Spencer Pratt

Spencer Pratt

Pratt in January 2009
Born Spencer William Pratt
August 14, 1983
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater University of Southern California
Occupation Television personality
Years active 2005–present
Television
Spouse(s) Heidi Montag (m. 2009)
Relatives

Spencer William Pratt (born August 14, 1983) is an American television personality. In 2007, he began dating Heidi Montag, a primary cast member of the reality television series The Hills. Subsequently, he came to prominence after being cast in the series. Their relationship ultimately ended Montag's friendship with fellow cast member Lauren Conrad. The ensuing feud between the three became the central focus of the series, and was carried through each subsequent season.

The couple, collectively nicknamed "Speidi", married in April 2009. Later that year, they made controversial appearances on the second season of the American version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. In 2013, he and Montag competed as a single entity on the eleventh series of the British version of Celebrity Big Brother, eventually becoming the runners-up.

Life and career

1983–2005: Early life and The Princes of Malibu

Spencer William Pratt was born on August 14, 1983 in Los Angeles, California. He is the elder sibling of Stephanie, also a television personality. Pratt first appeared on television in 2005 in the short-lived reality series The Princes of Malibu. Pratt was also Creator & Executive Producer of the series, he acted in the role of "manager/publicist/agent/stylist" to series star Brody Jenner.[1]

2007–10: The Hills

In 2006, MTV developed the reality television series The Hills as the spin-off of Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. It originally chronicled the lives of Lauren Conrad, who appeared on its predecessor, her housemate Heidi Montag, and friends Audrina Patridge and Whitney Port.[2] In 2007, Pratt began dating and later moved into an apartment with Montag, which led to the deterioration of her friendship with Conrad.[3][4] During the third season, Conrad ended her friendship with Montag after she suspected that Pratt was responsible for rumors of a sex tape involving her and her former boyfriend Jason Wahler; the ensuing feud between the three carried through each subsequent season.[5] After Conrad established companionships with Jenner and Frankie Delgado, he severed ties with both men.[6]

In May 2007, Montag and Pratt announced their engagement.[7] In August, Montag entered the music industry and began recording her debut studio album. Later that month, the song "Body Language" was leaked on the internet, and featured a rapped verse from Pratt.[8] He later directed the music video for Montag's first promotional single "Higher";[9] it was released in February 2008 to an overwhelmingly negative response.[10] During the fourth season of The Hills, Montag and Pratt eloped in Mexico on November 20, 2008.[11][12] As the couple decides to officially marry in the fifth season, Conrad made her final appearance on the series during the mid-season finale, where she attended the wedding after much deliberation and made peace with Montag.[13] The ceremony was held on April 25, 2009 in Pasadena, California.[14] Subsequently, Conrad was replaced by her former Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County cast member Kristin Cavallari, who had previously introduced Montag and Pratt.[15]

Later that year, Montag and Pratt appeared on the second season of the American version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in support of the "Feed the Children" foundation.[16] They quit after Montag was hospitalized with a gastric ulcer[17] and later created controversy after alleging that they were subject to torture during production.[18] After leaving the series, Montag and Pratt became notorious for their antics and antagonistic roles, notably during an interview with Al Roker of Today,[19] and were described as "everything that's wrong with America".[20] In May 2010, Pratt and Montag made their final appearance on The Hills halfway through the sixth and final season; Pratt was to return after completing anger management classes after threatening to kill a series producer, but both were completely removed from the cast after his behavior worsened.[21]

In July, Montag filed for divorce from Pratt, citing irreconcilable differences in the petition.[22] However, they called it off in September after confessing that the action was intended to boost Montag's ailing career.[23] In November, they renewed their vows in Carpinteria, California.[24] Pratt was arrested and jailed in Costa Rica on September 11, 2010, while attempting to board an aircraft with hunting weapons. He was subsequently released and banned from re-entering the country.[25]

2013–2014: Celebrity Big Brother

In January 2013, Montag and Pratt (as a single entity) competed as housemates on the eleventh series of the British version of Celebrity Big Brother,[26] where they notably developed a minor feud with singer and television personality Rylan Clark.[27] They were named the runners-up, losing to Clark.[28] On February 18, Channel 5 aired a one-off television special discussing Montag and Pratt's rise to prominence, titled Speidi: Scandal, Secrets & Surgery!.[29]

TV Guide included him in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time.[30]

Heidi and Spencer most recently appeared in the E! Documentary special, After Shock: Heidi & Spencer.[31]

Education

In December 2013, Pratt completed his undergraduate degree in political science at the University of Southern California after ten years. Pratt left university for fame and re-enrolled in 2011.[32]

References

  1. ↑ Amsden, David. "Master of His Own Celebrity: Brody Jenner knows just who to screw to sit pretty on the B-list". Men.style.com.
  2. ↑ Virginia Heffernan (May 31, 2006). "'The Hills,' a Follow-Up to 'Laguna Beach,' Makes Its Premiere on MTV". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ "The Hills (Season 2) Ep. 208: Enough Is Enough". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Hills (Season 2) Ep. 212: Goodbye For Now". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
  5. ↑ "The Hills (Season 3) Ep. 301: You Know What You Did". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  6. ↑ "The Hills (Season 3) Ep. 305: Rolling With The Enemy". MTV. Viacom. September 3, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  7. ↑ "The World Has Ended. Heidi and Spencer Are Engaged.". TMZ. Time Warner. May 23, 2007. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  8. ↑ Aaron Parsley (August 16, 2007). "Heidi Montag 'Upset' Over Leaked Song". People. Time Inc. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  9. ↑ Mark Dagostino (February 18, 2008). "Spencer on Heidi's Album: 'Madonna, Eat Your Heart Out'". People. Time Inc. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Heidi Montag Hot? Did She Finally Pass Lauren on the Popularity Scale?". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo!. February 6, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  11. ↑ "The Hills (Season 4) Ep. 419: Mr. And Mrs. Pratt". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Heidi and Spencer get married". OK!. Northern & Shell. November 24, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  13. ↑ "The Hills (Season 5) Ep. 510: Something Old, Something New". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  14. ↑ Jocelyn Vena (April 25, 2009). "'Hills' Stars Heidi Montag And Spencer Pratt Get Married". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  15. ↑ Jocelyn Vena (May 14, 2009). "Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag Welcome Kristin Cavallari To 'The Hills'". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Charity Speaks Out About Speidi Possibly Quitting Reality Show". Radar Online. American Media, Inc. June 2, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  17. ↑ Jocelyn Vena (June 7, 2009). "'Hills' Star Heidi Montag Hospitalized". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  18. ↑ Linda Holmes (June 9, 2009). "Spencer, Heidi jeopardize their fragile ‘fame’". MSNBC. NBCUniversal. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  19. ↑ Mike Celizic (June 16, 2009). "Al Roker weighs in on Speidi ‘attack’". MSNBC. NBCUniversal. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  20. ↑ "NBC executive not happy with Heidi, Spencer". MSNBC. NBCUniversal. June 4, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  21. ↑ Kelly Maddern (May 28, 2010). "Heidi and Spencer's Downward Spiral, Before Our Very Eyes". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo!. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Heidi Montag Files For Divorce From Spencer Pratt". MTV News. Viacom. July 30, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Couple faked divorce for TV deal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. November 5, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  24. ↑ Joyce Chen (November 16, 2010). "Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt renew wedding vows in private ceremony, celebrate themselves". Daily News. Daily News, L.P. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Spencer Pratt arrested for firearm possession: Former reality star tweets 'Costa Rican jail smells like children's tears'". MSNBC.com. 2010-09-14. I'm not allowed in the country anymore -- but that's because of the chicken incident.
  26. ↑ "Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt Death Threats: 'Celebrity Big Brother' Stars Receive Nothing But Hatred". The Huffington Post. AOL. January 23, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  27. ↑ Rachael Wheeler (January 22, 2013). "Speidi's emotional apology to Rylan Clark ends the Celebrity Big Brother feud: "We didn't mean to clap"". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt Open Up About 'Celebrity Big Brother,' Death Threats And 'Feigned' Villainy". The Huffington Post. AOL. January 29, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Speidi: Scandal, Secrets & Surgery!". Channel 5. Northern & Shell. February 18, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  30. ↑ Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (March 25, 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time". TV Guide. pp. 14 - 15.
  31. ↑ Zach Johnson (November 19, 2013). "Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt Starring in One-Hour E! Special, After Shock: Heidi & Spencer". E Online. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  32. ↑ Rachel McGrady (December 5, 2013). "Spencer Pratt Finishes College After 10 Years: "I Was Busy Being Famous!"". US Weekly. Retrieved February 10, 2014.

External links