The 2000s were riddled with teen dramas and the genre filled a void in the lives of many angsty youths who needed some form of sensationalized media to sink their teeth into during their final years of high school. One Tree Hill was among these programs and it seemed to stand above the rest. Guised as a basketball-centered rom-dram, or romantic drama, the tension fueled tv show appealed to an array of audiences and its compelling plot and subplots appeased many drama fanatics’ palates.
Whether you’re an avid fan or were a casual viewer of the series, there are many fascinating facts behind the production doors of One Tree Hill that will give you some insight into the story, its characters, and the setting as well as provide a flair of flavor to your viewing experience if you are currently re-watching the show. We’re here to shed light on everything you wanted to know about One Tree Hill.
Nathan Scott was the only character played by a teen
The 2000s ushered in a wealth of teen dramas but it was rare that these shows actually employed adolescent actors to portray their angsty young characters. In fact, the only teen who signed on for One Tree Hill was James Lafferty who, at the time, was 17 years old. The rest of the cast were in their 20s playing characters in their late teens. Antwon Tanner, the oldest of the bunch, was 28 when he first appeared as Antwon Taylor, a 16-year-old kid in the show. Employing older actors with a broader spectrum of skills was common in the industry, making James Lafferty’s portrayal of titular basketball playing Nathan Scott a rare occurrence.
Haley’s pregnancy wasn’t faked
Haley’s pregnancy in the eighth season of the show came at the perfect moment as actress Bethany Joy Lenz was also pregnant at the time. This made the production process a whole lot easier as set designers weren’t required to position chairs or objects for Bethany to hide her belly behind and writers did not have to write her out for a season. Furthermore, it made acting for Bethany much easier as, for a large part of it, she wasn’t even having to act pregnant – she was experiencing everything first hand.
Michael Jordan graced the basketball court
It was important that One Tree Hill represented its basketball setting as accurately as possible and selecting a school with a history in the sport was a choice that would pay off significantly as an awesome easter egg you will be fascinated to know. The high school set of One Tree Hill was the same school that basketball icon Michael Jordan attended and he played ball on the very court featured in the show. Whether intentional or simply a stroke of luck, the actors on set would have been ecstatic to be playing on the same court as the legendary sportsmen.
A swear jar for the set
Believe it or not, a few of the actors and directors decided to introduce a swear jar on set to prevent vulgar language being used around seven-year-old actor Jackson Brundage, who was later given the jars filled with money as a gift for his college fund.
