Teen Drama Links for December 3, 2024

Dec 03, 2024

Dinner for Vampires was quite the meal.

Though Bethany Joy Lenz’s memoir is sub-titled Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult!), the book is really about her life in that cult, not her life on a cult TV show. In fact, “One Tree Hill” doesn’t truly enter the picture until the book’s second section, more than 100 pages in.

Before, during, and after that, Lenz details her involvement with a high-control group that she refers to as The Big House Family. As mind-boggling and fascinating as the tale is, I was more taken in by the ways in which her cult experience intersected with “One Tree Hill” and other things she shared about the show.

For example, learning how wonderfully Lenz and Hilarie Burton’s relationship started makes their current riff all the more sadder. It was interesting that Lenz described Sophia Bush as “a bit mischievous.” At times, Lenz was clearly referencing creator Mark Schwahn, other times executive producer Joe Davola. Discovering what Lenz was paid per episode for the first season, for roughly 23 weeks of work, just reminded me how effed up our society is with what we pay actors compared to, say, teachers.

It was also eye-opening to read that Lenz was set on leaving the show before season 7 — something I don’t recall her saying when they discussed the cast transition on the “Drama Queens” podcast. There was also at least one inaccuracy, and I was surprised when Lenz said “One Tree Hill” reached “full-blown pop-culture phenomenon status.” I don’t think it ever did.

In terms of Lenz’s involvement with the cult the entire time she was on “One Tree Hill,” it’s really sad to think about all the years we spent watching her onscreen with no idea what she was concealing in her personal life. Not that we should’ve known or had a right to know, but that she was living a double life and no viewer (for the most part) would ever guess. At the same time, Lenz writes about rumors she was in a cult filling “One Tree Hill” message boards — and I guess I just never saw them...? I definitely had zero idea anything untoward had gone on in her life until she mentioned being in a cult on “Drama Queens,” and the reaction I and others seemed to have was... WTF?

In reading all the details now, it’s wild that Lenz’s membership in this cult led a “One Tree Hill” fan to get herself involved too — and then later help Lenz get out. What I still don’t understand is, if the cast was as concerned for her as Paul Johansson says, in Lenz’s post-escape retelling, I wonder why they didn’t stage an intervention or get network higher-ups involved. Also, even though she never mentioned it on the podcast, I’m still surprised Lenz didn’t acknowledge in the book having Enation — the band with the Jacksons and Galeottis — on “One Tree Hill,” given that the book is basically about those two families leading the cult. Meanwhile, there was only the briefest of allusions to Everly and Amber Sweeney, and not in context of the show.

While it’s impossible not to feel badly about Lenz losing her earnings from the show (or rather, so much of it being stolen from her), I appreciated her acknowledging that what she was left with, $220,000, “was more than many people would see in their whole lives.” In some ways, I think the “what could’ve beens” are sadder. For instance, it would’ve been incredible to see Lenz as Belle in Beauty & the Beast on Broadway. I can’t help but wonder, as she did, what would’ve happened to her life and career had she taken the role. I always wondered why Lenz’s musical of The Notebook never moved forward, and now we know. I’ve thought over the last year or so how painful it must be for her to see the Broadway show, albeit a different version, come to fruition without her. She basically confirms the heartbreak here, and again I wonder what might’ve been.

I wish Lenz included more at the end about her post-cult recovery and her life now. Perhaps she’s saving that for a second book. I also wish the book contained pictures, such as some of the ones Lenz has shared on Instagram as she promotes it. I’m still confused as to why she refers to her daughter as Rosie throughout the book and in some press. I know she uses pseudonyms for everyone in the book, but when you constantly refer to your daughter as Maria on “Drama Queens,” what is the point of calling her something else in the book?

Among my other lingering questions: Who is Camille in real life? That is one identity I haven’t figured out yet. But I remain fascinated by the real-life Harker — the Jonathan Jackson of it all. Now I want him to write a memoir.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some other things, like that there are references to Jennie Garth, Gabrielle Carteris, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, “Beverly Hills 90210,” and “Dawson’s Creek.” I was struck by passage (on page 79) that reminded me of the famous Barbie monologue, which in turn reminded me of the “One Tree Hill” scene I previously pointed out. And though I didn’t do this, you may want to listen to the book’s audio version, which features Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, and others doing some of the reading.

I didn’t understood the book’s title until it was referenced on page 272, but I ate it all up. Now I’m eagerly awaiting a second helping.