Lauren Conrad reveals why she vanished from Hollywood… after addressing Kristin Cavallari feud

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Lauren Conrad recently explained her decision to leave the public eye when her career was at its highest point, following a discussion about her years-long disagreement with Kristin Cavallari.

Now 40, she first gained fame in the early 2000s as a star on MTV’s reality shows, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and its popular sequel, The Hills.

When Laguna Beach first aired in 2004, Conrad was only 18 years old. Two years later, cameras began filming her life as she moved to Los Angeles, capturing everything from her Teen Vogue internship and romantic relationships to her friendships and all the ups and downs that came with them.

However, in 2009, when she was most famous for her reality TV appearances, she surprised everyone by leaving to pursue a growing interest in fashion.

You know, I always viewed reality TV as a stepping stone – a way to build relationships and get my foot in the door. It wasn’t the final destination, but a means to an end. In fact, the same year I was on air, I was thrilled to launch my very first clothing collection with Kohl’s – that was the real dream I was working towards!

Four years ago, the actress decided to step back from Hollywood and settled in her hometown of Laguna Beach, where she’s raising her two sons, eight-year-old Liam and six-year-old Charlie, with her husband, William Tell.

‘I really appreciate private moments,’ she said. ‘Nobody cares who I am here.’

It feels amazing to finally live life on my own terms after spending so many years in front of the camera.

She recently let cameras film her again, though just for a short time, for the special 20th anniversary episode, ‘The Reunion: Laguna Beach,’ which will be released on April 10th.

While filming and in a preview of the show, she finally confronted Kristin Cavallari to discuss the issues that had caused a rift between them.

Conrad and Cavallari, both 39, were known for creating some of the biggest moments of drama on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, particularly due to a complex romantic situation with their co-star, Stephen Colletti.

By October 2025, both women had resolved their differences and confirmed they were on good terms again, having reconnected at a reunion.

Kristin Cavallari shared on her podcast, ‘Let’s Be Honest With Kristin Cavallari,’ that she and Lauren are friends.

I recently returned from Laguna Beach, where I filmed a reunion show. It was fantastic! I’m not sure what details I can share, but everyone had a really great time.

Although she was hesitant at first, she ultimately found the experience to be very therapeutic and beneficial.

That same month, Cavallari posted a happy photo with Conrad on Instagram, playfully suggesting people could stop choosing sides in their supposed feud with the caption: ‘Looks like everyone can put away those ‘Team Lauren’ and ‘Team Kristin’ shirts now!’

Conrad shared with People that they’ve found a lot of common ground and really enjoy their conversations and texts. He added that as people mature, they tend to focus less on trivial things.

The two also looked back at their past in 2022 while on the Back To The Beach podcast, and they minimized how competitive they had been on screen.

‘My take on it is, you and I never really had any beef,’ Cavallari expressed.

There was some truth to the situation between the three of us, but I think MTV’s continued coverage just prolonged it and made it much bigger than it needed to be.

Conrad confirmed that there was a quick moment of tension before filming started, but it was all sorted out before they actually began shooting.

The designer explained that they had a disagreement with someone right before filming began, but they quickly resolved it. It wasn’t a close friendship, but everything was okay after that.

Cavallari pointed out that the show heavily emphasized the love triangle, and Conrad agreed, adding that the producers seemed determined to prevent him from having any other storylines.

Conrad recently told EW that looking back on her time on reality TV as a teenager, she now understands and sees her past behavior with more maturity.

I used to feel pretty embarrassed about how I acted when I was 18, some of the things I said and did.

She also believes the show’s success was partly due to its raw, unpolished nature. We weren’t overly concerned with how we appeared, and that authenticity resonated with viewers.

We hadn’t encountered a performance quite like it, so it was hard to tell what elements were intentional and what weren’t. That uncertainty, I think, is what made it feel so genuine.

Conrad said he’s reached a point where he can look back and laugh at his younger self, acknowledging he was just 18 at the time and has matured a lot since then.

She shared the story of how she got her start on Laguna Beach, explaining that she asked her dad, Jim, for advice before deciding to be on the show.

She recalls him saying that many people in the entertainment industry also work with fashion, and he thought this could be a great chance for her.

Now that she’s returned to her hometown, Conrad is prioritizing her family and enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle, a big change from her days on reality television.

While she may be synonymous with Laguna, her two sons remain largely unimpressed by her fame.

She told People magazine that she doesn’t believe they truly understand or are very interested.

Sometimes I point out things my mother has done, and my kids react with polite disinterest. I’m confident they’ll appreciate it eventually.

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2026-03-31 20:10