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Bethany Joy Lenz (born April 2, 1981) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is known for her portrayal of Haley James Scott on The WB / The CW television drama One Tree Hill (2003–2012). She also starred as Michelle Bauer Santos on the CBS Daytime soap opera Guiding Light (1998–2000), and is recognized for her music as a solo artist and as a member of the band Everly. Since 2021, Lenz has been a co-host on the Drama Queens podcast along with her former One Tree Hill co-stars, Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton Morgan. Acting While on a trip to Los Angeles, Lenz landed her first professional job in a commercial for dolls from the teen drama series Swans Crossing. Lenz eventually went on to appear in commercials for Eggo Waffles, Dr Pepper and others. She continued to find work steadily as an actress, and by her second year in high school she landed the role of Linda Halleck in Stephen King's Thinner. She appeared in various pilots, commercials and films, and performed regional theatre until she was eventually cast as a series regular on Guiding Light. At age 17, Lenz played the teenage clone of Reva Shayne on the CBS Daytime soap opera Guiding Light for nine episodes. Her stint earned her such favorable reviews from viewers, critics, and Guiding Light executives alike that Lenz was eventually recast as Michelle Bauer Santos upon Rebecca Budig's exit. This unusual move was described as "unheard of" in the industry according to CBS producer Mickey Dwyer-Dobbin. In 1999, while working on Guiding Light, she graduated from Eastern Christian High School in New Jersey. She also landed the role of Rose Cronin in Mary and Rhoda, a made-for-television movie that reunited Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper as Mary Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern. At the time Lenz juggled a heavy storyline, a television movie portraying Mary Tyler Moore's daughter, a one-year run of a New York cabaret called Foxy Ladies Love/Boogie 70's Explosion, and the lead role in an independent film. Lenz also filmed two pilots: one playing the daughter of Paul Sorvino, and the other as the lead in the WB's 1972. After her two-year contract with The Guiding Light ended, she left her role as Michelle Bauer Santos and moved from New York City to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, Lenz was directed by Garry Marshall playing Pinky Tuscadero in Happy Days: the Musical (musical directors Carole King and Paul Williams) and by Arthur Allan Seidleman in a staged reading of a musical version of The Outsiders. During this time, Lenz also landed guest appearances on Off Centre, Charmed, Felicity, Maybe It's Me and The Guardian. In 2002 Lenz joined the cast of Bring It On Again as Marni Potts, the co-captain of the varsity cheerleading squad. When she was 22, Lenz was cast in the WB television series One Tree Hill. She originally auditioned for the roles of Brooke Davis and Haley James. She landed the role of Haley James, the quintessential girl-next-door, who is best friends with Lucas Scott, portrayed by Chad Michael Murray, and wife of Nathan Scott, portrayed by James Lafferty. During her time on One Tree Hill, Lenz was also offered the role of Belle in Beauty and the Beast when it was still in production on Broadway, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts. Lenz appeared in an episode of Life Unexpected alongside Kate Voegele as part of a crossover-event between One Tree Hill and Life Unexpected. In the sixth season, Lenz made her directorial debut. She initially approached producer Greg Prange in 2007 with the idea of directing but was not given the opportunity to do so until two years later. Over the course of season six Lenz shadowed several directors, watched them prepare, and went on location scouts. Lenz directed two more episodes. After eight seasons on air, One Tree Hill returned for thirteen episodes in its ninth and final season. The show ended on April 4, 2012. In 2012, Lenz decided to concentrate on projects that were "strategically designed to move her career in a direction that was not quite the same thing as she was doing on One Tree Hill". In September 2012, it was confirmed that Lenz would guest star on an episode of Men at Work. She played the role of Meg, a single mother who the character Tyler begins to date. She said the first few days were hard because she had not done comedy for some time. In March 2013, it was confirmed that Lenz would have a recurring role on Dexter. Her character Cassie was described as "an attractive former finance executive looking for a quieter life". Lenz's character appeared in four episodes of the final season. In late September 2013, Lenz landed the role of Lauren Byrd on the pilot Songbyrd for E! The show centered around Lauren, a genius songwriter who employs a small staff, including her sister, to enable and manage her eccentric, yet wildly successful process. Production for Songbyrd began in late January 2014 in New York City, but the show was not picked up by E! In the second quarter of 2015, Lenz was cast in the Shonda Rhimes drama, The Catch, for ABC, playing the role of Zoe. On May 18, 2015, Lenz revealed she was being replaced; she wrote, "Looks like they need a different type for Zoe, so I'll be replaced," though she still encouraged fans to watch the show. Early in 2016, Lenz starred in her friend Kristin Fairweather's first short film, Grace. She also appeared in March 2016 in two episodes of third season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In mid-2016, she was cast in the new drama American Gothic as a character named April. Since 2021, Lenz has been a co-host on the Drama Queens podcast along with her former One Tree Hill co-stars, Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton Morgan. Music After Lenz's exit from Guiding Light, she completed a demo of original music. Trained by the director of the Brooklyn College of Opera, Lenz plays the guitar and piano, and writes her own music. Her first album, entitled Preincarnate, was released in October 2002. She worked under the direction of director Garry Marshall and alongside musician Carole King on a new musical adapted from the series Happy Days. She also took the opportunity to work in a public reading of a musical version of the novel The Outsiders directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman. While working on One Tree Hill she continued to release new music. In 2005, after recording "When the Stars Go Blue" with costar Tyler Hilton, the duo joined The Wreckers (Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp), and Gavin DeGraw for a 25-city North American One Tree Hill Tour that started in Vancouver. Lenz and Hilton scored the No. 89 spot in February 2005's Billboard Pop 100 chart with the duet "When the Stars Go Blue". While on tour, Lenz debuted her second independent record entitled, Come On Home, and filmed her first music video for "Songs in My Pockets" at Coney Island Beach and Astroland in Brooklyn, New York. In 2006, alongside ex-American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, Lenz co-wrote and recorded "Halo" which was released on the secon.... Discover the Bethany Haley Williams popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Bethany Haley Williams books.