Spencer Pratt discusses his rise from The Hills villain to reality star, shaped by David Foster’s advice
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How did Spencer Pratt first dip his toes into reality TV?
It all kicked off with a show called The Princes of Malibu, where he popped up as Brody Jenner’s best bud and hype man.
Back then, at 41 now, Spencer didn’t see himself as a camera hog; he was just along for the ride with Brody, his brother Brandon, and their folks Linda Thompson and David Foster.
That short-lived series was his intro, but he brushed it off, dreaming bigger about acting and producing for real.
Why did he almost dodge the reality TV spotlight?
Spencer thought jumping in meant locking himself into something silly, like taking the wrong pill in The Matrix—he didn’t realize how it would flip his world.
Once he was in, there was no out; people stopped seeing him as serious talent and just pegged him as that guy from TV.
Fast forward, and while folks like Kim Kardashian turned reality fame into acting gold, back in his day, it felt like a dead end. So, he rolled with it, cracks and all.
What role did David Foster play in shaping his on-screen vibe?
Out of nowhere, Brody’s stepdad David Foster dropped some advice that stuck.
“You should be the Simon Cowell of reality TV,” he told Spencer, who had no clue who that even was since he skipped American Idol.
Spencer was like, “Wait, what?” But David pushed him to embrace being the villain, the blunt bad guy who stirs things up.
That nudge changed everything, turning Spencer into that unfiltered force on The Hills.
How did being the ‘bad guy’ backfire on him?
Sure, playing the antagonist made for juicy TV, but viewers didn’t get the joke—they just saw a monster.
Spencer got real about how his straight-shooting style got twisted; what he meant as honest chat came off as harsh.
Producers loved it, but the audience? Not so much. Looking back, he wishes folks had seen the layers, not just the drama that exploded on screen.
What’s Spencer up to now in the reality world?
From The Hills to its reboot and hits like Celebrity Big Brother, he’s been everywhere, always with his wife Heidi Montag by his side.
Their latest gig? That Hulu show Got to Get Out. It’s been a rollercoaster, but he’s owning it all.
At the end of the day, Spencer’s story is a reminder that one pivot can redefine your path—flaws, fun, and all.