Ariana Madix's Boyfriend Daniel Wai: Everything to Know About the Personal Trainer

Ariana Madix is stepping back into the hosting role for Love Island USA's eighth season, and her personal life has been flourishing as well.

The 40-year-old former Vanderpump Rules cast member was previously in a long-term relationship with Tom Sandoval before their split, which came after she discovered he had been unfaithful with their mutual friend Rachel Leviss—an incident that became known as Scandoval.

Several months following the breakup, Madix began dating Daniel Wai, a personal trainer and fitness coach based in New York City. Wai also co-owns the Little More bar in NYC, which opened in 2024.

How They Met

Madix and Wai's connection began at a mutual friend's wedding in Mexico during March 2023. The pair were photographed kissing at Coachella the following month, marking the beginning of their relationship that has continued ever since.

Despite the distance between Los Angeles and New York, the couple has made their relationship work by frequently traveling between the two coasts. Madix previously praised Wai's qualities while speaking with People magazine.

"He is so incredible. He's so smart. He's so supportive. He's so cute. He's just constantly in my corner," Madix shared. "And he's someone that I look up to and I feel like would be—if someone were to have told me five years ago before I ever met him I'm dating this guy, I'd be like, 'Wow.' I would love him for anyone because he is so amazing and so what makes it worth it is just that time I get to spend with him."

Recent Updates on Their Relationship

While preparing for the Love Island USA season, Madix opened up about their relationship on the podcast Disrespectfully, hosted by friends. She revealed that Wai plans to visit Los Angeles around her June 24 birthday before she heads to Fiji for filming.

"He's going to come over my birthday again, which I feel like is a good time to come to Fiji," Madix explained. "So, he's coming to LA to basically help me pack and get ready, and then he'll send me off and then he's going to come to Fiji over my birthday, which yeah, I feel like it works out well because in the beginning it's super super busy."

She noted that the initial weeks of production are particularly demanding, with introductions, premiere preparations, and the premiere week itself keeping her occupied. She reflected on how they've learned to navigate his visits strategically around the show's schedule.

"He's gonna come out around my birthday for like two weeks, I think. And that'll be fun," Madix said. "But both of us have been kind of splitting our time back and forth between here and New York. So, wouldn't even consider us to be long distance really at this point. So, that's been really nice, 'cause he's here a lot."