friends when cameras were rolling. Katie remained on Stassi’s side amid the former reality star’s ups and downs with Jax. Meanwhile, Jax argued that Katie wasn’t a good fit for his friend Schwartz.
(Katie and Schwartz tied the knot in 2016 but called it quits five years later after over a decade together.)
Growing Closer
As the Vanderpump Rules cast rose to stardom, several couples chose to move out of their small Los Angeles apartments into spacious homes. However, it wasn’t long before every pair ended up in the same neighborhood of Valley Village.
“I was not excited about that, and I was very much opposed to it. I love them. I love all my friends. But I don’t want to live next to any of them,” Katie told The Daily Dish in 2017. “I think it’s great that we have our space. We spend so much time together — working together, hanging out, traveling together, that it’s really nice to kind of have your space. And now our space is their space kind of.”
Katie said she spoke with Brittany about boundaries — but Jax didn’t get the message.
“Brittany and I, especially, had a conversation not, like, laying ground rules, but just kind of being, ‘Hey, this could be fun. This could be great, but just remember just call or text,’” she continued. “Jax has not been following that rule. Like, random knocks at the door. I’m like, ‘Who’s here?’ Jax [at the door], ‘Is Tom home?’”
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Amid the lighthearted complaint, Jax publicly showed his support for Katie and Schwartz’s marriage.
“Everybody’s got an opinion. It’s so funny. If everybody would just take care of themselves in this world, it would be better,” he told Bravo Insider about the then-newlyweds at the time. “Well, they just got married. The first year is always the hardest, they say, right? But I think they’ve been great as far as I can see. I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, but I think Tom and Katie have been great. So far, so good.”
Jax noted he was always around if Katie or Schwartz needed advice, adding, “I mean, I live down the hall from them, so I would see [any issues] first. … People [say], ‘You were really adamant about saying maybe you shouldn’t get married.’ I wasn’t saying, ‘Don’t get married’ because I don’t like Katie — I love Katie and I love Tom.”
Taking Digs
After praising Katie and Schwartz’s union, Jax was singing a different tune three years later.
“If Katie doesn’t drive Tom crazy [then they could go the distance], ’cause Tom is the most easygoing guy in the world, Katie can be a little tough at times,” Jax explained to Bravo Insider in March 2020. “She’s just a firecracker. I love them together. They’re my best friends, both of them, I want them to be together forever and then some. … They’re good. They’re good right now.”
Later that year, Jax and Brittany announced their departure from Vanderpump Rules.
At Odds Again
Jax did not hold back about his issues with Katie after she publicly sided with Stassi following the wedding drama.
“She’s so far up Stassi’s butt,” Jax said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in March 2023. “It makes no sense. [It’s like] high school.”
The former bartender also accused Katie of previously cheating on Schwartz. “No, Katie has [cheated],” he said in response to a question about which of his Pump Rules costars weren’t involved in infidelity drama. Katie, for her part, has denied the claims several times.
That same month, Jax and Brittany hinted they weren’t ruling out a return to Vanderpump Rules in the aftermath of Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss‘ cheating scandal. Katie, however, had questions about Jax’s intention after he bashed the reality TV series since his initial exit.
“Jax has also been talking s–t about the show for three years. So like, what? I find that odd. Obviously he’s changed his tune, but OK,” she said on the “Everything Iconic With Danny Pellegrino” podcast in April 2023.
Bravo has since ordered a spinoff series starring Brittany, Jax and Kristen Doute.
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Getting the Last Laugh
Ahead of the highly anticipated season 10 reunion of Vanderpump Rules, Jax claimed to have “tea” about alleged brawls that broke out during filming. Katie set the record straight when she commented on a Bravo fan account’s post about Jax’s comments in March 2023, writing, “Lol.”
The reunion, which aired in May, didn’t include any cast members getting physical. James Kennedy, though, left the stage multiple times after getting upset with Sandoval and nearly charging at him during an argument.
Choosing Her Side
During Jax and Brittany’s three-episode stint on Peacock’s Watch With feature, the former sweater designer made a rare comment in support of Katie.
“I think [Sandoval] had a lot to do with why they got divorced,” Jax said in April 2023 about how Sandoval’s friendship with Schwartz affected the latter’s marriage to Katie. “I would like to think they would still be together if it weren’t for Sandoval. As much as Katie drives me nuts, I see her point.”
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Rehashing Old Drama
In October 2023, Jax put Katie on blast when he claimed she was “mean” to Brittany.
“I have a problem with that,” he said in footage from an event uploaded to Instagram via a fan account. “She’s mean to my wife. She hasn’t returned calls and they haven’t talked forever. She did our gender reveal [party] and she was in our wedding. Katie’s got a little bit of a big head right now. She’s riding on Ariana [Madix]‘s coattails.”
The fan account allegedly received a message from Katie, which read, “Lol Brittany hasn’t called me. I also saw her on Scheana [Shay]’s birthday and we were fine. I’m not mean to her.”
Jax fired back when screenshots of Katie’s response appeared on social media. “Bulls–t … you are a mean girl to my wife … she’s done nothing to you but be your friend,” he wrote in the comments section of the fan account’s post. “That’s [a] lie we need to see proof!!! I can say s–t too show the proof that you called.”
That same month, Jax appeared on WWHL where he agreed with Andy Cohen that Katie was Stassi’s “puppet,” adding, “I think because of the situation that we didn’t go to Stassi’s wedding, Katie is just doing what Stassi says. So she’s mad at my wife and I just don’t think that is fair. It had nothing to do with my wife, so I don’t think she should be so mean to her.”
Pointing Blame Her Way
Jax blamed Katie for starting rumors that he was cheating on Brittany, which was repeated on season 11 of Vanderpump Rules and season 1 of The Valley.
“Katie loves to f—king just start s—t. That’s what she does. She plays at home and she sees something on her phone on Reddit and she will start the rumor mill. That’s what she does. She’s spreading all kinds of s—t,” Jax said on the Vanderpump Rules After Show in March 2024. “Can you remind me what it was again though?”
Jax denied the accusations, which Katie said she didn’t start.
“[The blind item] is not specific to me or being sent to me. I am not the one creating these rumors. Literally anyone can see it and thousands have seen it,” she argued in her own interview. “When you see blind items about people that you know, you are going to send them to people that you know.”
While talking to Ariana Madix about the speculation, Katie said she personally thought Jax could have been unfaithful. Jax and Brittany announced their decision to separate shortly after the clips for the aftershow were taped. A source previously told Us Weekly that infidelity had nothing to do with the separation.
Sharing Her Side of the Story
During an appearance on WWHL in March 2024, Katie addressed her rift with Brittany, saying, “Obviously, our friendship has been strained for a while because of Jax. I don’t like that man.”
