Hilarie Burton Reflects on Pete Wentz's Inappropriate One Tree Hill Storyline

It's been more than a decade since Pete Wentz guest-starred on One Tree Hill, but Hilarie Burton has not forgotten the inappropriate storyline involving their two characters.

By Samantha Schnurr Jun 15, 2021 1:43 PMTags
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Awkward

One Tree Hill fans: Remember when Pete Wentz guest-starred as himself on three episodes of season three between 2005 and 2006? Well, as Hilarie Burton pointed out in a new interview, it didn't turn out to be so great a role. "Poor Pete. Pete really thought he was just coming on the show to play like, a cool dude," the actress, who famously played Peyton Sawyer from the pilot through to the sixth season, told People. "And the next thing you know, it looks like he's having an affair with a high school girl."

"That is forever now on TV," she candidly added. "You don't get to takesie backsie that one."

But, as Burton explained, it was not as easy to see how inappropriate the storyline was behind the scenes. "I don't think he realized our characters were in high school because we were all in our 20s in real life," the 38-year-old star explained. "And so it wasn't until even I watched it back that I was like, 'Oh, there's a lot of insinuation in here. I thought we were just kissing buddies, but this looks bad in the edit.'"

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The actress did give Wentz credit for being "willing to do his makeup in a bathroom with five girls," she told People, recalling one notable scene. "He's really a team player."

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It seems like more nostalgia is on the way for One Tree Hill fans because Burton has teamed up with her former co-stars Sophia Bush and Bethany Joy Lenz on a new podcast, Drama Queens

"As always…. Proud of the three of you," Burton's husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan commented on Instagram. "Most especially you…(cuz you're my wife n stuff) I can't wait to hear the trouble you're gonna get into! Congratulations lady (ladies)."