Lauren Conrad was a reality TV icon during the early 2000s, but more than a decade after leaving The Hills, she’s living a much calmer life — and couldn’t be happier.
“I don’t [miss it]. I’m so happy,” Conrad told former Laguna Beach costar Kristin Cavallari during an April 2026 appearance on her “Let’s Be Honest” podcast.
Conrad noted that she “enjoyed” being on the small screen “while I had it” but now she loves “just being with my fam and my friends and living a quieter life.”
Conrad made a big splash on reality TV when she starred in and narrated season 1 of Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. The MTV series, which premiered in 2004, followed Conrad a.k.a. “LC” and her friends from Laguna Beach, California, as they navigated their senior year in high school.
Lauren Conrad Through the Years: From ‘Laguna Beach’ to a Mother of 2
She returned for season 2 — which Cavallari narrated — before Conrad got her own spinoff, The Hills, in 2006. Conrad remained the lead on the series, which focused on her life in Los Angeles, for five seasons, exiting the show in 2009.
Since then, she has remained outside the spotlight as much as possible, only returning to TV in April 2026 for Roku’s The Reunion: Laguna Beach special.
Scroll down to see what Conrad has been doing since her reality TV departure:
Lauren Conrad Is Still Living in Laguna Beach
Lauren Conrad told Kristin Cavallari in April 2026 that she moved back down to Laguna Beach from Los Angeles when she was pregnant with her first child in 2017.
“We live a really quiet life. A lot of our friends have kids the same age. It feels like a different chapter, a different life,” Conrad said of living in her hometown as an adult. “It’s really a special place. It feels like a small town still. It’s such a nice community.”
Lauren Conrad Is Married With 2 Kids
Lauren Conrad was part of Laguna Beach’s infamous love triangle with Kristin Cavallari and Stephen Colletti before romancing former classmate Jason Wahler during The Hills. She dated other suitors before she found The One in husband William Tell.
“It was just easy with him,” Conrad said on the April 2026 “Let’s Be Honest” podcast of her connection with Tell, who she was set up with on a blind date for Valentine’s Day after initially meeting when she was a teenager. “It felt very safe. I loved him very quickly. Like, too quickly. I think we were like a month in and openly in love.”
Conrad and Tell were introduced in 2012 — years after she saw his band Something Corporate play — and got married two years later.
Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari’s Ups and Downs Through the Years
The couple went on to welcome two sons, Liam and Charlie, in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
Conrad revealed that while she and Tell are “really aligned on what we want out of life,” she claimed he is a “much better parent than me.”
She noted that as a mom of two boys, she is often at baseball or soccer games, sharing that her kids are not “super” into sports. However, she said when it comes to school “they’re killing it.”
Lauren Conrad Is a Fashion Designer
After her stint on reality TV came to an end, Lauren Conrad continued to pursue a career in fashion. (She was a Teen Vogue intern on The Hills, who was going to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.)
She launched her first clothing company, LC Lauren Conrad, at Kohl’s in 2009, which celebrated its 17th year in business in 2026.
Conrad later cofounded her high-end clothing line Paper Crown, but it was discontinued in 2018. Under the Khol’s umbrella, Conrad has created Little Co. by Lauren Conrad, and launched Lauren Conrad Beauty as well as her own fragrance.
She has also written several books over the years, including The Fame Game and Celebrate, a coffee table book.
Lauren Conrad Is Still Friends With ‘Laguna Beach’ Costars
On Laguna Beach and The Hills, Lauren Conrad’s best friend was Lo Bosworth. When the show ended, fans were afraid they had a falling out, but Conrad confirmed in April 2026 that they are still close.
She revealed on the “Let’s Be Honest” podcast that after Bosworth moved to New York, they “grew apart,” but clarified, “In the last couple of years, we reconnected.” Conrad added, “I’m so incredibly happy and proud of her.”
When speaking about her friendship with former rival Kristin Cavallari, Conrad exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2026, “It’s been really great to reconnect with her.”
‘Laguna Beach’ Cast: Where Are They Now?
She noted they often bond most over their children. “Like half of our conversations have been just about our kids,” Conrad revealed.
Conrad also confirmed during The Reunion: Laguna Beach press tour that she is still in contact with most of the original cast, as they grew up together.
‘The Reunion: Laguna Beach’ Was Lauren Conrad’s Last TV Gig
“I think it was a piece of me,” Lauren Conrad said in April 2026 of what fans saw on TV. “I’m definitely more relaxed when I’m not filming. I’m sillier when I’m not filming.”
After living in the fast lane as a reality star, Conrad noted she was happy to be done with it. However, she chose to return briefly for The Reunion: Laguna Beach to say goodbye once and for all to that chapter of her life.
“I don’t really do anything anymore and I would love to put a pin in my career on television,” she told Kristin Cavallari. “[I thought] it would be really cool to end my career with the same people I started with.”
Conrad exclusively told Us in March 2026, “I don’t do a lot of reality. It’s hard for me,” noting she was ready to move on. “I know how the sausage is made, like I just, I can’t enjoy it the same way.”
Lauren Conrad Is Happier and Healthier Now
Lauren Conrad has been candid about how she maintains her appearance and feels her best these days.
“I do some light Botox. I don’t do filler. I do the facial massages. I’m very diligent about washing my face. I eat pretty clean,” Conrad shared of her lifestyle after her milestone 40th birthday in February 2026. “I play a lot of tennis and I do pilates.”
She noted in April 2026 on Kristin Cavallari’s podcast that she also “cut down a lot on drinking in the last few years,” which she thinks has improved her overall well-being.
