Stephen Colletti didn't exactly run for the hills.
After leaving a lasting impression during the first two seasons of MTV's Laguna Beach, Stephen would often have meetings with producers about doing other shows. According to the One Tree Hill alum, he was once approached about joining The Hills: New Beginnings.
"I had a conversation about four years ago," he told co-host Kristin Cavallari on the Jan. 30 episode of their Dear Media Back to the Beach podcast. "In the conversations with the producers, I'm like, ‘Guys, do you really think that I could be on this show? The only connection was you or Lauren [Conrad].'"
In other words, Stephen didn't exactly hang out with the core group of reality stars, including Spencer Pratt, Audrina Patridge and Brody Jenner, who made The Hills a hit.
But, Stephen said there was one storyline in particular the producers had to integrate him into the cast.
"'Couldn't you see yourself having a little something with Audrina?'" Stephen said when recalling the producer's idea. "'It seems like you guys would have good chemistry and you know her, right? So it's not totally unrealistic to think you may want to go on a date.' I know exactly where you are going with this."
While Kristin thought Stephen "would take over" the show if he decided to join, she reminded him that the team behind-the-scenes need drama to make a hit.
"You have to remember they are making a TV show, they have to have storylines," she said. "If everyone is just getting along and hanging out, there's not a TV show there so they have to come up with this stuff."
The Hills: New Beginnings, which was a revival of the mid-2000s hit The Hills, was canceled in January 2022 after two seasons.
But while Stephen's absence meant he and Audrina never found reality TV love, the pair has found their matches since.
Audrina has been in a relationship with her Was It Real? podcast producer Jarod Einsohn since summer 2022. As for Stephen, who is dating NASCAR reporter Alex Weaver, he doesn't appear to have any regrets about not pursing an opportunity to appear on The Hills.
While he initially took the meeting in hopes MTV or one of Viacom's partners would buy his show Everyone Is Doing Great, Stephen would ultimately find a home for the comedy on Hulu.
"If there's a world where if I show up for a couple of episode of The Hills and Viacom or one of their platforms buys the show, I'll f--king do it," he said. "Of course it didn't work out that way."
E! News has reached out to MTV for comment on the podcast and hasn't heard back.