Lafferty, Lenz reunite 'Naley' for 'Tree Hill' convention 

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“One Tree Hill” cast members James Lafferty, left, and Bethany Joy Lenz answer questions during the Q and A’s with cast members at the second day of the Return to Tree Hill 3 Convention on Saturday at the Wilmington Convention Center. The convention concludes tomorrow. Matt Born/StarNews

“One Tree Hill” fans can’t say James Lafferty and Bethany Joy Lenz never gave them anything.

On Saturday, the pair — best known for playing Nathan and Haley Scott, the central couple on The CW’s locally filmed series — reunited at the “Return to Tree Hill 3” convention in Wilmington for photo ops and an enlightening Q&A session.

Fans know there is only one Naley. And even in four years since the show ended, Lafferty and Lenz’s chemistry remains strong.

This was Lafferty’s first Wilmington convention appearance and the first time the pair appeared at any convention in the Unites States (they previously attended a Paris convention together).

Settling into a couch center stage Saturday, Lafferty and Lenz fielded fan questions, ranging from their favorite episodes to what country they would like to visit to why they think the show struck a cord with fans.

Here are some highlights from the Naley reunion:

Lafferty’s favorite episode is season four’s state championship game because it was the culmination of a lot of story arcs for so many characters, including Naley.

Lenz said she doesn’t remember a ton of specific moments while on the show because it was such a big part of her life. “It’s like someone asking you what’s your favorite day of high school,” she laughed. Rather than specific episodes, she loved the smaller moments with Sophia Bush and Moira Kelly. She also loved a pregnant Haley dressing up as a superhero.

On a season 10: “We had a dog eat a heart. What else could we possibly have done,” Lenz said.

Would they do a reunion show? Lenz said they could talk about it once 10 years has passed. “We haven’t been gone for that long, guys,” Lafferty added.

Lafferty said he wished the show would have done a crossover with the “old-school” 90210 cast. Lenz suggested they could have dressed up as the cast for a Halloween episode. He said he would have been Steve Sanders.

When asked to name the most difficult scene they shot, Lenz mentioned the rigorous shoot for the season three finale, when Nathan and Haley were on the bridge with Uncle Cooper’s limo. Lafferty concurred, but said he liked the underwater sequences from that shoot.

Both actors liked the time-jump after season five. “At the time, it was thinking outside the box,” Lafferty said. “I don’t think anyone had done it before.”

Lafferty said he loved every minute of living in Wilmington because of the people and their welcoming of TV folk.

Lenz said she loves Lena Headey and would have loved to have her on “One Tree Hill.” “I don’t know what we would have done, but something super bad ass,” Lenz said.

Lenz commended Lafferty for how serious he took his more emotional scenes in later seasons as Nathan struggled to find his way, to which he said, “I had a good partner,” to Lenz.

In a rare non-“Tree Hill” question, the pair was asked what country they would like to visit. Lenz chose Barcelona because it’s “hot and sexy,” and she can roam the streets, kiss a man and then just walk away with no one thinking twice. Lafferty said Tokyo because it’s the farthest he can get from Western culture.

Lenz said she is slowly working on a new album. “My music career has gone through a lot of stages, but that’s part of finding yourself as an artist,” she said. During “One Tree Hill,” she tried to write music for the show and the radio. And then she focused on more country-style music. Now it is changing. “This is the first time in my life I’m writing things that are just coming from me,” she added.

Both Lenz and Lafferty said their favorite character was Dan Scott.

On why the show struck a cord with fans: “It always seemed like whenever we visited somewhere in Middle America, it resonated more with them. There was something about the show that spoke to people experiencing life on a real level, opposed to New York or LA… you go there to make it on your own. Most of the country is trying to make it together. That was the heart of the show, these families and friends trying to make it together.”

Lafferty and Lenz said they would love to work together again, but only as a Nathan and Haley.

On moving on after the show ended: “It’s like getting out of a long-term relationship. One that was good, but you know fundamentally you want different things and it’s time to move on,” Lenz said.

When one fan named Naley alongside the likes of Ross and Rachel, Lafferty got excited, calling it “high praise” and “hollowed ground.” “We’re epic,” Lenz added.

Would they change a storyline? “I was not on board with the dog eating the heart,” Lenz said.

Lafferty’s favorite quote: “Don’t say I never gave you anything.”

Find all the latest pictures from “Return to Tree Hill 3” at StarNewsOnline and follow @WilmOnFilm for all the inside information from this weekend.

Hi! My name is Hunter Ingram and I’m the film/TV reporter for StarNews Media. I will be the primary blogger for WilmonFilm, but other staffers, including Community Engagement Editor Jeff Hidek and freelance reporter Brian Tucker, are likely to contribute from time to time.

With this blog, I aim to be Southeastern North Carolina’s go-to source for all things film and TV. Wilmington and its surrounding areas are rich with intriguing projects, from the big-budget blockbusters to the small-scale, high-impact independent films. I will post everything from breaking news to offbeat features that will cover every facet of the entertainment news emerging from the area. So bookmark this page and be on the lookout every day for new posts!

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