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Raquel Leviss‘ restraining order against Scheana Shay has led to a major filming dilemma for Vanderpump Rules producers.
With the reunion special for season 10 set to be filmed later this month, prior to the ladies’ restraining order hearing on March 29, Raquel will reportedly be the one to sit out as her castmates, including Scheana, rehash the events of the season — and address the recent news regarding Raquel’s alleged affair with Tom Sandoval.
On March 13, multiple sources confirmed to The U.S. Sun that the reunion will be filmed on Thursday, March 23, in Los Angeles, and they noted that Raquel and Scheana’s participation hadn’t been completely worked out.
As Pump Rules fans well know, Raquel was granted a temporary restraining order against Scheana on March 7, which requires Scheana to stay at least 100 yards away from her at all times, after accusing Scheana of attacking her in response to her relationship with Sandoval on March 2.
Scheana pushed Raquel “against brick wall causing injury to back of head and punched [her] in the face causing injury to [her] left eye,” Raquel alleged, claiming her co-star left her with a “black eye and [a] cut/scar” on her eyebrow.
“Currently mutual friends and coworkers are telling me she doesn’t regret the physical attack on me and would do it again if she found that further emotional distress was caused to our mutual friend [Ariana],” she continued.
And while Scheana has denied the claims, saying via her attorney, Neama Rahmani, President of West Coast Trial Lawyers, that Raquel is a “liar” and a “cheat” who “has betrayed everyone close to her,” she is still not allowed to be in the same room with her.
“Raquel most likely is going to be the one to Zoom in,” an insider revealed. “[She’s] taking the cowardly way out by blaming the legal matters on why she can’t physically attend … [But] Scheana has no intention of missing the reunion. She is going to be there one way or another.”
According to family law attorney Goldie Schon, in addition to Raquel and Scheana being unable to be in the same space, the restraining order also keeps them from talking to each other — even on Zoom.
“If they are having a conversation with each other, that is a violation of the restraining order,” she shared. “And believe it or not, it’s not a violation of the person who has the restraining order (Raquel), it’s a violation of the person who has the restraining order against them (Scheana) to talk to the other person.”
Goldie also said that when it comes to the topics discussed at the upcoming reunion, which is expected to air sometime in May, Raquel and Scheana, whether separate or not, will have to tread lightly.
“They have to be really careful what they say [at the reunion] because if they say something that’s not exactly correct, it will be used against them a week later in court,” she warned.
An additional report from Radar Online on March 13 said that when it comes to the logistics of the Pump Rules reunion taping, producers are still working things out and have set up calls to the cast for this week.
Earlier this month, while appearing on Kristen Doute‘s podcast, Scheana joked that they all “need to have cages.”
“Everyone needs their own personal bodyguard because oof,” she explained. Kristen agreed, saying, “Security will definitely be amped up.”
Vanderpump Rules season 10 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.