After months of fan speculation about a possible rift between former “One Tree Hill” co-stars Bethany Joy Lenz and Hilarie Burton, Lenz — now a Hallmark Channel fan favorite — confirmed that their decades-old relationship has soured.
The “A Biltmore Christmas” star has been busy promoting her upcoming memoir and, during an interview on October 16, 2024, she admitted to “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper that “bizarre misunderstandings” have caused a rift with Burton that she hopes to heal “one day.”
Fans Think Hilarie Burton is Upset About Bethany Joy Lenz’s Book Cover
Heavy/AmazonNew books from HIlarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz
Lenz, Burton, and fellow “OTH” alum Sophia Bush had remained on good terms since the coming-of-age show ended in 2012 after nine seasons, per Bustle. They started a popular re-watch podcast in 2021 called “Drama Queens,” dissecting every episode that aired during the series’ run.
After the trio finished recapping the sixth season, Burton left the podcast in July, explaining that it was because she wasn’t on “OTH” after that season, per Us Weekly. Lenz’s fellow Hallmark colleague, “‘Twas the Date Before Christmas” star Robert Buckley, was on “OTH” for its last three seasons, so he has replaced Burton on the “Drama Queens” podcast.
Many fans think the rift between the actresses may have been brought on by the cover design of Lenz’s new book, out October 22. The cover of “Dinner With Vampires: Life on a Cult Reality Show — While Also in an Actual Cult,” has some similarities to the cover art of Burton’s 2023 memoir, “Grimoire Girl.”
In February, on the same day Lenz posted the cover of her upcoming memoir, Burton cryptically tweeted a throwback quote from singer Pink that said, “I don’t think imitation is the highest form of flattery, I think it’s annoying.”
Then in March, fans noticed Burton and Lenz were not following each other on Instagram, per Glamour, even though they were both still following Bush. When Lenz appeared on “Call Her Daddy,” Cooper mentioned all the speculation and Lenz addressed it diplomatically.
“I love Hilarie,” Lenz said. “I have always and will always, and I don’t have any problem with her. There have been some bizarre misunderstandings that I really hope we can figure out one day, but I love that girl.”
Fans Had Hoped Bethany Joy Lenz Would Be Part of ‘One Tree Hill’ Reboot
Getty“One Tree Hill” alums Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Sophia Bush in 2022
The tension with Burton may explain why Lenz has not committed to the reboot of “OTH” that Bush and Burton have been working on for Netflix, first announced by Deadline in late August.
Many fans expressed irritation with Lenz days later when she coyly shared on Instagram that she had “pretty exciting news” to share with “OTH” fans “momentarily.” After fans waited for hours to hear her news, buzzing about the likelihood of her joining the project, she returned but did not mention the reboot.
“I know you guys are all clamoring a little for Naley to be back together,” she said, referring to the nickname fans called her “OTH” character, Haley, and James Lafferty’s character, Nathan. “So, your wish is granted! Naley is back together — for a brief moment in time.”
Lenz then shared that the “reunion” with Lafferty would happen in an interview for her subscription newspaper, Modern Vintage News. Though fans liked the idea of any kind of interaction between their characters, many said they felt led on by Lenz, with some even calling it a “cruel” ploy.
“i get it 100% if the reboot isn’t something you want to do or want to be a part of,” one person commented. “But these kind of games and jerking people around who have been fans of you for 20+ years just isn’t cool. 😔”
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