Bethany Joy Lenz

Bethany Joy Lenz is an actress known for her role as Haley James Scott in the WB/CW drama One Tree Hill. As a child, she sang in church and enrolled in a performing arts school. Her grandfather, a theater performer, helped her secure roles in community theater productions during her teenage years until she landed her gig as Michelle Bauer on the soap opera Guiding Light.

After two years on Guiding Light, Lenz (who is often called “Joy”) appeared in guest roles on shows like Charmed and Felicity until she was cast as Haley on OTH. She portrayed the tutor-turned-teen-bride for nine seasons from 2003 to 2012.

After the teen drama ended, she went on to score guest roles on major TV shows like Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., American Gothic, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Pearson and Dexter.

Throughout her acting career, Lenz honed her music skills, singing and playing guitar and piano. She released her first solo album, Preincarnate, in 2002. Music was a key part of her One Tree Hill character, with Haley singing many of Lenz’s original songs on the show. She was also part of the music duo Everly with songwriter Amber Sweeney.

Lenz was married to musician Michael Galeotti from 2005 to 2012, and they share a daughter, Maria Rose, born in 2011. The couple divorced in March 2012.

In June 2021, Lenz, Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton Morgan launched iHeartRadio’s “Drama Queens” podcast, in which they rewatched One Tree Hill.

In October 2024, Lenz released her memoir Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!). In the book, she shared her experience as a member of The Big House Family, a group that included other Hollywood creatives. Lenz opened up about her healing journey after enduring abuse, manipulation and fear, as well as her eventual return to Christianity.