One Tree Hill's Bethany Joy Lenz Discusses Past Issues with Sophia Bush

Bethany Joy Lenz, known for her role in One Tree Hill, discussed her past disconnect with co-star Sophia Bush. This discord stemmed from Lenz's involvement in the Christian group known as The Big House Family, which she has referred to as a "cult."

In her memoir, Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult!), Lenz opened up about her experience. "I was using religion as my benchmark," she explained, expressing regret over how this affected their friendship. Lenz reflected, "I really wish I could turn back time, walk into her trailer, and give her a long, hard hug."

Lenz elaborated on how her beliefs clashed with Sophia’s perspective on women. Despite Bush's charm, Lenz highlighted her intelligence and beautiful demeanor. "Her mind could have been put to good use by NASA — except, of course, she's so beautiful the astronauts would never want to leave Earth," Lenz stated. She noted that while Bush appeared uplifted, she felt an immense pressure to prove her worth.

The established bond between Lenz and Bush formed quickly at the show's beginning. They even adopted pit bull puppies together. However, Lenz recognized her limits. "I wasn't equipped to get too close to Sophia," she admitted. Bush, whose character was Brooke Davis, showcased her humor and adventurous spirit, making their distance more poignant.

Even though Lenz and Bush portrayed friends throughout the series' nine-season run, true reconciliation began during their Drama Queens podcast in 2021, alongside alum Hilarie Burton. "We definitely talked about our time back then and what was hard," Lenz shared in the Oct. 16 episode of Call Her Daddy. "It was great to reconnect and unravel those mysterious feelings."

Bethany concluded with a reflection on their evolving relationship, stating, "It’s an ever-evolving journey."