Why ‘The Hills’ Reboot Won’t Include Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad

The Hills reboot was officially announced at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards on Monday night, but fans immediately noticed that two key original cast members weren’t present for the big reveal — Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari.

According to reports, each former Laguna Beach resident has their own reason for opting out of a return to The Hills.

A source told People that Conrad’s priorities are now different and that she has nothing but good wishes for her former castmates.

“She’s in a different place in her life,” the source said. “But she wants everyone to enjoy themselves. She wishes everyone the best.”

“She loves being a mother and focusing on her family and on her work,” the insider added. “She has a very full and happy life.”

After concluding her reality TV career, Conrad became a lifestyle guru, starting a website and fashion line for Kohl’s. She’s also mom to 13-month-old son Liam, who she shares with husband William Tell.

As for Cavallari, her return to the MTV show would be a bit of a conflict of interest, as she currently headlines her own E! reality show, Very Cavallari, alongside husband Jay Cutler.

“She can’t do the show because she has a contract with E!” a source told People of Cavallari. “But she’s still close with Heidi [Montag] and Spencer [Pratt] and is excited for them.”

While Cavallari previously told People that the show “got me to where I am today,” she’s not exactly a fan of watching her younger self on television.

“If I did watch them I would cringe,” she said. “I think MTV played them a couple summers ago and my husband Jay put them on as a joke to mess with me. It was definitely cringeworthy — I know what I did! I know what happened.”

After splitting audiences into Team LC and Team Kristin on Laguna Beach, both Conrad and Cavallari went on to star on The Hills, which ultimately molded reality television into the genre we know today. Conrad left The Hills in its second-to-last season in 2009, with Cavallari stepping into the main role for the show’s last season and its now-infamous end scene.

While Conrad and Cavallari won’t be returning to The Hills, cast members Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, Stephanie Pratt, Audrina Partridge, Jason Wahler, Whitney Port, Justin Bobby and Frankie Delgado will all appear on the reboot, which is titled The Hills: New Beginnings.

Photo Credit: Getty / John Shearer