Laguna Beach Stars Reunite After 20 Years

Stephen Colletti, who rose to fame as a teen on MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," has helped bring his former castmates back together for a reunion special on Roku. This reunion marks a "full circle" moment for Colletti, acknowledging the initial shock and unpreparedness the cast felt when the show, which premiered in 2004, catapulted them to fame.

The idea for the reunion gained momentum following a Covid Zoom and a podcast hosted by Colletti and Kristin Cavallari. Colletti explained that while he previously said 'no' to such a reunion for years, he eventually felt comfortable revisiting the experience as they matured. He humorously described the show as an "odd social experiment" for teenagers.

The reunion, produced by Damsel Media with input from original creator Liz Gateley, saw Colletti, Lauren Conrad, and Kristin Cavallari serving as executive producers. They ensured creative control and a safe environment to celebrate the series, distinguishing it from typical reunion formats by emphasizing their 20-year absence from each other.

Roku's Head of Originals, Brian Tannenbaum, saw the reunion as a strategic move to engage with fanbases, leveraging the platform's ability to connect viewers with the original show. He expressed interest in producing similar reunion specials for other non-scripted and scripted content.

Separately, Colletti's independent comedy series "Everyone Is Doing Great," co-created with James Lafferty, has been picked up by Netflix, which will premiere its first two seasons worldwide.