Kristin Cavallari says ‘Laguna Beach’ producers branded her a ‘villain’ early on

Let’s go back — back to the beginning.

Reality television OG Kristin Cavallari alleged that “Laguna Beach” producers had always deemed her the “villain” of the teen series back in the day.

The “Balancing in Heels” author, 35, discussed how “Laguna Beach” painted her as the quintessential mean girl who fought with much of the cast — especially star Lauren Conrad — in an interview with Insider.

The “Very Cavallari” star and “Laguna” alum Stephen Colletti recently dropped by the MTV show’s re-watch podcast “Back to the Beach with Kristin and Stephen.”

“I think [producers] obviously saw from me from the get-go that I was someone who did speak my mind,” revealed Cavallari, who also appeared on the 2006 spinoff, “The Hills.”

The mother of three now realizes “without a doubt” that execs crafted her as the “villain” on the show right from the beginning.

“I had a strong personality. I have a strong presence and I think that’s way easier to manipulate and edit into this villain role than any other type of personality,” she went on.

On the first episode of the podcast — which dropped on July 19 — Cavallari opened up to the “One Tree Hill” actor, 36, about her regrets over her behavior on the show.

“Watching it now, it’s so different when you’re in the middle of it and you’re very emotional,” she explained. “I will say the fact that Lauren Conrad and I really went after each other is so messed up when I love you, but the person we should have been going after is you.”

The premiere episode of “Laguna Beach” showed a love triangle with Conrad, Cavallari and Colletti. The conflict became one of the staples of the MTV series, with Cavallari noting how the storyline was “so classic.”

“If someone gets cheated on, you go after the other woman. Why are we not blaming the guy — or the girl, whatever the situation is? In a lot of ways, I feel bad,” the entrepreneur pointed out.

The pair also disclosed what their salaries were when they first started appearing on the reality soap opera.

Colletti divulged that he only earned around two grand for his role, while Cavallari was paid about $2,500.

“I don’t even think it was that much. I think it was $2,000,” Colletti said. “Lauren and I renegotiated for Season 2. It was going to be our last season! We were like, ‘We’re out of here!’”