One Tree Hill star Bethany Joy Lenz reveals she spent 10 years in a CULT: ‘There’s a lot to tell’

One Tree Hill actress Bethany Joy Lenz made a shocking admission this week that she spent a decade living in a cult.

While chatting on the Sunday, July 9, episode of her Drama Queens podcast, she added that she hoped to one day write a book about the ordeal – which she said took ’10 years of recovery’ for her to overcome. 

Speaking to her former One Tree Hill costars-turned-podcast cohosts Hilarie Burton and Sophia Bush, the 41-year-old shared her plans to write about her cult experience – but she didn’t name the group or share any further details about its practices.  

‘I would love to write about my experience, you know, I was in a cult for 10 years,’ Lenz said during the podcast. ‘That would be a really valuable experience to write about, and the recovery — 10 years of recovery after that. 

Shocking revelation: One Tree Hill actress Bethany Joy Lenz, 41, said she spent a decade in a cult on Sunday's episode of her Drama Queens podcast; seen in September 2022 in Hollywood

Shocking revelation: One Tree Hill actress Bethany Joy Lenz, 41, said she spent a decade in a cult on Sunday's episode of her Drama Queens podcast; seen in September 2022 in Hollywood

Shocking revelation: One Tree Hill actress Bethany Joy Lenz, 41, said she spent a decade in a cult on Sunday’s episode of her Drama Queens podcast; seen in September 2022 in Hollywood

Opening up: 'I would love to write about my experience, you know, I was in a cult for 10 years,' she told her co-hosts, her former One Tree Hill costars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton (pictured)

Opening up: 'I would love to write about my experience, you know, I was in a cult for 10 years,' she told her co-hosts, her former One Tree Hill costars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton (pictured)

Opening up: ‘I would love to write about my experience, you know, I was in a cult for 10 years,’ she told her co-hosts, her former One Tree Hill costars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton (pictured)

‘So, there’s a lot to tell,’ she added, according to Page Six.

The actress noted that she had already compiled some of her memories of the period, but explained that she was having difficultly completing the drawn-out book because her ‘ADHD has made it really difficult over the years.’

She noted, though, that she was ‘really commit[ted] to putting it all together.’

However, she admitted that she worried about representing her experiences appropriately, adding that she did not want to risk putting herself in legal danger by sharing potentially-damaging revelations about others.

‘The pressure of getting it right and everything having to be exactly real and all the people that are involved, and also I don’t know how much I can say because there are still people and legal things in place that make it more complicated for the timing of that,’ she continued.

Her personal news came just a day after her former costar Chad Michael Murray revealed that he and his wife, Sarah Roemer, are expecting their third child.

Bethany previously referenced being in a cult on Twitter years earlier when she was ironically contacted by another cult member. 

In 2016, former Smallville actress Allison Mack, a member of the NXIVM cult, approached Lenz on Twitter.

First reference? She revealed she had been in a cult back in 2018 in a reply to a two-year-old tweet from Smallville actress and NXIVM cult member Allison Mack

First reference? She revealed she had been in a cult back in 2018 in a reply to a two-year-old tweet from Smallville actress and NXIVM cult member Allison Mack

First reference? She revealed she had been in a cult back in 2018 in a reply to a two-year-old tweet from Smallville actress and NXIVM cult member Allison Mack

Fear: Lenz said she wanted to save the information for a memoir, but also worried about legal issues of telling her story; seen with Burton and Bush in September 2022 in Las Vegas

Fear: Lenz said she wanted to save the information for a memoir, but also worried about legal issues of telling her story; seen with Burton and Bush in September 2022 in Las Vegas

Fear: Lenz said she wanted to save the information for a memoir, but also worried about legal issues of telling her story; seen with Burton and Bush in September 2022 in Las Vegas

Struggling: She also has been struggling to finish the book due to her ADHD; pictured in December 2021 in Hollywood

Struggling: She also has been struggling to finish the book due to her ADHD; pictured in December 2021 in Hollywood

Struggling: She also has been struggling to finish the book due to her ADHD; pictured in December 2021 in Hollywood

‘@BethanyJoyLenz you would love this woman’s movement I’m a part of. Love to tell you about it, DM me if you want! <3,’ Mack originally tweeted.

‘Sorry love, already was in a cult once,’ Lenz replied just over two years later in 2018 after Mack’s involvement in the cult had been widely reported, while offering an olive branch. 

‘But LMK when you’re on the other side and we’ll talk. Honestly, ❤️ That’s rough stuff :(,’ she added.

Mack was arrested in 2018 on sex trafficking and forced labor conspiracy charges related to her actions as part of NXIVM, though she eventually pleaded guilty in 2021 to racketeering and accompanying conspiracy charges.

She was sentenced to three years in prison and received an early release this month.

Back in 2017, she joined Sophia, Hilarie, other stars and creative personnel from One Tree Hill to accuse showrunner Mark Schwahn of sexual harassment.

Lenz played Haley James Scott on One Tree Hill, which ran for nine seasons from 2003 to 2012.

She has steadily maintained a stream of work since then, including on Dexter, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Grey’s Anatomy. 

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