Cast members from the seminal MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County recently converged in Santa Monica, California, to commemorate the upcoming 20th anniversary of their breakout show with a special reunion event. The gathering, held at the picturesque Shutters on the Beach Hotel on March 26, 2026, served as a promotional cornerstone for The Reunion: Laguna Beach, a new special set to debut on The Roku Channel on April 10. Among the prominent figures gracing the event were original cast members Lauren Conrad, Kristin Cavallari, and Stephen Colletti, who participated in a private screening and an engaging Q&A session. However, the nostalgia-filled afternoon also witnessed a playful detour into contemporary internet culture as Conrad and Colletti, joined by another fan-favorite, Talan Torriero, participated in a viral TikTok trend.
The impromptu digital performance saw the trio strutting through the hotel’s elegant hallway, lip-syncing to a segment of JENNIE and Tame Impala’s popular remix of the song "Dracula." This lighthearted moment, captured and later shared by Torriero on his Instagram account, resonated deeply with fans, many of whom expressed their delight in the comments. Phrases like "This is what dreams are made of" and "My Millennial heart loves this for us" flooded the post, underscoring the enduring affection for the Laguna Beach cast and the cultural impact of the series. Colletti’s own playful remark, "It’s @laurenconrad’s world and we’re just living in it," further emphasized the camaraderie among the former castmates.
A Look Back at Laguna Beach’s Enduring Legacy
Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County first premiered on MTV in September 2004, offering viewers an unfiltered glimpse into the lives of affluent teenagers navigating the complexities of high school, friendships, and romance in the idyllic Southern California town of Laguna Beach. The show quickly became a cultural phenomenon, known for its confessional-style interviews, dramatic interpersonal dynamics, and a soundtrack that often featured emerging pop hits. The series ran for two seasons with its original ensemble before shifting its focus to a new group of students for its third season.
The show’s impact extended beyond its narrative, influencing fashion trends and solidifying the "reality TV star" archetype. Its success paved the way for numerous spin-offs and similar series, cementing its place in the annals of reality television history. The 20th anniversary reunion special promises to revisit these formative years, offering a retrospective on the friendships, romantic entanglements, and pivotal moments that defined the show and its cast.
The "Dracula" Remix and its Chart Ascent
The participation of Conrad, Colletti, and Torriero in the "Dracula" TikTok trend highlights the song’s significant cultural footprint. The track, a collaboration between K-pop superstar JENNIE and Australian psychedelic rock band Tame Impala, has enjoyed considerable success since its release. Tame Impala’s original version of "Dracula" was first unveiled in September as the third single from their album Deadbeat. Following playful social media teases of a potential collaboration, JENNIE officially joined forces with the band for the remix, which was released in February.
This remix, amplified by its popularity on TikTok, propelled "Dracula" to new heights on music charts. The track notably peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking JENNIE’s highest-charting single as a solo artist to date. The synergy between the enduring appeal of the Laguna Beach cast and the contemporary virality of the "Dracula" remix underscores a fascinating intersection of pop culture eras.
The Reunion Special: A Deep Dive into the Past
The Reunion: Laguna Beach is slated to feature a comprehensive gathering of the original cast members, aiming to provide an in-depth look at their experiences during the show’s run and their lives in the two decades since. In addition to Conrad, Cavallari, Colletti, and Torriero, the special will include appearances from Lo Bosworth, Trey Phillips, Christina Schuller, Dieter Schmitz, Jessica Smith, and Alex Hooser. This marks the first time many of these individuals will reunite on camera to reflect on their shared history.
Lauren Conrad, speaking at the screening event, described the reunion as an "exciting thing to get everybody together." She added that "enough time has passed for us to have a good perspective," suggesting that the reunion will offer mature and insightful reflections on their time in the spotlight. Conrad further teased that the experience of filming the reunion was "a wild, weird, cool experience, and I’m glad everybody came back," hinting at candid conversations and potentially surprising revelations.
The reunion special aims to explore the enduring bonds forged during their formative years, the often-tumultuous romantic relationships that played out on screen, and the most memorable and, at times, outlandish moments from the show. For fans who grew up alongside these individuals, the special offers a chance to reconnect with a significant chapter of their own past, viewed through the lens of the cast’s current perspectives.
Accessing the Reunion and Laguna Beach Episodes
For those eager to rewatch the original Laguna Beach series, episodes are available for streaming via a subscription to Paramount+. However, The Reunion: Laguna Beach is a Roku Channel exclusive. Viewers can access the reunion special through their Roku TV or any Roku streaming device. The article also highlights the Roku Streaming Stick 4K as a recommended device for enjoying content, including the reunion special, in 4K quality with voice control capabilities. This strategic partnership with The Roku Channel ensures a dedicated platform for the reunion, further solidifying its significance as a standalone event.
The original theme song for Laguna Beach was Hilary Duff’s hit "Come Clean," a track that became intrinsically linked with the show’s identity. The inclusion of such musical touchstones in the series’ history adds another layer to its cultural resonance. The reunion special, by bringing back the original cast and tapping into current cultural trends, demonstrates a keen understanding of how to engage both long-time fans and a new generation of viewers. The event itself, a blend of nostalgic promotion and participation in a modern viral phenomenon, speaks to the lasting impact and adaptability of the Laguna Beach legacy.
