Kristin Cavallari was ready to address the rumors with “the Southern Charm boys” Austen Kroll and Craig Conover — but one of the gentlemen was not.
“I mean, there’s so many headlines with Craig, Austen and I,” Kristin, 38, said during the Wednesday, June 25, episode of Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour, first debunking past rumors that she would appear on Southern Charm, saying it was “never” an option.
During a conversation with celebrity hairstylist and her BFF Justin Anderson, she teased that there’s “a really good story” that she’s never talked about regarding Craig and Austen.
“In 2021, Justin and I went down to Charleston and met the boys and we just, honestly, clicked immediately,” Kristin said in her confessional. “Then, Craig and I started hanging out. Only a few times but it became this whole media frenzy.”
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She explained that people were “trying to figure out” if she was “hooking up” with Craig or Austin — or both. Kristin finally set the record straight.
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of what really went down:
Getting Referenced on ‘Summer House’
Kristin and Craig’s hookup was “magically” brought up during a 2022 episode of Summer House.
“His then-girlfriend, Paige [DeSorbo], even talked about me on camera,” Kristin recalled to Justin. “I just remember being really stressed out by the whole thing and feeling like the boys were taking advantage of it. I felt like they kept adding fuel to the fire.”
Kristin was “mad” about what she called “the Southern Charm boy drama” because “it was the first time as a mom I had lived out these scandalous headlines.” (Kristin shares kids Camden,12, Jaxon, 10, and Saylor, 9, with ex-husband Jay Cutler.)
Clearing Up the Love Triangle
“Everyone thought we were in a f***ing love triangle. I was like, how am I involved in a love triangle again as an adult?” Kristin said, before discussing the rumors between her and Austen specifically.
“Nothing happened between Kristin and I,” Austen confirmed. “We went out on King’s Street together one time. … It was the first time, by the way, that that I realized my level of ‘fame’ was [low] and Kristin’s was [high].”
Craig and Kristin explained that they started hanging out but Austen “was taking the heat for it.”
Hooking Up With Craig
Kristin confirmed in her confessional that it was “more than kissing” with Craig.
“How many times did I hook up with Craig? I think it was, honestly, once or twice,” she added. “It wasn’t that much.”
Craig said he had “fun” with Kristin, calling their time together “a blast.”
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Overlap Between Kristin and Paige
Craig made it clear that there was “as much overlap as everyone thinks” between Kristin and his ex Paige.
“I never lied to you about anything. Eventually, it just got to the point, Paige and I decided to date, and we stopped talking,” Craig explained, with Kristin adding that she decided to “remove” herself after hearing that he and Paige were together.
Craig’s Meltdown — Before and After the Show
Just before stepping on stage, Craig started to get cold feet.
“I shouldn’t be here,” he repeated backstage, before he jokingly started walking away.
After walking offstage, Craig called the show “about the dumbest thing” he’s ever done, saying “the whole thing was Paige.”
“That was crazy,” he added. “I was in a prison box.”
