This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
*After a steamy debut season set in the South of France, “Vanderpump Villa” returns with even higher stakes, a $30,000 bonus on the line, and an awe-inspiring new location: Castello Rosato, a 12th-century Italian castle nestled in the hills of Tuscany. With all 10 episodes now streaming on Hulu as of April 24, season two delivers a whirlwind of extravagant celebrations, elevated drama, and unforgettable moments, as told directly by the returning core staff.
At the heart of the action is Executive Chef Anthony, who found himself in culinary heaven. “The kitchen was three times bigger than what we had in France,” he said. “All the food we used came from local suppliers—it was high quality. For a chef, it was a dream come true.” Anthony credited Lisa Vanderpump for continuing to give him creative freedom, but noted that working with new local ingredients made the experience “even more precious.”
The promise of a $30,000 prize added new tension behind the scenes. “It was tough,” Anthony admitted. “That pressure, it definitely changed how we had to operate.”
Gabriella, the villa’s events coordinator, was blunt about the challenges she faced under Vanderpump’s watchful eye. “She has very high standards, and I was able to deliver—but thank God we brought back as many people as we did,” she said, suggesting some newcomers fell short of expectations. She also emphasized the real labor behind the glamor. “Every candle that was lit, every flower hanging from a chandelier—that was me and Grace and Hagen. We’re professionals, and I hope viewers see that.”
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That sentiment echoed across the team. Grace, one of the housekeepers, laughed off the notion that luxury equals ease. “Logistical nightmare?” she said. “There were a lot of stairs, that didn’t help.” Still, the core team came together in what she described as a “united front,” embracing their returning roles amidst a new crop of cast members. “If you give people room to grow, they do,” she said.
Marciano, returning as a server, said the core of his job remained unchanged, even amid new faces and new pressures. “You have a game plan and you execute,” he said. “Somebody like me and Hannah—we know how to make the guest experience top-notch.” He noted the return of “Vanderpump Rules” alum Stassi Schroeder as a “Special VIP” brought added intensity. “With her, you just couldn’t mess up,” Marciano explained. “But thankfully, she and her family were so easygoing, it made the experience smoother than expected.”
Hannah, also back as a server, embraced the season’s higher stakes. “I’m a lot more confident this season, doing my own thing,” she said. Her candor also earned her some tough moments. “My mouth gets me in trouble,” she admitted with a laugh, “but I stand in my own a lot more this time around.”
Meanwhile, behind the bar, Andre soaked in the Italian surroundings. “You step outside and see the hills and mountains and go, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I’m here,’” he said. The new setting inspired both his mood and his mixology. “With that experience comes great cocktails—put two and two together and it ends up being Lisa Vanderpump fun.”
When asked whether the bar became a drama hotspot or a place of refuge, Andre had a definitive answer: “Safe space. Absolutely. It was much bigger, so there was a lot of safe space going on.”
Despite the tensions and twists, the cast made it clear: nothing about the “Vanderpump Villa” experience is fake. “Lisa is the boss,” Anthony emphasized. “But everything else is made by us. It’s not fake at all—and that’s very important.”
From candlelit tables to high-stakes dinners and interpersonal blowouts, “Vanderpump Villa” Season 2 serves a full course of decadence, dysfunction, and delicious drama—Italian style.
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