Top 10 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets About One Tree Hill
#10: Haley Almost Wasn’t a Singer
Top 10 Nathan & Haley Moments on One Tree Hill
Music is a huge part of the show’s identity. And a big component of this was Haley's incredible voice. From “Halo” to “Feel This”, everytime she performed, everyone stood to attention. But it turns out the character’s musical talent was completely unplanned. It was only written into the show once they discovered what an amazing singer Bethany Joy Lenz is in real life! It ended up being a huge part of who Haley was, so it’s crazy to think that it almost wasn’t part of her storyline at all. It just goes to show that sometimes the best things happen unexpectedly!
#9: The Scott Brothers Were Almost Played by Each Other
Top 10 Lucas & Peyton Moments on One Tree Hill
Originally, the creator of the series, Mark Schwahn, wanted Chad Michael Murray to play Nathan Scott. However, Murray connected more with the part of Lucas, so that’s the role he was ultimately cast in. As a result, when James Lafferty auditioned to play Lucas afterwards, the part was already taken. And it’s a good thing it was, because he got the role of Nathan instead. The rest is Tree Hill history. It's hard to believe, but if fans are wondering what the switch would've been like, there is an episode where Nathan dreams up an alternate universe in which Dan married Karen instead of Deb. It’s certainly entertaining to watch, but we’d say the final casting was spot on.
#8: Chad Michael Murray Was Bad at Basketball
Even more so than music, basketball plays a major role in the show. Unfortunately, it didn’t come naturally to Murray. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He struggled to a point where they hired someone to help him out! Unlike Lucas, Chad was never a basketball player. In fact, he grew up playing a different sport entirely: football. There’s actually a few nods to this in the show. Notably, the pictures of Murray as a kid featured on the show are often of him in his football uniform. James Lafferty, on the other hand, had no trouble making game winning shots because he played high school basketball!
#7: Hilarie Burton Didn't Like the “Psycho Derek” Storyline
This was one of the show’s more intense narrative arcs, so we can understand her hesitation. But there’s actually more to it than that. Burton Morgan revealed on an episode of the “Chicks in the Office” podcast that a big factor in how violent Psycho Derek got with her was that it drew in male viewers. What’s worse, her bosses took it as a positive! Understandably, the actress was upset by this. It definitely makes us look at that whole plot point differently. Thankfully, she found a silver lining in the fact that Matt Barr, the actor behind the role, was a lovely person to have on set.
#6: Sophia Bush's Multiple Auditions
It’s impossible to imagine anyone other than Sophia Bush bringing the iconic Brooke Davis to life. But it turns out that she actually had to audition not once, not twice, but three times before getting the part! And the reason for this was questionable, to say the least. It had nothing to do with executives doubting her acting skill, but was instead about her appearance. As she describes it, she was first told she “was not sexy enough”. She was then told after her second audition that her skirt was “too short”. Finally, at her third attempt, she was cast. Sophia undoubtedly made B. Davis her own, and we love her for it.
#5: The Story Behind the Dog Eating Dan's Heart
Top 10 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets About American Horror Story
Who could ever forget the intense moment where Dan is about to get the heart transplant he so desperately needs, only to have a dog eat it? It’s one of the craziest and most outrageous things to ever happen on One Tree Hill, which is saying something. And it turns out it started out as a joke in the writers room when they were brainstorming ideas to make sure Dan suffered a little longer! He was the show’s principal villain for much of its run after all, and his redemption couldn’t be too easy. Somehow, out of all the pitches that were thrown out, this one made its way into the show. And if you’re wondering about the specifics: it was actually a pig’s heart.
#4: Fighting for Female Friendships
Top 10 Crime Fighting Duos on TV
The bonds formed between the cast were almost sabotaged. On an episode of Dax Shepard’s podcast, Sophia Bush described how their boss would try to drive a wedge between them by spreading rumors. Not only that, Hilarie Burton Morgan once revealed on “Chicks in the Office” that her friendship with Sophia Bush survived despite the producers’ best efforts. She explained that they continuously tried pitting them against each other. Luckily they failed, as Bush and Burton Morgan realized they were stronger together. Hilarie actually describes Peyton and Brooke’s friendship as being “the love story of the show” and we totally agree. So here’s a big thank you to the women who made that possible.
#3: Sophia Bush Fought Back Against Inappropriate Scenes
It's no secret that Sophia Bush isn’t afraid to fight for what's right. Well, it turns out that was true even in her “One Tree Hill” days. During an appearance on “Pretty Big Deal with Ashley Graham”, she described how her boss and the show’s writers kept asking her to play scenes in her underwear. Considering that her character was a teenager, she pushed back - despite her boss making lewd remarks in response. She explains that she’s much more aware today of how important this was—and how risky it could have been given the power dynamics at play. We’re glad she made her voice heard and fought for both herself and Brooke.
#2: Producers Exploited the Actors' Personal Lives
As the characters were growing up in Tree Hill, so too was the cast. They were young adults finding their place in the world. What’s disconcerting is that producers reportedly took advantage of this. On a 2018 episode of “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard”, Sophia Bush revealed that they would run commercials surrounding the cast’s private business in a bid for higher ratings. And as if that on its own wasn’t bad enough, she also described how personal things they were going through were often written into the show. Bush described it as “opportunistic and ugly”.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Tree Hill Was Almost in Illinois
North Carolina Was a Warmer Alternative
It Was Almost a Film
We Nearly Spent Two Hours Watching “Ravens”
Bethany Joy Lenz Had to Dye Her Hair
P. Sawyer Was the Only Blonde Girl
Sophia Bush Improvised Her Monologue in the Series Finale
It Came From the Heart
Nobody Was in Every Episode
Sophia Bush Appeared in All of Them Except the Pilot
#1: Accusations of Abuse
In 2017, 18 women from the crew and cast of One Tree Hill wrote an open letter to Variety accusing the show’s creator, Mark Schwahn, of sexual harassment and assault. Hilarie Burton Morgan and Danneel Ackles are among those who have spoken in more depth about it. Their stories are devastating, to put it mildly. In her book, Burton Morgan revealed that she left the show because she was unhappy and wanted to live more “intentionally”, but the effects of the abuse lingered. She’s since explained that she now only works with people she knows. Tree Hill was a safe haven for many viewers, so it’s heartbreaking that the same wasn’t always true behind the scenes.
