Vanderpump Rules Season 12: Everything we know about Natalie Maguire's 54-year-old ex Paulo Gorsse

When Vanderpump Rules returned for Season 12, one of the earliest revelations centered on Natalie Maguire’s ex-boyfriend, Paulo Gorsse, a 54-year-old bartender at SUR whose age gap with Natalie immediately drew attention.

The premiere served not only as a reintroduction of SUR staff to screens, but also spotlighted a personal conflict that involved raised voices, a suspension and a swirl of speculation.

What we know about Paulo Gorsse (so far) on Vanderpump Rules

Paulo Gorsse works at SUR, the West Hollywood restaurant at the heart of Vanderpump Rules’ drama. In Season 12, Episode 1, Natalie disclosed that she and Paulo began dating once she started her job at SUR. During her confessional, she said:

“Paulo is my ex-boyfriend. He also works at SUR. He’s 54, but a hot 54.”

In contrast, the on-screen graphic identified Natalie’s age as 26, framing their difference in stark terms. Their relationship, however, did not steer clear of trouble. Natalie explained that she was suspended after a heated exchange with Paulo in front of customers. She said,

“I just asked him to unblock my number, and then he started telling me ‘I’m a bad person’ and all this, like, drama. You know, very loud.”

She continued,

“And then I’m being asked to leave by my best friend. I don’t know, I just like lost my mind.”

The “best friend” she refers to is Demy Selem, assistant manager at SUR, who claimed she and Paulo previously dated before Natalie joined the staff. Demy described the incident as follows:

“Natalie was at the bar, wasted, screaming at Paulo. Begging him to unblock her number. She has her finger in my face, saying, ‘You’re always against me! I can’t believe I’m being treated like this! I’m Natalie!”

That confrontation reportedly triggered Natalie’s suspension and highlighted tensions between staff, friendships and romantic entanglements.

Publicly available social-media activity tied to Paulo is sparse, consistent with how Natalie described him as “private.”

His purported Instagram handle — @paulogorsse — shows little public content, which aligns with his reluctance to be a visible figure beyond SUR’s walls.

What Paulo’s presence means for Vanderpump Rules

For Vanderpump Rules, bringing Paulo into the cast’s public eye accomplishes a few things.

For starters, it shows how work and private life mix awkwardly at SUR, where coworkers are also friends or exes, and bosses know your past.

Relationships often overlap in complex ways, creating tension without clear boundaries between roles. People juggle trust issues while trying to stay focused on tasks.

Paulo once dated Demy; now he is with Natalie, which illustrates how complicated things can become, especially under the bright lights and constant filming.

Second, the age gap between them might prompt discussions about trust issues or how power dynamics play out between them; real-world TV romances often highlight such differences.

The fact that it was highlighted on-screen suggests that the team sees potential for drama here, which could lead to ongoing friction or soul-searching down the road.

Third, the incident that resulted in Natalie’s suspension, her confrontation with Paulo, sets the stage for potential fallout among SUR staff.

Allegations of being “loud” and “dramatic,” as well as the assertion of boundaries by Demy, indicate underlying fractures in trust. 

Finally, with Paulo being a staff member rather than a traditional “cast personality,” his inclusion raises questions about the show’s direction this season.

Perhaps producers intend to blur the line between “housewife-style drama” and behind-the-scenes workplace tension, adding a grittier, more grounded flavor to Vanderpump Rules.

Stay tuned for more updates.