Former One Tree Hill cast member Hilarie Burton is teaming up with her former co-star Sophia Bush to produce and star in the show’s reboot. Speaking to PEOPLE, she revealed that the sequel is quite different from the original and opened up about the experiences behind curating the story, which will highlight a feminist perspective.
Burton said that being able to “work with a team of women and see these stories (and) these characters through a female lens” had been on his checklist for a long time. Whether it was a reboot or a sequel, he always had a similar approach, which he maintained throughout the creative process of the upcoming show. He said, “At this stage of my life, female teamwork is something that is very important to me.”
The Walking Dead actress explained that everything that has brought success in her life is fundamentally connected to feminine power in some way or the other. “So I’m excited to be working with people who I look up to, who I love so much,” she added.
Entertainment Weekly confirmed in August that the One Tree Hill sequel series – which has found its home on streaming platform Netflix – would see Burton, Bush and Danneel Ackles reprising their characters. The series comes into being nearly seven years after the scandal that saw female cast and crew, including Burton, Bush, Ackles and 18 others from the original show, come together to allege creator Mark Schwahn physically and emotionally abused them.
Though she never publicly commented on the allegations, she was fired from her position as showrunner of E!’s The Royals in 2017.
Despite the controversies surrounding the show, the reboot announcement received a warm reception from fans, which Burton was thrilled about. “The best part was seeing the positive response from fans and all of our friends from the show commenting on the post and showing excitement,” she told the outlet.
