
With the series premiere of The Hills: New Beginnings less than a week away, fans of the early 2000s MTV reality series are understandably stoked to see their faves return to the small screen. Though not everyone from The Hills will be making an appearance on the reboot (miss you, LC), much of the original cast is back in action; Heidi and Spencer Pratt, Whitney Port, Justin "Bobby" Brescia, Audrina Patridge, and Stephanie Pratt have all signed on to star on the new show.
In addition to the OGs, fans of The Hills will be introduced to a few new faces, including Brandon Thomas Lee, the son of two Hollywood heavyweights. For many, The Hills: New Beginnings will be an official introduction to the 23-year-old, who has mostly avoided the public eye in his adulthood. It's his first time appearing on reality television, and choosing to do so after what he's been through wasn't easy, but Lee is finally ready to step into his star power.
From his celebrity roots to his celebrity crushes, here's everything you need to know about Brandon Thomas Lee.
He's the firstborn son of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee.
Actress and Playboy model Pamela Anderson's three-year marriage to Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee wasn't all smooth sailing, but their love for each other did result in the birth of their two sons, Brandon and Dylan. Even after their 1998 divorce and subsequent remarriages to other people, things haven't exactly been copacetic for the exes and their family; just last year, news broke of a physical altercation between father and son that sent the rocker to the hospital. Since then, fortunately, things seem to have come to a peaceful resolution.
A post shared by T🥁ɱɱ¥ ᒪEE (@tommylee)
A photo posted by on
Growing up, Lee didn't really understand the magnitude of being raised by two of the most famous celebrities of the 90s. He told Interview Magazine a charming story about the moment he realized just who his parents were: "The normal thing to do as a parent is, of course, to make your kids feel like everything is normal and fine. I remember one day asking my mom, 'Hey, why does everybody take photos of us?' And she said, 'Oh, they do that to everybody.' Then, I remember being with one of my friends’ families when I was, like, 10, and we walked into dinner somewhere, and I said to them, 'Hey, why does nobody take photos of you guys?' "
He's a working model and actor.
Due to the public nature of his parents' relationship, Lee originally wanted to stay out of the limelight, but even he couldn't turn a blind eye to an opportunity to work with premium brand Tommy Hilfiger. At age 18, Lee officially began his modeling career, walking in the runway shows of Dolce & Gabbana and Phillip Plein. He's even been featured on the covers of GQ Germany and D'Scene Magazine.
In addition to working as a model, Lee is also pursuing acting. He's already booked some gigs, too; in 2018, he played a character in the Netflix teen comedy Sierra Burgess Is A Loser, and he's set to play a lead role in the upcoming BET series Tales alongside his ex-girlfriend Bella Thorne.
He's the youngest member of 'The Hills: New Beginnings'
At 23, Lee is obviously the baby of the group, but that doesn't scare him much. Actually, he prefers it that way—it's one of the main reasons why he finally decided to join the close-knit cast in the first place. “Originally they were thinking about doing it with a younger group of kids, and I knew a lot of those kids and I wasn’t really interested in doing it,” Lee told Women's Wear Daily earlier this year. “And then they were bringing the old cast back; then I was like, ‘OK, this is really cool.’ But I was like, ‘I still wouldn’t really want to do it.’ You know? I never thought in my whole life I’d ever do a reality show."
Get to know more about Lee and reconnect with the rest of your faves when The Hills: New Beginnings airs on MTV on Monday, June 24.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
-
Jordan’s Queen Rania Makes Sure to Ask the Prince and Princess of Wales About Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
It was the royal wedding of the year!
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Stand to Make a Ton More Money in the Near Future
‘Spare’ could come to the big screen, and Meghan could net a huge amount of money per Instagram post.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Princess Charlotte Is the Queen of Keeping Little Brother Prince Louis in Check
Charlotte in charge, indeed!
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Kim Cattrall Didn't See or Speak to Her Costars When Filming 'And Just Like That' Cameo
That's some type of commitment.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
The 80 Best K-Dramas You'll Be Completely Hooked On
Wait, how is it already 2 a.m.?
By Quinci LeGardye
-
Selena Gomez Revealed Meryl Streep Is Joining 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3
Fans are losing it.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Sophia Brown on Joining the World of ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’
The actress opens up about the “surreal process” of playing the Lark in the Netflix fantasy prequel.
By Quinci LeGardye
-
'Ginny & Georgia' Season 2: Everything We Know
Netflix owes us answers after that ending.
By Zoe Guy
-
The Unstoppable Alia Bhatt
Bollywood’s silver-screen darling is both at the top of her game and just getting started.
By Neha Prakash
-
The Cast of 'The Crown' Season 5: Your Guide
The Mountbatten-Windsors have been recast—again.
By Andrea Park
-
Who Is Hasnat Khan, Princess Diana’s Boyfriend on Season 5 of ‘The Crown’?
Di’s friends have said she referred to the doctor as “the love of her life.”
By Andrea Park