Fred Norris ©2007 THE CW NETWORKLucas and Lindsey are going to the chapel, and they might be getting married—if Peyton doesn't holler out an objection and send One Tree Hill fans jumping out of their skin.
Such is the case for tomorrow's big 100th episode, and in honor, I chatted up one of the coolest girls I've met in this business (no bull dookie), Miss Hilarie Burton, aka Peyton.
In case you hadn't heard, One Tree Hill is on a roll this season. The four-year flash-forward has reinvigorated the storylines and the ratings, and the series has already been picked up for another season this fall. It's the first time in OTH history it's been picked up this far in advance of the fall season.
Read on for the dish from Hilarie on Lucas and Lindsey, her own wedding-dress scene and her surprising real-life connection to Michaela McManus (Lindsey).
OK, first things first. How exactly are you going to tackle that she-whore Lindsey (Michaela McManus) at the altar? Jump and tackle? Maybe just yoink the back of her hair with your little finger and take her down?
Ha! Yeah, I don't think so. She's in really good shape!
Yes, she is. And I have to say, I saw the 100th episode, and it's really good.
Oh, did you see it? See, I haven’t even seen it yet!
Do you want to know what happens? Actually, I can't tell you because it came with a whole list of "do not reveals." As you know, a lot happens. A lot.
Yeah, it’s pretty big.
What did you think when you read the script for it, and how was it to shoot it?
It was weird to shoot that scene where I was the bride. I’ve been playing this depression all season. And so then to be walking out with Lucas in my fairy tale...First of all, it’s weird wearing a wedding dress. I mean, that’s weird for any girl.
Was that the first time you had put one on?
I had tried my mother’s on before, but that was the first time I had put one on and been like, “Oh, this is, like, for real.” All of a sudden you look at yourself in the mirror and you’re like, "This is weird. Take it off! Take it off!”
How very Carrie Bradshaw of you!
I know! I mean, it’s a white dress, big deal—I could be getting confirmed, you know?
Right.
But someone asked me recently if I had a favorite line of all time, and I think it's something you hear in this episode: “When you fixed my car, you fixed my heart!” It was a funny line, and you know me, I burst out laughing when I said it in rehearsal. But it really does sum up my character’s business for the run of these 100 episodes. It says it all.
How are you feeling about the love triangle at this point? It's been fun to watch, by the way. So juicy!
Oh good! You know what, Michaela McManus and I, we have a weird common background. I went to Fordham University when I was living in New York, and she went to Fordham. We lived on the same floor, and we were friends with all the same people. And yeah, our roommates both dated the same guy.
No way! Your roommates were in a love triangle?
Yeah! Our roommates were in a love triangle. She and I, we lived on the same street down in Manhattan; I was 80 John St.; she lived at 100. So we had this very similar past, but we’d never really interacted. And she showed up down here in North Carolina to start shooting, and I immediately felt a kinship with her.
It was good to have someone like her playing Lindsey, because I think it’s very important to the story that Peyton be intimidated by how perfect this woman is, how kind she is and how pretty and smart she is. I think that’s what makes it so hard for Peyton. And Michaela is so, so good. She's like Meryl Streep with this quiet intensity, which is very different than the rest of us.
Obviously there are a lot of die-hard Peyton and Lucas fans, but I think some of them have warmed up a little bit to Lindsey. How are you feeling now? Do you feel that Peyton and Lucas are meant to be together?
Oh, dude, I don’t know! Every time I think I’ve got it figured out, Mark Schwahn goes and just changes everything. I remember it was the third season when I went to Jake and was like, “I love you, and I want to be with you.” And I thought, "This is it!" And the next script that I get is me saying Lucas’ name in my sleep! I don’t think I’ll ever give up on Lucas because I never know when he's going to come back to haunt me—and haunt me in a really beautiful, tender, sensitive way.
What I love about the show is that I can tell you girls have a real bond, that you are truly good friends and that you can sort of take the piss out of each other and laugh and just have fun with it.
Definitely. And you know what? I will never name any names, but there have been instances where each of us has been off in different venues and someone comes up to us and says like, "Hey, what’s with your nerdy show?” We are so defensive of one another because it’s that whole sibling thing where I can tease you and we can goof around, but if anybody else says a word...
It’s that whole thing of being in a family, right? I can make fun of my siblings, but don’t you dare make fun of my siblings.
Exactly! We started doing this show when we were like 21. These are our college years. I think that for all of us, this is the longest we’ve ever been in one place. So this has been the longest chunk of time we’ve ever spent with the same group of people, and it’s life altering. I’m going to have these people with me for the rest of my life.
How does it feel to know the show has already been picked up for next season?
So cool! We've never had that before. We weren't sure if we'd come back to shoot more episodes this season, so to be able to do that and come back next year is just a dream. My whole family is here now. My brother works on the show, and my parents moved here, so it's nice to know we'll be around a while longer. It's a great place to be.
Who do you fans think Lucas should be with? Comment below and check back after you watch tomorrow night's 100th episode on the CW to sound off on what you thought.