Kristin Cavallari is an actress and reality TV star famous for her participation in Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. She is also well known for her modeling work.

Kristin Elizabeth Cavillari was born on January 14, 1987, in Denver, Colorado. She has one brother, Michael, and she later acquired a step brother. During her childhood the family moved frequently, spending time in Connecticut, Missouri, and Illinois. Her Catholic parents were struggling with a crumbling relationship; and when they divorced she settled with her mother in Ilinois, but was unhappy and disruptive at school, so she was eventually sent to live with her father in Laguna Beach, California. Unhappy in her Catholic high school, she persuded him to let her transfer to the popular Laguna High, and it was there that she was noticed by the producers of reality TV show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.

Cavillari's shyness during her first high school semester attracted public sympathy if not a great deal of attention. The second season of Laguna Beach , however, saw her blossom into a confident young woman who became the star of the show. Finding herself popular with the press, Cavillari took advantage of the opportunity to break into modeling, appearing on the covers of magazines such as Seventeen, Teen Vogue, and Maxim, as well as posing for provocative shots in Rolling Stone. She went on to becomes spokes-model for Bongo clothing. She also used her profile as a model to help PETA campaign against fur, appearing on billboards with a rabbit called Gracie.

After the Laguna Beach series finished, Cavallari remained determined to pursue a screen career. She toured the talk show circuit, appearing with the likes of David Letterman, Carson Daly, and fellow model Tyra Banks. She briefly hosted reality show Get This Party Started, along with Ethan Erickson, but the show was unsuccessful and was axed after just two episodes. Never easily deterred, Cavallari took on a high profile role as a lesbian cheerleader in an episode of Veronica Mars, and she subsequently moved into film acting, working on the horror movie Fingerprints, with Justine Basil and Lou Diamond Phillips. She will shortly appear alongside Parker Posey and Danny Arroyo in the comedy Spring Breakdown, and in Kyle Newman's remake of Revenge of the Nerds.