Bethany Joy Lenz from 'One Tree Hill' Opens Up About Being Lured Into an Idaho Christian Cult for a Decade
Bethany Joy Lenz from 'One Tree Hill' has opened up about the time she spent in a cult.
The actress penned a new memoir titled, 'Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult!),' which will be released on October 22.
Prior to the memoir's release, Lenz opened up about her decade-long experience in the ultra-Christian cult led by a pastor in Idaho in an interview with 'PEOPLE.'
Lenz first encountered the group during a Bible study session in Los Angeles when she was 20, seeking stability after growing up in an Evangelical Christian family that frequently moved. "I had always been looking for a place to belong," she recalled.
Initially, the group offered the support and intimacy she craved. "We crave that kind of intimacy... The idea that someone out there says, 'No matter what you do... I still love you, and I'm here for you.' "
However, the dynamic changed when a pastor named "Les" invited members to live communally in Idaho. The 43-year-old shared,"It still looked normal... And then it just morphed. But by the time it started morphing, I was too far into the relationships to notice."
Yet, those she was close to outside of the cult noticed that something was wrong, including her 'One Tree Hill' co-stars. "I could see it on their faces... But I'd justify it, like, 'I couldn't possibly be in a cult.' " Craig Sheffer even warned her directly, saying she was involved in a cult. Lenz denied it at the time, responding, "No, no, no. Cults are weird... That's not what we do!"
Throughout her time on The WB's coming-to-age sports drama, Lenz's career, personal life, and finances were secretly dictated by the group. Reflecting on those years, she admits, "I don't think of it as brave... I think of it as important. Living silently in the suffering I experienced, I don't know if that helps anyone."
After marrying a fellow member and having her daughter Rosie in 2011, Lenz left both the cult and her marriage in 2012. But walking away wasn't easy. "The stakes were so high... They were my only friends. I was married into this group. I had built my entire life around it."
According to the Florida native, writing her memoir was trying, but Lenz hopes sharing her journey can inspire others.
She concluded: "I think of this more as the right thing to do."
