How Lauren Phillips clawed her way into an A-list friendship circle - as she uses her famous connections to score an invite to The Odyssey world premiere red carpet in London

Lauren Phillips has spent the last week swanning around in England and hanging out with her celebrity friends after a getaway to Lake Como, Italy. 

The radio host, 40, managed to score an invite to The Odyssey world premiere in London, thanks to her jet tycoon husband's close mate Matt Damon. 

She also attended Wimbledon and has now jetted off to France to snap a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower with Matt's stepdaughter Alexia Barroso.

Lauren didn't necessarily come from humble beginnings.

The media veteran attended Wesley College, which is widely considered one of Melbourne's most expensive and premier private schools.  

She very quickly built a career in television and radio, but that hardly puts her on the radar of some of the world's biggest celebrities.  

Yet, despite building a reputation as one of the most recognisable radio personalities in Australia, the people who know her best say her greatest talent is social climbing.

'It's quite remarkable the people she has in her friendship circle and the weirdest part about it is that she is genuinely friends with these people,' a Nova insider tells Daily Mail.

The Nova Melbourne breakfast co-host, who presents alongside Jason Hawkins and Clint Stanaway, has become a familiar face on some of the world's biggest red carpets and at exclusive Hollywood events. 

She's often seen rubbing shoulders with A-list stars including Chris Hemsworth and Hollywood star Matt. 

Lauren was most recently seen making a splash at the world premiere of The Odyssey in London on Monday night, the kind of event where you would usually see the likes of Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman - not an Aussie radio presenter.  

She was a personal guest of Hollywood superstar Matt, along with former Home and Away actress Pia Whitesell and her wealthy husband Patrick Whitesell. 

Lauren arrived on the arm of her fiancé Paul O'Brien, a private jet tycoon who has long been close friends with the A-list actor. 

The radio host was spotted smiling as she posed with Matt, 55, and his wife Luciana Barroso, flashing her toned legs in a white mini dress.

Earlier in the day, Lauren also enjoyed a spot of tennis at star-studded Wimbledon, showing off her wealth with a $3,760 white handbag by Fendi.

She also slipped into a floral damask mini dress by prominent Australian designer Rebecca Vallance, worth $599. 

The radio host uploaded a reel of photos of the sunny day to Instagram, posing with a glass of bubbly as she watched the tennis with her multimillionaire partner Paul.  

'A bucket list day at Wimbledon. Djokovic - Osaka - Sabalenka - Sinner - Pimm's - Strawberries and Cream - London Sunshine and my POB,' she wrote.

She went on to thank Range Rover for 'such a special day', indicating she received the VIP treatment at the match free of charge. 

Those close to Lauren say her success hasn't happened by accident.

'Lauren has always known exactly where she wanted her career to go,' one longtime friend says.

'She's incredibly strategic about building relationships and maintaining them. That's something she's genuinely very good at.'

Another friend describes Lauren as 'one of the best networkers' they've encountered, saying she has an ability to form lasting friendships with people across television, film and entertainment.

'She's someone who can walk into a room and make people feel comfortable,' the source says. 

'A lot of people assume those friendships are superficial, but many of them have lasted for years.'

Her growing list of celebrity connections has occasionally attracted attention within the industry, with colleagues noting she's often able to secure invitations to international premieres, sporting events and exclusive functions that many Australian media personalities rarely attend.

According to one producer who has worked with Lauren, her extensive contact list is simply the result of years spent building genuine relationships.

'People joke that she knows everyone in Hollywood,' the producer says. 

'But the reality is she's put years into creating those friendships. Whether it's actors, producers or publicists, she keeps those relationships alive.'

The producer acknowledges that Lauren's willingness to speak openly about those friendships can divide opinion.

'Some people think she doesn't need to mention who she knows because she's talented enough without it,' they say. 

'Others see it as part of her personality and enthusiasm for the industry.'

Friends insist Lauren's ambition has always been one of her defining characteristics.

'She's never hidden the fact that she wants to keep growing,' another source says. 

'She loves entertainment, she loves television and she enjoys being around creative people.'

'The tall poppy syndrome in Australian showbiz is that most people shy away from name-dropping, but that has simply been lost on Lauren,' confirms another source close to Lauren.

Industry insiders believe Lauren's profile continues to expand beyond Australian radio, with her regular appearances at international entertainment events fuelling speculation that larger television opportunities could be on the horizon.

'She's someone who always backs herself,' one source says. 'If an opportunity comes up, she'll ask the question. That's part of why she's been so successful.'

While opinions differ on her highly visible celebrity friendships, those closest to Lauren agree on one point: few Australian media personalities have built an international network quite like hers.

Whether that leads to a bigger television role or another unexpected career move remains to be seen, but friends say they wouldn't bet against her continuing to surprise the industry.

'Just maybe don't ask for a written reference from her previous partners,' adds our industry insider. 'It is a known secret that there is no love lost there.'

Lauren's social life has undeniably entered the big leagues since she started her relationship with Paul in 2020. 

But before she began seeing the private jet tycoon, whose company AVMIN Air Charter flies a large number of high-profile figures, she was married to Lachlan Spark.

During her time with Lachlan, 46, who is a former television producer, Lauren's social circle stayed close to home.

The media personality spent much of her time with local TV stars and colleagues when she worked at Nine. 

Far from popping champagne with A-listers, Lauren's only brush with worldwide fame came in the form of chance encounters through work. 

She was quick to document these celebrity encounters online, sharing selfies with the likes of Flo Rida, Justin Timberlake, and Paris Hilton, among others. 

Lauren and Lachlan met in 2012 and were together for about six years in total, getting engaged in 2016 and finally tying the knot in 2017.

However, their marriage was short-lived, with the pair going their separate ways in 2018. 

They initially remained on good terms, but Lachlan later went on to publicly lash out at Lauren after he began dating his now-wife Courtney Wynbergen. 

Following their breakup, Lachlan accused Lauren of 'caring more about herself' than their relationship and said he 'wasted' years of his life with the wrong person.

'A while ago, I married a girl who cared much more about herself and how she was perceived than she did about me,' he said in 2020.

'It was a lot... too much, actually. I left and despite losing almost every friend I'd found over seven years (and a few other 'best mates' for good measure) in the blink of an eye, it was the best thing I've ever done.

'Approaching 40, I was more than a bit nervous I'd wasted a big chunk of my life with the wrong person, and that I was long odds to find anyone who was willing (or able) to give me the love I knew I deserved.

'I truly believed there was more to a relationship (and life) than skin-deep friends, free holidays and Instagram followers - I just needed to find it.'

Lachlan said he'd met his new girlfriend Courtney by 'sheer, dumb luck'.

'I ran into this girl and my world changed,' he wrote.

He went on to call Courtney a 'fighter', 'loyal' and 'utterly magnificent', then added: 'She knows how to love me like I've never been loved before... I love you.'

Before Lachlan, there was former AFL star Gary Ablett, who she split from in September 2012.

The couple were together for nine years, with Lauren appearing to live a much more down-to-earth lifestyle during this time, with not a single A-list celebrity in sight. 

Widely considered a 'golden couple', Lauren made the most of her WAG years, surrounding herself with Aussie socialites and attending the Melbourne races. 

She originally dated the Brownlow medallist, 41, for seven years before they briefly separated in January 2010. 

They later rekindled their relationship, but ended things for good in 2012. 

Lauren has also put in the work through her career, climbing her way up the ranks as a fashion and entertainment reporter at Nine to a breakfast radio show host.

She started out with the network in the mid-2000s and quickly landed a prominent presenting gig on the Victorian travel program Postcards in 2008. 

After several years of working various TV gigs and other fill-in presenting roles, she was then hired as a weather presenter on Weekend Today. 

By late 2010, she had also picked up a few guest spots in radio until eventually, in 2021, she transitioned from TV to radio completely. 

She joined KIIS 101.1FM in Melbourne as the co-host of the breakfast radio program Jase & Lauren alongside long-time radio personality Jason Hawkins. 

Their show has since moved over to Nova 100 after KIIS FM axed the duo to make way for the failed expansion of The Kyle & Jackie O Show.