Some 'OTH' Fans Don't Think the Reboot Would Be the Same Without Bethany Joy Lenz

On Aug. 30, 2024, One Tree Hill fans everywhere rejoiced when it was reported that the show would get the long-awaited reboot, this time at Netflix instead of its flagship network the CW, formerly the WB. But, following the news that both Hilarie Burton and Sophia Bush would reprise their starring roles, fans wanted to know about Bethany Joy Lenz, who is known as Joy on the women's shared podcast.

So, is Joy in the One Tree Hill reboot or not? She played Haley James Scott, who eventually became one of the more prominent characters following the first season. For some, the show wouldn't be the same without her. And fans are hoping she plans to make a return with her former co-stars, years after the series finale aired.

So far, Joy has not shared on social media or otherwise if she is in the One Tree Hill reboot. She also didn't mention it in the Sept. 2 episode of the podcast she hosts with Hilarie and Sophia, though it was likely recorded before the news broke about the reboot. In the original series, Joy had multiple dramatic arcs, including one where she honed in on her real life singing talent.

Joy and her on-screen husband, Nathan, played by James Lafferty, became the parents of the show for fans everywhere. They got married in the first season in a wild twist that no one saw coming, and they ended the series with a family and as the characters who were often the voice of reason for others. In many ways, to longtime fans, the reboot has to have them.

Joy, who started the Drama Queens podcast with former co-stars Sophia and Hilarie, is rumored to now have some drama with Hilarie. Which is kind of ironic given the name of their One Tree Hill rewatch podcast, but that's beside the point. In March 2024, some fans noticed that Sophia and Hilarie rarely interacted with Joy on social media.

Then, a couple of months later, another fan pointed out on Reddit that neither of the women follow Joy on Instagram either. And someone else in the thread speculated that perhaps Joy has different social and political views as Sophia and Hilarie and that's why there is some alleged distance between them.

But as of now, none of the former One Tree Hill stars have shared publicly that there is anything going on between Joy and Hilarie. And after Hilarie exited the podcast after they finished covering the episodes that her character was in, Joy and Sophia remained part of it.

What remains on most fans' minds now is who is in the One Tree Hill reboot cast and how the show will do justice to the stars who aren't part of it. The show's most die-hard fans still visit the filming locations of the original series in Wilmington, N.C., which also features gift shops dedicated to One Tree Hill merchandise. And everyone is just hopeful that the reboot is everything they had waited years for.