Raquel Leviss Takes Responsibility For Her Part In 'Scandoval' Drama

Raquel Leviss has no problem owning up to her mistakes.

The 28-year-old is making another round of news headlines after openly discussing her affair with co-star Tom Sandoval from "Vanderpump Rules," on Bethenny Frankel's podcast earlier this month.

She and the actor had secretly dated each other for at least seven months while the latter was in a relationship with his long-term girlfriend, Ariana Madix. The reality star has now admitted to not handling the situation as she should have.

Even though Leviss told Frankel that she would not have begun the affair with Sandoval if she had known his relationship would go the distance, the actress has now opened up about her part in it. The opportunity to do so came when the "Bravo Tea with Jared B" podcast uploaded a video on their Instagram page.

During the short analysis where Jared broke down the details of the interview, he called out the California-born beauty for her comments, expressing, "If you wanted to be with Tom Sandoval so [badly], you should have let him know that this tryst, the situation that was going between you and him, goes no further until you know officially that they have broken up."

Upon watching the footage, the former Miss Sonoma County took to the comments section, lengthily writing:

"💯 you're not wrong! I should have had more self respect than that and should have respected the relationship that Ariana had with Tom. No excuses. However, looking back, I see I had low self-worth, and Tom kept telling me he was actively breaking up with her 'amicably' for her 'mental health,' which I can now see was magical thinking."

Continuing her explanation, Leviss claimed that Sandoval "had a million and one reasons" why he and Madix "hadn't broken up yet, and it was easier to stay in that fantasy" than to "face the fact that the social anxiety and isolation was not worth it." She then added that Jared was "absolutely 100% right" since removing herself from the unhelpful situation was her responsibility.

One month before her admittance of wrong, Frankel had spoken up in support of Leviss, urging her to remain unshakeable regarding the compensation she deserves amid the scandal. The Blast noted that the Skinnygirl mogul had declared during an interview:

"She had an affair. She's not the first person in the world that's had an affair and, you know, bullying or beating someone down for a tragic error that, yes, everybody has, like, Lord of the Flies grabbed and ripped the meat off the carcass. Great. OK."

The 52-year-old added, "You were wrong; you slept with someone's boyfriend. It happens. You work in a bar on a reality television show, the most toxic environment in history." Frankel then noted that the media had exaggerated the situation, amplifying and treating it as a significant event like an election.

Stepping into a new phase following her departure from "Vanderpump Rules," The Blast reported that Leviss has taken a courageous stride. Recently, she revamped her Instagram profile, making adjustments including changing her display name to 'Rachel,' her original name. 

With over 600,000 followers, her bio now conveys, "Becoming a better person... one day at a time." Amid all of that, there were speculations about her potential return to the reality television show; it was verified that after careful consideration, the former beauty pageant queen has decided not to participate in the upcoming season's filming. One insider disclosed:

"Rachel will not be returning for season 11 of Vanderpump Rules. There was a possibility up until recently she'd be returning for the new season, but ultimately decided against it. 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."

Also confirming the news was Lisa Vanderpump, who mentioned during an interview that Leviss would not be part of the upcoming 11th season despite her initial inclination. The 62-year-old further revealed her consideration of filming an exclusive interview with the Internet personality, aiming to delve into her personal development journey and her experiences in a mental health facility following the Sandoval scandal.