Ariana Madix

Madix was raised in Melbourne, Florida, by her parents, James and Tanya Madix, alongside her younger brother, Jeremy Madix. Her father died from a heart attack in 2013, and she has frequently expressed her affection for her mother and brother.

Madix was in a relationship with Tom Sandoval from 2014 to 2023. She began dating New York-based fitness coach Daniel Wai in 2023 after they met at a mutual friend's wedding in Mexico, and their relationship involved living in Los Angeles and New York. Madix came out as bisexual in 2020.

In 2018, Madix underwent surgery to remove a tumor after being diagnosed with skin cancer. She later became an ambassador for the Skin Cancer Foundation and has advocated for early detection. She has also discussed recovering from an eating disorder that she experienced when she joined Vanderpump Rules.

Madix began riding horses at age six and developed a competitive equestrian career. She also won two national dance championships. While studying at Flagler College, she worked as costumed characters including Ariel, Cinderella, and Aurora at Disney World. She graduated in 2007 with bachelor's degrees in theatre and broadcast communications, then studied at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts after moving to New York City.

Her early entertainment work included appearances in CollegeHumor videos and roles on The CollegeHumor Show, NFL Writers Room, and other web projects. She later worked at Lisa Vanderpump's restaurants Villa Blanca and SUR, where her bartending job led to her joining Vanderpump Rules in 2013. Madix appeared as a regular cast member for eleven seasons and also acted in projects including Anger Management, Dads, Waking Up With Strangers, The Other Two, Dead End, and Buying Back My Daughter, in which she played police officer Karen.

In 2023, Madix competed on the thirty-second season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars with professional partner Pasha Pashkov. The pair reached the finale and finished in third place. Her highest score was 39 for her paso doble, while her overall average was 26.5 out of 30.

Madix made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago in January 2024. Her initial eight-week engagement was extended through April 7, and she returned to the role for a second run from August 1 through September 1, 2024.

Madix first appeared on Love Island USA as a special guest during its fifth season in 2023 and also guest-hosted Love Island Games. She became the host of Love Island USA in 2024, replacing Sarah Hyland.

Her hosting work expanded to other television events, including Live From E!: Emmy After Party, which she co-hosted with NeNe Leakes and Justin Sylvester. She also received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for her work on Love Island USA.

Madix co-wrote Fancy AF Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers with Tom Sandoval in 2019. Her solo cocktail book, Single AF Cocktails, was published in December 2023 and became a New York Times best seller.

In 2022, Madix and her Vanderpump Rules castmate Katie Maloney announced plans for Something About Her, a sandwich shop and wine bar. The West Hollywood restaurant opened to the public in May 2024, drawing opening-day queues that lasted as long as three hours. Madix has also released product collaborations with Frankie Rose Cosmetics, Lip Lab, and Designer Shoe Warehouse.