They may have walked down the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway together, but rumor has it that OG Angels and longtime friends Joan Smalls and Candice Swanepoel are on the outs...and it may have to do with Tom Brady. Confused? Same!! Let’s get into it.
Fans became suspicious when the two (who, as you might recall, just last year, starred in an Anne Klein campaign celebrating their friendship) failed to post any pics together from the 2026 VS Fashion Show. As captured by screenshots, someone slid into the comments section on Joan’s October 20 Instagram post to ask, “You are not friend[s] anymore with Candice?”
Joan’s (alleged) response, as captured by Deuxmoi: “im not friends with backstabbers.”
According to screenshots, Joan continued on in another since-deleted comment, adding, “There is no girl code with some people. And the disrespect and carelessness in how they treat you is so unimaginable. There’s no going back. Some people lack humility and moral compass. And the way they gaslight, lie and minimize your feelings is the worst slap in the face after 15 [years of] friendship. Not a sorry said or written. Onwards and upwards!!!”
What’s more: When Just Jared posted about the alleged drama on Instagram, Joan herself took to the comments section to write, “Two words: SUMMER HOUSE ! That’ll explain everything,” seemingly alluding to Ciara Miller and Amanda Batula’s friendship fallout over West Wilson.
So...who is West in this scenario, you ask? According to a Deuxmoi tipster, fellow Angel Gisele Bündchen’s ex Tom Brady is at the center of the controversy. Per the source, Joan was reportedly involved with Tom when Candice “cautioned Joan to be careful” of Gisele’s feelings...only for Candice to allegedly then date Tom herself.
Tom and Candice reportedly ended things (according to the anon source) after Tom’s alleged hookup with Alix Earle at Michael Rubin’s White Party.
Candice has yet to weigh in on any of this (and Joan has yet to comment on the rumors about Tom’s involvement in the rumored rift) so...stand by for more developments!