The Hills: New Beginnings cast could be shacking up together, Big Brother -style.
The stars of the MTV reality show may temporarily move into one residence to complete filming for the second season months after production was shut down earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to new information reported by TMZ .
Sources told the outlet that the network and Evolution Media are considering moving series stars Brody Jenner, Audrina Patridge, Kaitlynn Carter, Heidi and Spencer Pratt, and the rest of their co-stars into one big home or separate apartments in one complex for up to two months so shooting for Season 2 can be completed amid the pandemic.
The proposed living arrangement would be interesting, considering several of The Hills stars are now parents to small children, and one couple — Brody and Kaitlynn — split up since wrapping the show’s first round of episodes.
In addition to a possible bubble-like setting, a source told Page Six that “a ton” of filming can also be done outdoors and in the cast’s homes without going into public places. It was also teased that the cast — which also include Justin Bobby Brescia, Frankie Delgado, Whitney Port, Jason Wahler, and Brandon Thomas Lee – would be doing some “self-shooting.”
“They will be doing some self-shooting but mostly back to filming with the new health regulations in place for filming.”
Once production does start back up — whether in one house or several — Evolution will have strict safety protocols in place. The company hired an outside consultant, infectious disease doctor, and a team to do COVID-19 testing on all of The Hills castmates.
Three episodes of The Hills: New Beginnings’ second season were already shot before the series was forced to shut down in March. While the castmates are ready to get back to work after the unexpected hiatus, they are reportedly not all thrilled about the idea of living in a bubble like casts on shows such as Big Brother and Jersey Shore.
The TMZ insider revealed that The Hills producers still have a couple of months to decide on the living situation because production isn’t expected to resume until October.
As for rumors that newcomer Mischa Barton will be replaced by socialite Caroline D’Amore for the second installment of the MTV revival, Barton told ET Online that she has not filmed anything for the reality series while quarantining in Miami, but she stopped short of confirming that she’s off the show.
“Yeah, let’s see when they can get production back up and going and see what happens with that and who’s gonna be on it,” she said of the casting for The Hills: New Beginnings .