It’s always interesting to me whenever it’s said on the “Drama Queens” podcast that Wilmington is a small town.
Since I moved to Capeside / Tree Hill in 2014, I haven’t always found that to be the case, though I know the population has exploded since the days of “Dawson’s Creek” and has continued to increase since the time of “One Tree Hill.” But it was a bit of a small world after all when I went out to dinner last week during a staycation.
I initially thought my waiter at the restaurant was merely cute, but then I realized he looked familiar. When he introduced himself as Paul, the wheels in my head started turning. After he walked away, I told my dad that there was an actor named Paul on “One Tree Hill” who, well, looked just like our waiter.
Upon this Paul’s return to our table, I asked if I could be forward and ask a personal question — what’s your last name? “Teal,” he replied. Sure enough, I was right. Our waiter was Paul Teal, who played Josh on seven episodes of “One Tree Hill” in season 7.
Paul chuckled when I stated matter-of-factly, “You were on ‘One Tree Hill.’” He seemed surprised that I recognized him but acknowledged that it happens on occasion. “One Tree Hill” was his first credit, a gig he said he “lucked into” after growing up in Wilmington. His casting was a matter of “right place, right time,” Teal said.
He hasn’t had an extensive career since 2010, but has had bit parts on a few projects with teen drama connections — “Shots Fired,” “Dynasty,” USS Christmas, “Outer Banks,” and most recently, “The Staircase.” He didn’t share scenes with Cullen Moss (Junk, One Tree Hill) in that one, but noted how much he loved working with Parker Posey.
Teal is only my sixth “celebrity” run-in since moving to Wilmington seven and a half years ago. I’ve seen Michael Cera, exchanged a few words with Catherine Keener, and recognized an actor who briefly recurred on “A Million Little Things.” From our teen drama universe, I’ve met Peter Jurasik, who was on “Dawson’s Creek” and “One Tree Hill,” and Bevin Prince of “One Tree Hill,” whom I interviewed in 2020.
Is Wilmington really such a small place? Different people will have different answers. But it’s the right size for me.
Teen Drama Links for June 7, 2022
Listicle Links
Reminder: All lists and articles relate to the teen dramas or teen drama stars in some way.
“Who Does It Better? Choose Between These Super Similar TV Characters” (BuzzFeed)
“I Am Genuinely Curious If You Think These 50 Blake Lively Outfits Are Actually As Gorgeous As Everyone Else Thinks They Are” (BuzzFeed)
“15 Actors Who Really Didn’t Want To Leave A Show, And 13 Who Asked To Be Written Off” (BuzzFeed)
“One Tree Hill fans can own a piece of show’s history in Wilmington for $5 million” (StarNews Online)
“Great Outfits in Fashion History: Mischa Barton at the 2006 ‘Teen Vogue’ Young Hollywood Party” (Fashionista)
“22 Olivia Wilde Movies and TV Shows to Have on Your Radar” (PopSugar)
“7 Chris Pratt Movies With the Best Opening Weekends” (Showbiz Cheat Sheet)
“From ‘Gossip Girl’ to ‘Bel-Air,’ Black Opulence Has Taken Over TV” (Variety)
“Gossip Girl: 10 Blair Quotes That Prove She Was The Smartest” (Screen Rant)
“Gossip Girl: 10 Side Characters With Main Character Energy” (Screen Rant)
“Top 10 Most Stylish Characters From Early 2000s Shows” (Study Breaks)
“Style inspiration: 11 of TV’s underrated best-dressed characters” (Stylist)
“Emmys: 20 Supporting Actors on Their Characters, the Best Advice They’ve Received and Who Wanted to Steal the Goldfish From Set” (The Hollywood Reporter)
“7 ‘Running Up That Hill’ Covers Just As Good As The Original” (Nylon)
“The Stranger Things Bump: Kate Bush Tops iTunes Charts” (Vulture)
“Gen Z’s gateway cultural education in Stranger Things” (The Skinny)
“THEN AND NOW: The cast of ‘New Girl’ over 10 years later” (Insider)
“Matt’s Inside Line: Scoop on CSI: Vegas, Ghosts, Blood & Treasure, The Orville, the Walker Prequel, WWDITS and More” (TVLine)
“Megan Fox Fans Can’t Escape This Underrated Gem From the Late 2000s” (CBR)
“Four more TV rewatch shows for your listening list” (Irish Examiner)
“Are We Going Through A Nostalgia Burnout Right Now?” (Refinery29)
“The crypto-skeptics’ voices are getting louder” (The Washington Post)
“Might I suggest not listening to famous people about money?” (Vox)
“The ‘coastal grandmother’ look is currently fashion’s hottest trend” (The Star)
Best of the Rest
Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills, 90210) shared her “Her Makeup Essentials, Prized Possessions and More.” (Us Weekly)
Garth and Tori Spelling (Donna, Beverly Hills, 90210) recorded their “9021OMG” podcast backstage at Wango Tango, where Ian Ziering (Steve, Beverly Hills, 90210) was also in attendance. (Instagram)
Spelling participated in an Instagram Live with Wunderkeks. (Instagram)
Spelling said she’d be interested in appearing in another Scream movie. (The Blast)
Shannen Doherty (Brenda, Beverly Hills, 90210) attended a baby shower for Brian Austin Green (David, Beverly Hills, 90210) and Sharna Burgess. (Instagram)
Peter Eklhoff will be the showrunner for “Alaska,” starring Hilary Swank (Carly, Beverly Hills, 90210). (Deadline)
Jessica Alba (Leanne, Beverly Hills, 90210) will serve on the jury for the Tribeca Film Festival. (Deadline)
Hulu picked up to series an adaption of Tiny Pretty Things, created and executive-produced by Liz Tigelaar (writer, Dawson’s Creek). (Deadline)
A few concerts with Paula Cole, who performed the “Dawson’s Creek” theme song, were recently announced.
“Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club Features GRAMMY® Award-Winner & 7x-GRAMMY® Award Nominated Singer & Songwriter PAULA COLE on Thursday June 23 at 7:30 P.M.” (PRWeb)
“Pleasantville Rocks this Summer” (The Inside Press)
“Open Sky fest returns Aug. 11” (Adirondack Daily Enterprise)
This concert will also feature Sophie B. Hawkins, whose “Damn Wish I Was Your Lover” is my favorite song and music moment from “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
Vertical Entertainment acquired North American distribution rights for Alone Together, written, directed by, and starring Katie Holmes (Joey, Dawson’s Creek). (Deadline)
The movie will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival next week before getting a theatrical release in July.
The “Heart Monitor” page in the June 13 issue of People is almost entirely teen drama couples: Holmes & Bobby Wooten, Busy Philipps (Audrey, Dawson’s Creek) & Marc Silverstein, and James Lafferty (Nathan, One Tree Hill) & Alexandra Park.
Philipps opened up about “how she was tempted back to acting by comedy ‘Girls5Eva,’ the unrealistic body expectations aimed at Gen-X women, and how the inaction of a small group of people is leading to children brutally dying.” (The Independent)
Jensen Ackles (CJ, Dawson’s Creek) has done a number of interviews timed to the season premiere of “The Boys,” some of which have included Chace Crawford (Nate, Gossip Girl).
“‘I just needed a break’: Jensen Ackles on ‘The Boys,’ toxic masculinity and ‘Supernatural’ spinoff” (USA Today)
“Uvalde school shooting hits home for Jensen Ackles: ‘It’s scary, and it doesn’t need to happen’” (USA Today)
“The Boys Are Back: Inside the Funniest, Grossest, Most Outrageous Superhero Show on TV” (GQ)
“‘The Boys’ Cast Break Down the Show’s Biggest Moments” (GQ)
“‘The Boys’ Cast Reveals The INSANE Influences For Season 3” (Entertainment Weekly)
“‘The Boys’ Cast Break Down Season 3 Fan Theories” (Vanity Fair)
“The Boys’ Jensen Ackles, Chace Crawford & Claudia Doumit Tease a Wild Season 3” (CBR)
“Jensen Ackles Say Shooting Nude Scene In ‘The Boys’ ‘Was A Little Colder Than Anticipated’” (Access Hollywood)
“Jensen Ackles on Stepping Into the ‘Twisted’ World of ‘The Boys’ Season 3” (Entertainment Tonight)
“Karl Urban and Jensen Ackles on ‘The Boys’ season three: ‘The possibilities are endless’” (NME)
“Jensen Ackles and Karl Urban on The Boys, Herogasm, and Soldier Boy” (The Digital Fix)
“Crank That, Soldier Boy: Jensen Ackles Breaks Down ‘The Boys’” (D Magazine)
Also: Ackles was set to be on “GMA” and “Live with Kelly and Ryan” this morning, and will be on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” tomorrow night.
Sarah Shahi (Sadia, Dawson’s Creek) will co-star in the Amazon movie Red, White & Royal Blue. (Deadline)
Shahi was a presenter at Sunday’s MTV Movie & TV Awards, where her show “Sex/Life” lost in the “Here for the Hookup” category. (The Futon Critic)
Lily Collins (Phoebe, 90210) also lost in the category of Best Kiss. (TVLine)
“The O.C.” will be available via Amazon Prime in Canada starting June 24. (MobileSyrup)
Rachel Bilson (Summer, The O.C.) has started a new podcast called “Broad Ideas,” with Kristen Bell (Gossip Girl, Gossip Girl) as the first guest. (Broadway World)
Also: “Rachel Bilson looks back fondly on her time as a teen idol on massive hit series The O.C.” (7 News)
An article on why Nikki Reed (Sadie, The O.C.) “Left Hollywood for Farm Life” is in the June 6 edition of People. (People)
The same issue features a brief interview with Colin Hanks (Grady, The O.C.).
Matt Barr (Wes, The O.C. / Psycho Derek, One Tree Hill / Keith, Gossip Girl) was at ATX to promote “Walker: Independence.” (Deadline)
Chad Michael Murray (Lucas, One Tree Hill) will star in the CTV drama “Sullivan’s Crossing.” (PR Newswire)
Murray will be reuniting with his “Gilmore Girls” co-star Scott Patterson.
Antwon Tanner (Skills, One Tree Hill) is the second cast member to sign on for the “A Week in Tree Hill” convention in Wilmington in November. (Facebook)
Jana Kramer (Alex, One Tree Hill) was on the “Burke in the Game” podcast. (iHeart)
Here’s more of Crawford promoting “The Boys.”
“Chace Crawford Jokes His Career is Over After Season Three of ‘The Boys’” (The Jess Cagle Show)
“THE BOYS: Chace Crawford & Jessie T. Usher DRAW THE LINE At This...” (On Demand Entertainment)
“The Boys Are Back In Town, Karl Urban & Chase Crawford Tease What’s In Store Ahead Of Series 3” (This Morning)
“The Boys EXCLUSIVE: Chace Crawford admits being ‘nervous’ to shoot the whale scene in season 2” (Pinkvilla)
“Chace Crawford From The Boys Reveals Why He Thinks Nate Archibald Was A Better Gossip Girl” (The Project)
And here are more interviews with Jessica Szohr (Vanessa, Gossip Girl) about “The Orville.”
“Jessica Szohr and Anne Winters Interview: The Orville Season 3” (Screen Rant)
“Jessica Szohr & Anne Winters On Working With Seth MacFarlane On ‘The Orville’” (uInteriew)
“Hulu’s The Orville: New Horizons | Jessica Szohr and Anne Winters Interview” (LRM Online)
Matt Doyle (Jonathan, Gossip Girl) won Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical in the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Evan Mock (Aki, Gossip Girl spinoff) discussed “His New Label Wahine and Why Blair Waldorf Has the Best Style.” (Elle)
Zion Moreno (Luna, Gossip Girl spinoff) and Fin Argus had a conversation about “Pride, Cowboys, and Queer Storytelling.” (Interview)
Savannah Lee Smith (Monet, Gossip Girl spinoff) did an interview about being an ambassador for Intimissimi’s Silk collection. (Refinery29)
Johnathan Fernandez (Nick, Gossip Girl spinoff) has signed with APA for agency representation. (Deadline)
Laura Benanti (Katherine, Gossip Girl spinoff) will be the special guest at the KC SuperStar 2022 final event in August. (Broadway World)
Mitchell Slaggert (Rob, Gossip Girl spinoff) has joined “The Sex Lives of College Girls” as a series regular. (The Wrap)
Karena Evans (director, Gossip Girl spinoff) has signed with CAA for agency representation. (Deadline)