Once upon a time, Randall Emmett’s name was splashed all over the headlines — and not just because of his appearances on ‘Vanderpump Rules.” His rep took quite the beating after his split from Lala Kent, as several unsavory details emerged. However, more recently, it looks like he’s doing what he can to start fresh.
ICYMI, a number of disturbing claims against Emmett came out after his and Lala Kent’s 2021 breakup. Among the alarming accusations were allegations of workplace verbal abuse, offering roles to Hollywood hopefuls in exchange for sexual favors, and even threats made against his ex-wife. Unsurprisingly, his character was called into question, and soon, he was regarded as yet another disgraced Hollywood producer.
Of course, the news cycle moves fast, and with the exception of details about his messy custody battle with Kent, the spotlight on Emmett has dimmed somewhat. However, that’s not to say he’s entirely off the radar. Au contraire, he actually made headlines again in September 2024, when it transpired that he’d sold the house he and Kent had once shared (and which had actually been featured on “Vanderpump Rules” while the couple was still together). Unfortunately for Emmett, it was revealed that he’d had to drop the price of the home, ultimately settling on $4.995 million despite its original listing at $6.2 million. Given just how much time he and Kent had spent getting the renovations done, that had to sting. Even so, there’s no question that the move away from the home coincided with his attempts at distancing himself from all the claims.
Randall Emmett is trying to re-brand himself
Other than the house sale, another detail that emerged about Randall Emmett in 2024 is that he changed his name professionally. News of the pseudonym broke in April 2024 when the trailer for “Cash Out” listed “Ives” as the film’s director. That didn’t stay quiet for too long — speaking to Page Six the day of the film’s release, an unnamed source revealed that Emmett had decided to use his middle name for his directing projects but wouldn’t be making any changes to his producing credits. That may be the case … but we also think it’s a little convenient that he’d go for a new moniker as he emerged from a scandal.
Other signs that point to Emmett distancing himself from the drama include two profiles on the producer-turned-director, both in Haute Living and Flaunt. Two very complimentary articles — that is, focused exclusively on his professional accomplishments and what was next for him. Zero mentions of the elephant(s) in the room. In a word, it was giving re-brand.
Time will tell if Emmett’s attempts at rehabbing his image pay off. That said, at the time of writing, it doesn’t seem entirely likely. After all, in August 2024, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Emmett had long been on the Writer’s Guild of America’s list of producers not to work with, and that another producer linked to him had been placed on the list more recently, too. What’s more, the outlet noted that writers approached by that producer or Emmett were urged to inform the guild’s legal division. A whole lot of yikes going on.
