Actress Bethany Joy Lenz reveals she was trapped in a ‘biblical cult’ throughout her time on ‘One Tree Hill’ and helped her castmates get out of it He said he gave it to me.

According to a recent interview, Lenz was part of a cult throughout the show’s run from 2003 to 2012. variety. She said she was “extremely zealous” in her faith and was easily tied down to her weekly Bible study and quickly turned dark. The more she talked to her castmates about the Bible group, the more worried they became. Eventually they intervened and helped her free herself from the cult.

“For a while, they were all trying to rescue me. It’s so nice to have that kind of care, it’s so wonderful,” she said.

The famous actress admitted she never felt “consciously frightened” within the cult, but admitted that she had “some physical interactions” that made her feel uneasy. It was the moment that helped her become “a little more aware of what was going on” and prompted her to begin seeking to get out of her group safely.

Lentz said the process of leaving was not a simple one. Despite the efforts of her fellow actors, she admitted that she was “very stubborn” within the group and that she was “all in on what she believed was the best thing she could do.” .

The famous actress says part of the cult’s influence has to do with the “deep wedge of distrust” that’s been placed between her and the rest of the cast of ‘One Tree Hill’. Ta.

“I loved them and I cared about them, but I had a fundamental thought: If I’m in pain, I can’t go to any of these people. ‘” she told Variety. “So you’re feeling incredibly lonely.”

Lenz said the influence of the cult had turned him down from many career opportunities.

“What I have been training for, all my childhood dreams are coming true, I have said no to all of them and have been able to live with these little people far away. “I’m sure it’s a big sacrifice,” she said. .

Ultimately, she said, spending nine months each year in North Carolina filming “One Tree Hill” gave her a certain healthy distance from the cult. (Related article: Police arrest former actor-turned-cult leader Nathan Lee in pursuit of horse)

“I flew back and forth a lot and had a lot of people visit, but my life was really built in North Carolina,” she said. “And I think the spatial separation made a big difference when I woke up.”

Mr. Lenz is writing a book about his experiences and has promised to reveal the name of the cult in its pages.

“What good does it do if we just lock up our painful experiences and act like everything is perfect?” she asked. “It’s not good for anyone.”

“I want to squeeze all the help out of this experience. I want this experience to be the biggest lemon I’ve ever had. Let me squeeze all the juice out for everyone else. I’m going to make lemonade.” ” Lenz told Variety.