Meet Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix’s new boyfriend, Daniel Wai: after her ex Tom Sandoval’s cheating scandal with Raquel Leviss, she’s living her best life with her fitness influencer beau

Jun 16 , 2023

Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix with her new love interest, fitness coach Daniel Wai. Photo: @thestrongwai/Instagram

Ariana Madix was catapulted to the spotlight after her ex, Tom Sandoval, cheated on her with their friend and Vanderpump Rules co-star Raquel Leviss in March – but she seems to have already moved on

Her new love interest Daniel Wai is a fitness trainer and influencer who’s been showering her with tonnes of public displays of affection, including at Coachella – and she’s very ‘happy and satisfied’

Ariana Madix has always been a fan favourite among Vanderpump Rules viewers, but the reality star was catapulted into a wider spotlight when her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval’s months-long affair with their friend Raquel Leviss became national news.

The relationship drama, dubbed “Scandoval”, began unfolding in early March when TMZ first reported that Madix had dumped Sandoval after discovering he was cheating on her. In the months since, Madix has been flooded with public support, brand deals, merch sales – and a brand-new boyfriend.

Here’s everything we know about Madix’s new relationship with Daniel Wai.

Who is Daniel Wai?

Daniel Wai has both brain and brawn. Photo: @thestrongwai/Instagram

According to his LinkedIn profile, Wai attended Virginia Tech and majored in computer science with a secondary degree in business and a minor in mathematics. He graduated in 2005 and worked for several consulting firms before deciding to take the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) test to become a certified personal trainer and work as a trainer full-time.

On his training website, he said his desire to focus on physical fitness had been with him since he was 13. “As a typical teenager, I was insecure with my size and strength and decided to incorporate exercise and physical fitness into my life, and it has been a large part of my life ever since,” he said.

In addition to training clients, Wai is also a fitness influencer. He posts fitness content, including his workouts and meal prep, and advertises his services on his Instagram account @thestrongwai, where he has over 56,000 followers.

Madix and her new boyfriend were first linked when they attended Coachella together

Ariana Madix attended Coachella with Daniel Wai in April. Photo: @arianamadix/Instagram

Madix and Wai were seen looking cosy together while attending the first weekend of Coachella – an annual event that Madix has attended for years. The two went to the music festival with a larger group of their mutual friends, including Madix’s Vanderpump Rules co-star and BFF Scheana Shay, Shay’s husband Brock Davies, Vanderpump alum Dayna Kathan, and others.