What The Stars Of One Tree Hill Look Like Now

For nine seasons, teen soap staple "One Tree Hill" ruled airwaves and audiences alike from 2003 to 2012. The show made stars of Chad Michael Murray, Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz, James Lafferty, and a bevy of other actors who strolled through the fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina. Even long after the show's ending, devoted fans have continued to share their love of the show, and the Tree Hill gang have even gotten back together for the occasional reunion. "I spent 6 years on [the show]," Burton wrote in a 2023 reunion post on Instagram. "I've spent 14 years celebrating what comes AFTER with these people. They've heard me. Healed me. Humored me. I'm just really really grateful that we get these magical little moments to be together." With a sequel series in development at Netflix, the cast is preparing to return to Tree Hill after all of these years while looking better than ever.

For six seasons, Chad Michael Murray was the talk of every teen with his portrayal of brooding Lucas Scott. Murray (along with co-star Hilarie Burton, who played Peyton Sawyer) left the show in 2009 but made some guest appearances throughout the show's final few seasons. The actor was known for his sandy blonde hair, trim physique, and megawatt smile, earning the adoration of millions. As he's gotten older, he's grown out his hair into chin-length locks, but he's kept his athletic form. He's even a dad now; Murray, a lifelong football player, now watches his own children take to the sport he loves.

Despite the success he found from the show, Murray has admitted that he is hesitant about reliving his North Carolina glory days. "When you think about where you were in your personal life, and the things that you went through, the mistakes you made, all those transitions," he revealed to People. "Watching those things can really bring back all the memories, embarrassing moments, things you're ashamed about, choices you made that you're not proud of."

Hilarie Burton played the music-loving Peyton Sawyer on "One Tree Hill" for six seasons before riding off into the sunset with Chad Michael Murray's Lucas Scott. The curly-haired Burton kept things cute and trendy on the show with bright blonde hair and dark eyeliner. More than a decade later, the actor is still rocking waves in her mane but has opted to go more natural with the color and has let her gray hairs come in. "I have given the entirety of my youth to other people," she shared on "The View" (via People). "And there's something really rewarding for me to just say, 'f*** it,' and let my hair grow gray."

Since her Tree Hill days, Burton has kept in touch with her old co-stars, particularly her besties Sophia Bush and Bethany Joy Lenz. The trio hosted the "Drama Queens" podcast for years before Burton moved on in 2024. She's also been a stalwart presence at "One Tree Hill" reunion events. She's even reported to serve as both star and executive producer on an upcoming spinoff series alongside Bush. "If there's an opportunity to team with brilliant creatives and build a space where all our friends can show off their talents? Own our history? Reclaim our turf? Honor our fans? Sign us up," the star wrote on Instagram.

Sophia Bush brought the dramatics on "One Tree Hill" for all nine seasons as the popular cheerleader turned fashion maven Brooke Davis. Her straight black hair and beauty mark made her a standout on the show, and her always stylish ensembles were an inspiration for teen girls everywhere – even more than a decade later. There are so many Brooke Davis moments where I'm proud of the way that she grew and where I was proud of her for standing up for other people," Bush told BuzzFeed of her character in 2022.

Years later, Bush is still fashionable, donning the latest trends with her still pin-straight dark hair. She has co-hosted the "OTH" recap show "Drama Queens" with her co-stars and is always supportive of her former castmates at reunions and when promoting their own projects. She's also been open about her struggles with mental health as she's navigated divorce and finding love again. "I am so lucky to be here, now," she wrote in an essay for Glamour. "I have real joy. It took me 41 years to get here."

Bethany Joy Lenz played hometown sweetheart Haley James Scott throughout "One Tree Hill" with an abundance of soft brown hair and casual but cute clothes that made her the perfect girl next door. Even as she became a mother on the show and even pursued her own music career, Haley's style was simple but chic. Nowadays, the star has maintained her lush brown hair with some highlights strewn through. She's also stepped away from the Haley James Scott style and opted for more high-fashion fits. "I've been told on multiple occasions that I'm a French girl at heart," she revealed to Bello Magazine. "A little mess, a little sparkle, a little sex, a little vintage, but all tucked in very strategically."

However, there's a rumored rift between Lenz and her former female co-stars, which has caused her to speculate as to whether she will be involved in the spinoff series. Lenz has instead turned her focus to both her family and writing, as she published her first book, "Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show," in 2024. The book details both the actor's time on television as well as her time in a religious cult. "I'm grateful I get to share my story, my way," she shared on Instagram. "It's a story of forgiveness and a roadmap to how manipulation works, with heartache and humor along the way.

Hunky James Lafferty stole the show as basketball star Nathan Scott, one-half of the Scott brothers and eventual husband of Haley James. The actor's tall, dark, and handsome veneer made him an automatic heartthrob both on and off the screen. Even years later, Lafferty has aged into a slightly silverfox version of the same handsome leading man. He's even shown off his rugged physique in a campaign for American Eagle, detailing exactly what he needs to do to prepare for revealing photoshoots. "Go to the gym, eat right, shave in all the necessary places and hope for the best," he joked to People.

The star has continued acting throughout the years, and even reunited with fellow Tree Hill alum Stephen Colletti on the show "Everyone Is Doing Great." Although it hasn't been confirmed if Lafferty will return to the small screen in the "One Tree Hill" spinoff series, he has expressed his support of the project while still never saying never. "It's been a defining aspect of my life to have contributed to the portrayal [of Nathan]," he told Variety. "I will always embrace having had that experience, and it will always be an honor to know that people care."

Danneel Ackles (née Harris) joined "One Tree Hill" in the show's third season as vixen Rachel Gatina and appeared on and off throughout season seven. Her trademark red hair and curvaceous figure made her the resident "bad girl" in town during her stint on the show. Although she was a standout on the show, her storyline ended in tragedy not long after she and more than a dozen of her co-stars accused the show's executive producer, Mark Schwahn, of sexual harassment on set. "Our executive producer and creator kind of had a way of — when he was done with you — making you leave the show the worst possible way," she revealed to TVLine.

Despite the drama with her former employer, Ackles continued to make a name for herself in film and TV. She's starred in Hallmark movies alongside her "Tree Hill" compatriots and even had a recurring role alongside her husband, actor Jensen Ackles, in another CW staple, "Supernatural." Over the years, Ackles has maintained her glowing auburn hair and has aged gracefully as she has stepped into the role of executive producer, running her own production house alongside her husband. But she's always game for an "OTH" reunion. "I never pass up a chance to work with my 'OTH' family," she told Rank & Style. "I love those people in a way that is only possible when you meet them in your mid-twenties and you all get a second chance to attend high school."

Hollywood cutie Robert Buckley first charmed audiences with his sandy blonde locks and megawatt smile when he joined "One Tree Hill" in 2009. Buckley portrayed sports agent Clay Evans and stayed on with the show through its 2012 finale. The actor became a fan favorite and has since appeared alongside his former castmates at charity events and even in new projects. He even joined the "Drama Queens" podcast to take over main co-host duties from co-star and friend Hilarie Burton in 2024. "I was very fortunate in that ... the executive producers, all the way down to my co-stars and all the crew members, were really sweet and went out of their way to make me feel at home," he told Wilmington Star-News in 2009. "My experience on the show [was] so much more enjoyable because I wasn't self-conscious or worried about other things."

Buckley went on to become a staple in Hallmark movies, maintaining his dashing demeanor and charismatic grin. He has also continued to appear at "OTH" fan events nationwide, including the "Drama Queens" podcast tour. "Had a shocking amount of fun this weekend on the @/dramaqueensoth tour," he shared on Instagram. "Thank you @/hilarieburton @/sophiabush & @/joylenz for letting me tag along."

Many millennials knew Stephen Colletti as a cast member of "Laguna Beach" before he made his way to Tree Hill in 2007 as the gang's classmate Chase Adams. The actor's dark hair, tan skin, and soft smile endeared him to millennials. He went on to become a series regular by the end of the show's run in 2012. "I remember girls watching it in high school, and I thought the basketball part of the show was cool," he once revealed to Seventeen. "And lo and behold, a few years later, I found myself in 'Tree Hill' land."

Colletti's boyish charm has matured into a more refined handsomeness, his dark eyes and matching locks still making fans swoon. Professionally, he's gone on to create his own projects, including some alongside his former castmates like James Lafferty. The two joined forces on the series "Everyone is Doing Great" and even returned to their old stomping grounds of Wilmington, North Carolina to film scenes. "To go back and film in Wilmington was truly something special because we left saying we would be back at some point," he told Wilmington Star-News. "To do it with our own show was pretty special."

Lee Norris played the lovable Marvin "Mouth" McFadden throughout "One Tree Hill's" nine seasons. His trademark big grin and equally big heart made him a fan favorite from the get-go. His time in Tree Hill was made even more special, as he was a hometown boy. "I'm from North Carolina, so it's like I've been home for nine years working at a job that was a dream job," he once shared with KSiteTV.

Post "OTH," Norris has kept busy with new projects and appearances, including a stint on "The Walking Dead." With the same sweet smile, he has also been a steadfast supporter of his colleagues' new work. He was also the very first guest on the "Drama Queens" podcast and has since appeared several times on the show, including on tour. But no matter where his life and career have taken him, he's always touted the importance of his character even years later. "Mouth represented every kid in high school that wasn't captain of the basketball team," he shared in an episode of "Drama Queens." "He's an important person for our fan base to be able to connect to."

Barbara Alyn Woods was a staple on screen as the troubled Deb Scott, Nathan's mother, on "One Tree Hill" on and off for nine seasons. Her short blonde hair and stylish figure made her stand out despite her troubles during the show's run. Even though she wasn't one of the core characters, Woods has affirmed that the whole cast was tight-knit. "We all kept in touch — unlike other shows where they say, 'We're family, we're going to keep in touch,' we actually have," she shared with ET.

The actor, who has grown out her luscious blonde locks, has continued to stay busy both with work, including the SyFy series "Chucky," while still supporting her television son and his fictional friends with their new projects. She's even expressed her interest in returning to the spinoff series in development. "We're all on board, we're all friends, it would be the most fun show anybody has ever been on," she told ET.

Many fans know the lore behind the villainous Dan Scott, played by the looming, brown-haired Paul Johansson. For nine seasons, the actor played the sometimes nice, often evil father of Nathan and Lucas Scott with his trademark dark stare and tall figure. At the time, the spirit of his character ended up sinking into Johansson's real life. "I think I was absorbing the energy of the people that were looking at me, and seeing me as something that's bad," Johansson revealed on the "Trying to Figure It Out with Ally Petitti (via People). "I needed to get out and to get other characters and feel other things ... It put me in a box."

In the years since the show's finale, the actor has leaned into his silver-haired look and tapped into his adventurous side, which he shows off on his Instagram account. But when it comes to reliving his Tree Hill days, Johansson seemed a bit reluctant to open up the portal back to that world. "I've only seen maybe a third of all of the episodes," he shared with "The Ravens — A 'One Tree Hill' Podcast." "Dan Scott was so much fun to play, but it was a lot of work."

Jackson Brundage was just seven years old when he joined the cast of "One Tree Hill" as Jamie Scott, Nathan and Haley's son, in 2008. He remained with the show through its finale, serving as the main voice of the new era of Tree Hill kids. His cute-as-a-button smile, paired with his spiky blonde hair, endeared him to the hearts of millions, even in one of his first major roles. "It was my first big experience on an ongoing TV show," he shared at the time with My Entertainment World. "It was pretty cool meeting everybody and they were all really nice."

In the years since, Brundage hasn't been as active in entertainment, having retired from acting in 2015. He's grown into his own, playing sports in high school and filling out his athletic frame, but he still makes time to join his former "OTH" co-stars at fan events, which he has shared on his Instagram page. "I like hanging out with all my cast-mates, they are really fun to work with, really nice people," he once shared with myFanbase.