Hilarie Burton Shares Update on One Tree Hill Reboot

As I delve deeper into the captivating world of One Tree Hill, I can’t help but be moved by the extraordinary lives and journeys of its cast members. Hilarie Burton, a shining star on the show, took a dramatic turn in her life after the tragic loss of her dear friend Scott Kirkpatrick. His death served as a profound wake-up call for Burton, snapping her priorities back into focus. She yearned for something more profound than acting – a family, a home, and a life filled with intentionality. And so, she embarked on a daring adventure, writing a novel and jetting off to Paris.

Hilarie Burton expresses strong optimism about the possibility of a One Tree Hill revival, an idea that continues to be uncertain.

Weeks have passed since news broke about Hilarie and Sophia Bush potentially working on a follow-up series for the teen drama on Netflix. Now, Hilarie has given us a glimpse into the current status of their project.

As a devoted enthusiast, I’m happy to share that we’re just at the beginning stages of this exciting project. However, it’s still too early to confirm its progression since it’s currently under development.

That said, she’s optimistic about its future—and her collaborators.

Hilarie expressed her strong conviction in the story our showrunner has developed. She added, ‘Once Netflix officially gives its go-ahead, we’ll celebrate and share all the details with you! I also think it’s incredibly exciting to collaborate with people we genuinely adore. The excitement is palpable, everyone’s eagerly waiting!’

On August 30th, various sources confirmed that Netflix is planning a sequel for “One Tree Hill,” with Hilarie and Sophia in executive producer and lead roles. Additionally, Danneel Ackles, another cast member from the original series, will also be part of this project.

It’s heartening to witness that the show’s fans, who watched the series airing from 2003 to 2012, are equally enthusiastic as the cast regarding the upcoming new season.

Hilarie mentioned to TopMob News that for quite some time, everyone associated with the project, including all members of the cast, have been discussing it extensively. Seeing the positive response from the public to it is truly delightful for them.

Even though it’s been over a decade since the former star of “White Collar” portrayed the beloved Peyton Sawyer, the 42-year-old has been keeping quite busy. She manages her thriving acting career alongside caring for her 14-year-old son Gus and 6-year-old daughter George, while also spending time with her husband, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

And with her partner of 15 years by her side—they wed in 2019 after 10 years together—she’s navigated all life has brought her way, from new sets and schools to changes that come with aging. Like, perimenopause symptoms, for instance, which she’s been taking OLLY’s Mellow Menopause vitamin to alleviate.

She clarified, “Many individuals responded with ‘You’re too young, you’re too young.’ Now, my role is to stand up and amplify, ‘You’re not too young!’ If you are experiencing symptoms, it indicates the start. Catching it early allows you to continue being strong without having to hide it or face complications.

The sincerity that Hilarie embodies in her daily life, particularly as a mother, is what she’s eager to showcase in the upcoming “One Tree Hill” sequel series.

She remarked, “Every tale I share is rooted in my personal experiences.” Furthermore, there isn’t much material out there tailored explicitly for teenagers and their parents to connect better. Remarkably, “One Tree Hill” excelled in this area.

As a die-hard fan, what truly resonates with me about One Tree Hill is its ability to bridge the gap between children and their parents, as well as fostering deep connections among young characters. Consequently, my heart’s desire is to share these captivating shows with my own offspring, cherishing those precious moments of bonding and shared understanding.

—Reporting by Nikaline McCarley

Look back at shocking secrets about the original One Tree Hill series…

She clarified that many individuals responded with “You’re too young, you’re too young.” Now, her mission is to speak up loudly and clearly say, ‘You’re not too young.’ If you experience the symptoms, it means it has begun. The earlier you address it, the sooner you can continue thriving without having to hide it or face the difficulties of trying to keep it secret.

As a fervent admirer, it’s that genuine authenticity Hilarie exudes in her daily living, particularly as a mother, that I eagerly anticipate seeing translated into the upcoming sequel of One Tree Hill.

She shared, “Every tale I share draws from my personal experiences.” She also noted a lack of stories catering to the unique dynamics between teenagers and their parents. She added, “And ‘One Tree Hill’ excelled in bridging this gap.

Hilarie explained that the purpose of “One Tree Hill” is to forge deep connections between children and their parents, as well as among children themselves. That’s why she wants to enjoy shows like that with her own kids in particular.

—Reporting by Nikaline McCarley

Look back at shocking secrets about the original One Tree Hill series…

Initially, the project was penned by creator Mark Schwahn as a film titled “Ravens”. Over the course of four years, executives at Warner Bros. Television managed to persuade him to transform it into a television series instead.

2. As they felt the original title was excessively sports-related, the show got its name from the U2 song “One Tree Hill,” which appears on their album “Joshua Tree.” Each episode of the series bore a title based on songs from various artists, such as Dashboard Confessional and R.E.M., among others.

3. Following his portrayal of Ryan on The O.C., Chad Michael Murray declined the offer to play Lucas, the complex character who excels at both writing and basketball. Initially, producers visualized him as Nathan due to his bad boy roles in Gilmore Girls and Dawson’s Creek, but Murray found a connection with Lucas because, like Lucas, his mother had left his family when he was young. As a result, he advocated for being cast in the part.

4. Bethany Joy Lenz tried out for both Haley and Brooke’s roles, but she wasn’t keen on portraying the latter as they seemed similar to her interpretation of the former. In the end, Lenz was cast as a series regular and changed her naturally blonde hair to dark and straightened her curls to distinguish herself from Hilarie Burton, who portrayed Peyton, keeping their characters visually distinct.

17-year-old James Lafferty had spent more time on the basketball court than in front of cameras, so he realized the challenge ahead when it came to securing the role of Nathan. As he confessed in a behind-the-scenes interview, he needed to audition multiple times before being considered for the part, six times to be exact.

As it turns out, he wasn’t off base. Noted executive producer Joe Davola remarked, “At the time when James applied for the role, he was considered something of an underdog to land the part.

6. Sophia Bush joined the series starting from the second episode, appearing consistently since then, and even took on the role of director for three episodes.

7. One year after first working together on set, Murray and Bush got engaged in 2004, getting married shortly thereafter. However, just five months into their marriage, news emerged that they had separated. In 2018, Bush discussed the experience of continuing to work with her former spouse during an episode of Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast.

Bush stated that there wasn’t any room for personal introspection following their breakup, and she felt the producers were incredibly disrespectful towards her and Murray.

She went on to say, “They frequently aired ads on TV about it, but it was truly distasteful.” She explained, “They exploited the private aspects of people’s lives, not just for me and my former co-star, but also for other actors. Confidential matters that were significant in their lives would often become plot points. It wasn’t acceptable.

8. Later in 2008, Bush began dating Lafferty, but eventually found romance with Austin Nichols, who portrayed her character’s husband Julian on One Tree Hill. The relationship ended in 2012, which was also the year that the show concluded.

In the later seasons of the show, Lisa Goldstein, who portrayed Millie, got married to Brendan Kirsch, our basketball coordinator, in 2011.

10. In an episode of their podcast “Drama Queens,” Burton disclosed that her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan nearly worked with her on “One Tree Hill” instead of being her co-host.

She mentioned that when she first met Jeff, he casually shared that he had tried out for a show. It turned out he had auditioned for the part of Keith, who was Lucas’ mentor figure, a role that eventually went to Craig Sheffer. When she heard this, she expressed surprise saying, “And I was like, ‘Hold on, what?’

11. It was Danneel Ackles, Burton and Morgan’s co-star, who facilitated their introduction. Her husband, Jensen Ackles, had developed a strong bond with the actor from ‘The Walking Dead’ after he portrayed his father in ‘Supernatural’.

12. In an unexpected public letter released in November 2017, eighteen people involved in the production team made serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Schwahn, suggesting a troubling environment on the set.

In her 2020 memoir titled “The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm”, Burton described Schwahn as a character who, in my unique fairy tale, fostered rivalry among female actors, coerced us into performing explicit sex scenes that often left me feeling unwell and humiliated, encouraged young actresses to project their breasts, made physical advances towards all of us, and aggressively pursued unwanted kisses from me.

13. Furthermore, Bush also shared her experiences during a June 2021 interview on the “Chicks in the Office” podcast. She alleged, without naming them, that some unknown adults on the set of “One Tree Hill” exerted control and manipulation over herself and her co-stars.

According to Bush, there were adults whom we regarded as reliable, but in hindsight, they were quite controlling and manipulative – they didn’t want us to get too close because they feared we might unite and demand more resources. It’s strange now when I look back, and these things were completely hidden from us at the time.

14. In 2009, Murray and Burton left the series after six consecutive seasons. However, according to Burton’s autobiography, the groundwork for her exit had been laid long before.

Following the tragic loss of her close companion Scott Kirkpatrick during duty in Iraq during the summer of 2007, she recounted that her life underwent a significant shift. His demise served as a profound reminder, realigning her “priorities and aspirations” once more.

She shared, “For the past few years, I’ve been drifting, not truly fitting anywhere, but yearning for something more.” What she craved was a family and a home – a sanctuary, a canvas for dreams, where she could take risks, learn from failures, and continue trying again. She longed for daily challenges. She desired to make each moment purposeful – to wake up with intention, work with intention, eat with intention, and rest with intention. So, she decided to leave, started writing a novel, and purchased a one-way ticket to Paris.

15. At that moment, Schwahn explained to a gathering of fans in Paris that their departures were due to contract issues, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. “I understand they’ve been presented with excellent opportunities,” he said. “I hope they’ll choose to return. If not, it’s always a possibility…[the show] has managed to navigate some of the more daring decisions we’ve made.

In addition, Murray addressed the audience of the show through a video message, stating bluntly, “They’re not planning to bring me back next year…in order to cut costs. Instead, I suggest you start blogging about your anger.” Despite this, Burton did not return, but Murray did make an appearance during the final season.

16. Making a daring decision, the sixth season of One Tree Hill leapt ahead in time, opting to skip over the college years and instead rejoin the characters as fully-grown adults.

In 2015, Lafferty explained to TopMob News that when viewers compare our show to others and attempt to transition the characters from high school into their next life stage, it often feels forced and doesn’t flow smoothly.

17. The country singer known as Jana Kramer became a part of the television show OTH during its last three seasons. On her podcast Whine Down, she disclosed that one unidentified cast member created a difficult environment for everyone on the series, claiming that she was not permitted to be friends with Lafferty.

In one of the episodes from last year, she mentioned that while she was part of the show, there were some complex social dynamics, not exactly petty rivalries, more like rules about who could interact with whom. As a result, she found it challenging to develop a close relationship with James due to specific circumstances on set during that time.

2010 saw the imprisonment of Antwon Tanner, a former cast member, for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme that entailed selling stolen Social Security Numbers between different states. He had been caught red-handed during an undercover operation in 2009, trying to sell 16 fake Social Security numbers and three counterfeit cards. The actor, who portrayed Antwon “Skills” Taylor, eventually admitted his guilt.

2024-09-20 22:49

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