Television personality, fashion designer, and actress Kristin Cavallari. Source: Splash News Australia

The 27-year-old first rose to fame on MTV’s Laguna Beach, a reality show about life in Orange County at the age of 17.

But she has told Oprah on her show Where Are They Now? that the experience was less than positive.

“Laguna Beach was … it was tough,” said Cavallari, “I felt very used and manipulated.”

“Basically my boyfriend at the time, the producers would have him go and take out Lauren Conrad, take her to dinner, bring her flowers, which never would’ve happened if it wasn’t for the show, for MTV,” Cavallari said of Stephen Colletti, who is now a 28-year-old actor.

Kristin Cavallari from TV show Laguna Beach in 2005. Source: Supplied

Kristin Cavallari is now a mother of two. Source: Getty Images

Cavallari is now married with two children and was villainised on the show and pitted against Conrad, who was the narrator of the show.

“Being 16, 17 in high school, not knowing really how to handle your emotions or even realising what’s going on … I put up a wall.

“I put up a really tough exterior because I felt like they were really trying to take advantage of me. It was a really difficult time, and then when I saw it air, and saw the way that they represented me, I was really, really upset. I cried for hours and hours after I saw the first episode. It was hard, it was really hard.”

Lauren Conrad at the time of MTV's 'Laguna Beach' in 2005. Source: Supplied

Lauren Conrad is also now married. Source: Supplied

While Laguna Beach wrapped in 2006, she went on to star in spin-off series, The Hills.

“I was a junior in high school and MTV showed up and did open casting for Laguna Beach,” Cavallari said. “You go and you grab this 20-page packet and then they would take your polaroid and from there they did on-camera interviews. They sort of narrowed it down to these eight people. We weren’t all a group of friends, but there was all some sort of a tie with all of us.”

“We filmed a pilot, we had no idea what we were doing,” Cavallari continued. “We were just going along with whatever MTV was telling us to do. We were kids! We didn’t know. Then Laguna Beach literally turned into an overnight huge success and it was a really wild time in my life.”

“I still, to this day, think you should have to be 18 to do a reality show,” she added. “Only because of my experience.”

NFL player Jay Cutler and wife Kristin Cavallari. Source: Getty Images