On the ‘Laguna Beach’ reunion, this former love triangle is back for nostalgia, not drama

by

It feels strangely old-fashioned – a whole TV season focused on the everyday lives of a group of ordinary teenagers. They went through all the typical teenage experiences: gossiping, dealing with drama, going to parties, and arguing. They stressed about things like getting into college and even just picking a nail polish color, and you could always tell who had a crush on whom.

That was “Laguna Beach.”

In 2003, Liz Gateley was new to MTV when she proposed a reality show idea: following the lives of actual teenagers in Southern California.

Gateley explained the show’s initial concept was a blend of ‘90210,’ ‘Heathers,’ and ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ with a strong emphasis on music. They had no idea it would become as popular as it did.

Let me tell you, watching “Laguna Beach” felt less like tuning into a reality show and more like flipping on a slick, high-budget drama. Each episode kicked off with Hilary Duff’s “Come Clean” playing over those beautiful opening credits, and right away, the show made a bold claim: everything you were seeing – the people, the places, even the drama – was, supposedly, real. It definitely looked good, though!

For the most part, they were.

The first season mainly revolved around a complicated relationship dynamic between Stephen Colletti, Kristin Cavallari – who were dating on and off – and Lauren Conrad, who was a close friend of Stephen’s and potentially something more.

When the series premiered on MTV in 2004, it became an instant (and controversial) hit, made millennial household names out of Cavallari, Colletti and Conrad, and led to the spin-offs “The Hills,” “The City” and “Newport Harbor.”

Ten members of the original cast of “Laguna Beach,” including some of the show’s biggest stars, are back together in “The Reunion: Laguna Beach,” which starts streaming Friday on the Roku Channel. Originally intended to happen with the cast’s 20th high school reunion in 2024, the special now airs around the 18th anniversary of the show’s finale in 2006.

Actor Casey Wilson hosted a joyful reunion special that revisited favorite moments and people from the first season. Kristin Cavallari, Stephen Colletti, and Lauren Conrad were all executive producers on the show and had some say in how things were created, according to Colletti.

Kristin Cavallari explained they didn’t intend for the reunion to be overly sensational or like a reality TV show. They simply wanted to bring back good memories for fans.

Television

Derek Ostensen has a habit of approaching MTV filming crews in Laguna Beach and positioning himself in front of the camera whenever he spots them.

Before the reunion aired, Colletti, Conrad, and Cavallari—ages 40, 40, and 39 respectively—sat down for a long interview with The Times at a restaurant overlooking the beach in Santa Monica. Being with them in the cozy booth felt like finally getting to hang out with the popular group you always admired from a distance.

Despite any past rivalry, the three women – even Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad, who famously competed with each other in the 2000s – were friendly and got along well, sharing laughs and readily agreeing with each other.

It’s been quite a journey since their days on the reality show! Conrad is back in Laguna Beach with her husband, William Tell, who went from a guitarist to a lawyer, and they’re raising two sons. Kristin Cavallari runs a lifestyle brand in Nashville and has three children with her ex-husband, former NFL player Jay Cutler. Meanwhile, Stephen Colletti recently competed on “The Traitors” and will be in the second season of the comedy “Everyone Is Doing Great.” He and his wife, Alex Weaver, a NASCAR host, are expecting a baby soon.

These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

How did the reunion come about? Did anyone require convincing?

Kristin Cavallari says she owes Stephen Colletti a lot of credit. He originally came up with the idea for their podcast, “Back to the Beach,” which then led to them reconnecting and working together again.

When I initially discussed this with Lauren, she didn’t immediately dismiss the idea, but she did ask some clarifying questions. It was clear we needed to address a few points to make it work, and that was perfectly reasonable.

I was really anxious about using cameras again, but because we were all executive producers, we had a voice in how things were done. That felt empowering, because we hadn’t had that level of control before.

Back in 2003, the producers of “Laguna Beach” picked your school as the setting for the show and started looking for students to be on TV. Can you tell me what you remember about applying to be a cast member?

I just remember being really focused on making myself noticeable. I was competitive and didn’t really think about whether I even wanted to be on television – I just wanted to succeed, like it was a competition. Everyone there was trying to get on TV.

I recall some of the interviews I did with the producers – I was a total mess, stumbling over my words. Plus, I had this really bad pineapple-shaped hairstyle! I was trying so hard to be like Freddie Prinze Jr., but I hadn’t figured out who I was yet.

What was your understanding of what being on reality TV entailed?

Conrad explained that the producers created a preliminary version of the show after filming for about a week. They showed it to him, his family, and his parents before they officially committed, but the final product ended up being quite different from what they initially saw.

Cavallari: It was more PG. No real drama, more like a documentary.

Colletti: No s— talking.

Conrad: Just like, “What’s it like to live in a beach town?”

Cavallari: I remember my dad being like, “Well, this is going nowhere. They’re really boring.”

When did you realize that your love triangle was going to be the central storyline of Season 1?

It happened fairly fast. Even during my initial audition interview, many of the questions hinted at it. But it really became clear once we began filming.

Colletti: They started to hone in on certain things, or they fed our friends a question to ask us.

Kristin Cavallari recalls being mindful of her words, but not thinking through how things might be edited later. She often thought, ‘If I don’t bring something up, what’s the worst that could happen?’

Conrad explained that a facial expression conveyed everything. He said the show’s producers used a shot from the pilot episode – where he was looking at a plate of food at a hotel – and edited it to appear as though he was looking at Stephen.

On “Laguna Beach,” Lauren and Kristin didn’t seem to have many direct conversations. Were there actually more interactions between them that weren’t filmed for the show?

Conrad: No, that was it.

Cavallari: We really did not.

It was great to have such a thoughtful conversation when you reconnected. How have your feelings and understanding of each other evolved over time?

I really respect Lauren, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know her as an adult, especially as we’ve both become mothers and entrepreneurs. I’ve realized we actually have a lot in common! I’m grateful we’ve been able to resolve things and move past our history from “Laguna Beach.” It feels really good to finally put that behind us.

I completely agree with everything that was just said. It’s been a long time since the show ended, and we quickly resolved any issues we had. Since then, we’ve gone our separate ways and haven’t seen each other. It’s nice to be able to address this on camera, because I think it’s meaningful for viewers who cared about that story arc to see that people grow, move on, and things eventually lose their importance.

The clothes on that show were really memorable for the time. Did you spend a lot of time picking out what to wear on camera?

Conrad explained that in the first season, he had to provide his own wardrobe. He mostly wore a C&C tank top and a pair of Miss Sixty jeans he’d saved up to buy, and he often just wore the same outfit, switching the tank top around.

I always wore board shorts. But during the second season, we inexplicably started wearing sports coats over hoodies, and it just didn’t work.

Looking back at Season 2, I wish I’d been more engaged. It was my senior year of high school, and honestly, I was just ready to be done with that whole experience, and that definitely showed on the show. Maybe that’s part of why people liked it though – we came across as just normal kids.

There were no false lashes or full faces of glam.

Conrad: Oh no, no, no. A lot of it’s, like, last night’s eyeliner.

Cavallari: I always had a zit.

Conrad: Oh, yeah, I know! Not for you, but for me. My skin wasn’t very good.

You all started on “Laguna Beach” as teenagers, around 16 or 17 years old. Did anyone talk to you about being careful with your behavior on camera, or the possibility that the show could have long-term consequences?

[All laugh]

Cavallari: Honestly, no.

Colletti explained that their media training consisted of just a quick, half-hour session right before the Video Music Awards in Miami, just as the show was about to premiere. They were simply instructed to insist everything was genuine, given a list of what to say and what not to say, and then wished good luck.

Although the show seems mild compared to current reality TV, it featured a significant amount of drinking by people who were underage.

Cavallari: Oh, yeah. A lot.

Conrad explained that the producers knew the cast was drinking, even though they weren’t allowed to provide alcohol themselves.

Did anyone ever question whether it was right to film these drunk teenagers?

All: No.

Cavallari: I don’t even remember it ever being a conversation.

Colletti explained that producers briefly brought up the cast being underage and not allowed to drink, but they mentioned it almost as an aside while still filming.

Conrad: — Oh, liability.

You know, during filming, there was this one moment where I honestly wondered if we should maybe put the drinks away. I was starting to feel a little awkward, but everyone else was like, “Nah, it’s all good! Leave ’em.” It was a funny little thing, but it stuck with me.

Kristin Cavallari explained that MTV didn’t encourage any specific behavior on the show. She and the other cast members were just acting like typical teenagers at the time.

Conrad explained that on “The Hills,” they often had to film scenes early in the morning where they appeared hungover. This was because the show featured a lot of drinking, and the producers wanted to realistically portray the effects of it.

Gateley pointed out that the producers of “Laguna Beach” definitely would have intervened if any of the cast members had been in danger.

Kristin, you mentioned at the reunion that you hadn’t thought you could say no to the show’s producers. Looking back, what would you have changed?

I don’t have any regrets, I just didn’t really think about it at the time. As a high school student, I was told what to do by the show’s producers, and I just went along with it. It took me a while, but I eventually learned to be more aware during my time on reality TV.

I recall my castmate, Lo Bosworth, often declining opportunities. She’d simply say she wasn’t going, which I found difficult to understand. I felt strongly that if I committed to something, I had to follow through. I don’t think I ever outright refused to participate. However, I would sometimes question things, like the narration, and suggest rewording it if it felt too strong.

Looking back, MTV never explicitly told us what to do, but when I was 17 and had just signed that contract, I definitely felt a huge weight of responsibility. It wasn’t a forceful thing, but you just knew you had to deliver.

I also noticed they were determined to get their way, regardless of any objections or disagreements.

I visited the production office and saw a huge storyboard covering an entire wall. When I realized we were only halfway through it, and there was a card that said ‘Story continues,’ I got really anxious, wondering what would happen next. It reminded me of the movie ‘The Truman Show’ – like anything could happen.

×

During a memorable episode in the first season, the group of teenagers travels to Cabo San Lucas for spring break. Their time there includes a night at a club where they drink, and Kristin connects with someone new, even dancing on the bar. This leads to a confrontation with Stephen, who repeatedly insults her.

The first Cabo episode —

Colletti: It looms large.

Stephen and Kristin, how do you look back on that now?

Looking back, we were really young and naive. When I was 17 and definitely not thinking clearly, I tended to react strongly. So, watching that footage now, I was actually proud of myself for trying to step away from the drama. I can definitely understand what Stephen was dealing with – it’s not easy having cameras constantly focused on you as a teenager, and we basically had to grow up in the public eye.

I’d completely put that behind me – I don’t even think I finished watching it when it originally aired. But really, I’m just not happy with how I behaved.

It’s tough watching that, and I feel bad for everyone involved, especially those kids, to have that awkward moment captured on video. You wish it hadn’t happened, but it’s also amazing to see how much they’ve grown and changed since then.

Did MTV show you the episodes before they aired?

Conrad: They came the day before.

Colletti explained that sometimes, for strategic reasons, the deliveries weren’t made until the following day, with the excuse being a delay in the mail.

Were they on DVD?

Let me tell you, getting into the world of ‘The Hills’ back then was a whole experience. Adam DiVello, one of the show’s executive producers, was kind enough to hook me up with a VHS player for my dorm room out in San Francisco. That’s how I was able to watch all the tapes and really get a feel for what was going on.

When the show premiered, did your lives change instantly?

For me, it happened quickly. When I first got to college, MTV released posters with the slogan, “They really are this rich and beautiful.” I was at art school at the time, and almost instantly, I was identified as ‘that girl,’ so I never really got a typical college experience.

It’s funny, I started the show hoping to break away from typical high school expectations. I even chose San Francisco State because it wasn’t a popular destination for students from my town. But then the show came out, and suddenly everyone knew this new version of me. It was overwhelming – people would try to sneak pictures of me even when I was just going to the shower, and I’d get into arguments at parties just because I was on a reality show.

I was still living a pretty typical high school life, but then I’d get calls saying, “We need you to fly out tonight to be on ‘TRL’ tomorrow.” It was a bit of a whirlwind.

You know, thinking back, I clearly remember splurging with my first paycheck – it was around two grand for the entire first season of something I really wanted. It feels like yesterday!

Conrad: I bought a pair of Chanel sunglasses.

Cavallari: I bought a little Chanel purse. I think that was probably the second season, though.

I wasted the money on golf clubs. I’d always used hand-me-downs from my brother, so being able to buy a brand new set felt amazing.

Cavallari: I would have done the show for free. I was like, “We’re going to get paid for this?!”

Would you let your kids be on a reality show when they’re in high school?

Kristin Cavallari said she wouldn’t allow her own children to star in a reality show like the one she was on. She believes those early years are too important, and kids should just be able to enjoy being kids until they’re adults.

You know, thinking back to when we made the movie, it feels like a different world. Back then, it might have been something I’d consider for my kids. But now, with social media being what it is, I honestly don’t think I could let them do it. The pressure is just too intense, and it’s a bit scary to think about.

I’m planning to tell my child that their dad was on a popular TV show years ago. My hope is that when they see it, they’ll react by saying they don’t want to follow in my footsteps, and it’ll discourage them from pursuing the same path.

Why do you think “Laguna Beach” continues to resonate?

Colletti explains that the show captured a particular moment in time, featuring kids who weren’t seeking celebrity. They didn’t anticipate the rise of reality TV and the ‘fame machine’ it would become; they simply weren’t thinking about becoming famous themselves.

These days, it feels like everyone does a project hoping it will launch their career. For me, I was just trying to meet people in the fashion world. I wasn’t trying to build a brand or anything like that – it just happened naturally. We weren’t actively pursuing that kind of outcome.

Given that Spencer Pratt from “The Hills” is running for mayor of Los Angeles, are you considering a similar path into politics, or are there any other career directions you’re interested in exploring?

You know, when people ask if I have any regrets, I always say no. I’ve honestly been incredibly lucky to experience so many amazing opportunities, and right now, I just feel really happy and at peace with where I am.

I feel the same way. I pushed myself really hard during my thirties, trying to accomplish everything I could. Now, I’m incredibly grateful for my family, and my priority is simply being there for them.

Colletti shared his joy about becoming a father, saying it’s a wonderful and fulfilling time in his life, and that everything feels perfectly in place.

Read More

2026-04-12 21:34