Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port are opening up about how their friendship grew strained after they stopped filming The Hills.
The reality stars, who became fast friends while working together in the Teen Vogue fashion closet on the MTV series, reunited for Port's Dear Media podcast With Whit.
Port, 35, explained that she had felt insecure about the status of their friendship after leaving The Hills and learning that Conrad, 34, had became close with someone with whom Port had fought (Port did not identify the person).
"I had a friend that I had a falling-out with that you then became best friends with, and I always thought for all this time that because of that falling-out with this friend that it tinted how you felt about me," Port explained.
"I have felt this insecurity that maybe you thought certain things about me that may not have been true, or that I didn't have the chance to explain. I've always thought that maybe you were upset with me for what happened with that friend," Port added.
Conrad asserted that Port's falling-out with that friend did not change her feelings toward her, explaining that she simply needed a "break" after saying goodbye to The Hills.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/whitney-port-9718a6ae042c4ac48720c943cef33908.jpg "Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port Discuss Why Their Friendship Became Strained After The Hills (1)")
"I wish we'd had this conversation, because when you said this, I was like, I actually have no idea what you're talking about. I have so much love for you and it's one of those things where I stopped filming and then I just kind of needed a clean break for a minute," Conrad said.
"[I needed to] emotionally recover, and I took some time off and then obviously moved out of L.A.," Conrad added.
Whitney Port Admits She Was 'Fangirling' When She First Met Hills Costar Lauren Conrad
Port explained that she just wanted to clear the air.
"I was talking to Timmy," Port said of her husband. "He was like, 'You always just have to clear things up or tell people how you feel and get the response."
"The whole situation was so hard for me," Port continued. "Then because you guys became such close friends, I was like, 'Oh my God. Now Lauren is just going to think I'm the worst person.'"
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(159x0:161x2)/hills_320x240-4-3ddd4f89c5614a5888ef7ae6337ec0fe.jpg "Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port Discuss Why Their Friendship Became Strained After The Hills (2)")
"I'm so happy that I told you and got off my chest and that it's something that's so not a thing," Port added. "It's something that I need to continue to tell myself, like, 'Stop always believing these things you tell yourself. You have to get validation from the other person.' It's not healthy for me to hold on to that."
Conrad expressed that she wished she would have said something to Port at the time but was afraid of "confrontation," hoping "time" would fix their situation.
"I think I also felt like once the show was over, you — not that you wanted nothing to do with it, 'cause I know it wasn't that — tried to remove yourself obviously a little bit because it was so personal for so many years and you were just, you know, you couldn't have that magnifying glass on your life anymore," Port said of Conrad leaving reality TV.
"I think that I fell into that bucket of, maybe she doesn't really want anything to do with me anymore because I'm a part of the show that she wants to move away from," Port added
Conrad agreed, saying: "I get it. I think, yeah. It was such an odd time for me, and I did it for as long as I could. It was one of those things where I was like, this isn't a healthy space for me anymore. I need to live my own life, and I really removed myself from that whole scene."
She also apologized for ever making Port feel slighted.
"It had nothing to do with you personally," Conrad said. "It's just really being like I need to live my life. I lived a certain way for so long. ... I am appreciative and I love you. And I love so many people we worked with."
She explained that she just felt that there were certain "toxic elements" that came with being on the show and it got "really hard."
The Stars of The Hills: Where Are They Now?
"We started so young," Conrad said. "It's such a time where you're figuring out who you are, and I did it in such a weird way. "
"It's like, 'Who am I?' 'How am I going to make things happen now?' Because for so long, there was a whole team of people making things happen for us. And then all of a sudden, it's like, no, we actually now need to be the creators of our own destiny," Port agreed.
Port starred on The Hills from 2006-08. Conrad stayed through 2009, when MTV recruited her Laguna Beach high school frenemy Kristin Cavallari for her spot.
The series followed Conrad as she tried to make her name for herself in the fashion world, and she met Port while working for Teen Vogue. Port became known as the girl who went to Paris after Conrad skipped the trip to stay with then-boyfriend Jason Wahler. After leaving the show, Port jetted off to New York City for her own spinoff, The City.
Port also returned to MTV for The Hills: New Beginnings with other original cast members.
Since the show, Port and Conrad have launched businesses, published books, gotten married and had children. Port welcomed son Sonny in July 2017 after tying the knot with TV producer Tim Rosenman in 2015. Conrad married lawyer William Tell — who she explained on the podcast now works with her — in 2014, and they share sons Charlie Wolf, 10 months, and Liam James, 3.
As an expert or enthusiast familiar with the dynamics of celebrity friendships and reality TV, I can draw on various elements within the provided article to showcase my depth of knowledge.
Firstly, it's important to note that Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port are reality stars known for their roles on the MTV series "The Hills." The article revolves around their friendship and how it became strained after they stopped filming the show. This kind of behind-the-scenes insight into reality TV relationships is not uncommon, as the personal lives of reality stars often become intertwined with the narrative presented on screen.
The key concepts in the article include:
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Friendship Strain Post-"The Hills": Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port, who initially formed a close friendship while working together on "The Hills," experienced strain in their relationship after the show ended. This sheds light on the challenges that arise when personal and professional relationships evolve in the context of reality television.
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Insecurity and Miscommunication: Whitney Port expresses feelings of insecurity about the status of her friendship with Lauren Conrad, particularly after learning about Conrad's close connection with someone Port had a falling-out with. This highlights the impact of miscommunication and the challenges of navigating friendships in the public eye.
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Emotional Recovery and Clean Break: Lauren Conrad explains that she needed a "clean break" after concluding her time on "The Hills." This emphasizes the emotional toll that reality TV can take on individuals and the need for personal space to recover.
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Fear of Confrontation: Both Conrad and Port admit to hesitating in addressing their feelings due to a fear of confrontation. This is a common theme in friendships, amplified by the public scrutiny associated with being reality TV personalities.
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The Impact of Reality TV on Personal Lives: The article delves into the impact of reality TV on the personal lives of its stars. Lauren Conrad describes how she needed to distance herself from the show's spotlight and the challenges of transitioning from a highly produced environment to creating one's own destiny.
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Life After "The Hills": The article provides an update on the lives of Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port post-"The Hills." Both have ventured into various endeavors, including businesses, book publishing, marriage, and motherhood. This reflects the evolution and growth of individuals beyond their reality TV personas.
In summary, my expertise allows me to dissect the complexities of celebrity friendships, the aftermath of reality TV stardom, and the challenges of maintaining personal connections in the public eye.
