‘One Tree Hill’ Bethany Joy Lenz Admits She Joined A Cult With ‘Other Hollywood Creatives’
Bethany Joy Lenz has come forth with more details regarding a cult she says she was in for 10 years.
In 2023, the actress, who co-hosts the "Drama Queens" podcast on iHeartRadio, alleged she got sucked into a cult via a casual Bible study, and added that starring in the coming-of-age drama series, "One Tree Hill,'' may have saved her life.
"I had a lot of flying back and forth, a lot of people visiting and things like that, but my life was really built in North Carolina. And I think that spatial separation made a big difference when it was time for me to wake up," she explained to 'Entertainment Weekly.'
She vocalized wanting to write a book to document those experiences, saying, "That would be a really valuable experience to write about, and the recovery — 10 years of recovery — after that. So there's a lot to tell."
Lenz, 42, stuck to that plan. According to The Independent, the memoir, "Dinner With Vampires," is set to be published this year featuring the juicy subtitle, "Life on a cult TV show — while also in an actual cult!"
"I squandered so many opportunities because I prioritized this group," Lenz explained. "I was at the height of my career, getting offers for huge movies and Broadway shows. Everything I'd trained for, all my childhood dreams were coming true and I said no to all of it so I could go live with this remote, small group of people, convinced I was making a noble, spiritual sacrifice."
"An only child who often had to fend for herself and always wanted a place to belong, Lenz found the safe haven she'd been searching for in a Bible study group with other Hollywood creatives," the memoir's summary begins. "However, the group soon morphed into something more sinister-a slowly woven web of manipulation, abuse, and fear under the guise of a church covenant called 'The Big House Family.' "
The actress claims a domineering minister persuaded her to marry his son while allegedly stealing millions of dollars from her TV income at the same time.
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After having a baby, the star departed from the cult, unwilling to put her child through the same control she says she endured.
While planning the memoir, Lenz, who left The WB series in 2012, doubled down during an interview on just how much she'd tell.
"I just want to squeeze every ounce of help out of this experience," she said. "I want this experience to just be the f*****g biggest lemon I ever had. I can just f*****g squeeze out all the juice for everybody else - we're gonna make some lemonade."
