First of all, you don't know me. Were all about that high school drama, Girl Drama, Girl, all about them high school queens. We'll take you for a ride in our comic Girl Cheering for the Right drama, Queen's Girl Fashion. But you're tough, girl. You could sit with us Girl Drama, Queens, Drama, Queen's Drama, Queen's Drama drawn MC, Queen's Drama, Queens. Hey, Everybody, Season four, Episode eight, Nothing left to say but goodbye.
I really liked this episode, Okay, didn't never twenty second two thousand six, Derek, the real Derek convinces Peyton to take a chance with Lucas at the same time that Brook approaches him about getting back together. Bad timing. Dante's latest demand leads Nathan to seek help from an unlikely source. Isn't an unlikely source, It's he most likely and Dan.
When Rachel learns of a failing grade, she turns to Haley for tutoring, and Nathan is named m v P m v P of the Ravens at the annual sports banquet, in spite of the fact that he's been shaving points. Dunt Janice directed this one. I liked her a lot. Yeah. I liked that this was like a Thanksgiving episode and it was the big banquet, you know, it was a way to November twenty two. It's like a way to
do a holiday without doing a holiday. You know, we're all together at dinner and it's awkward, like everyone else's holiday. That's so Funday. Yeah, yeah, I dug it. I mean here's my question though. The episode starts off with Nathan at the river Court, and we didn't talk about this last time. Um, but like Nathan kind of taking over the river Court as opposed to just practicing in the gym or someplace that's like monitored by adults, seems dumb
to me. Like if he just went through this experience for the two older men in the community cornered him, why is this child like hanging out all by himself in this public setting where bad things have already happened, Like I'd be hold up. I guess he thought it was over because he believed them. It's a little gullible. Well, and by the way, I feel like your question answered your question. You're like, why is this child doing this dumb thing? And it's like, well, because kids are dumb. Yeah,
he's a teenage boy. He's just like everything's done. I did it. It's over. And it's like, oh you you have never watched The Godfather, have you, young man? This kid needed to hide out lay low until like everything's over. Instead, he's just willy nilly all by himself down dribbling his wealthy white privilege around because his dad has always bailed him out of every situation, so of course he has the muscle memory of like, oh, okay, I got away with it. It's over. I'm done. Okay, fine, it's over.
He Yeah, he has no concept. Although I do love that he went to Dan for help in this, I don't love the way Dan handled it. I feel like I was waiting for him to like muscle up and really do something destardly to the dastardly people. Yeah, one time. At that time, Dan's not corrupt. I'm like, listen, if we know anything about Dan Scott or like I don't know.
We've read the news ever in the last twenty years, it's like small town mayor is not going to dispatch the like crooked cops on the p D for Mr put these guys in jail until after the game, Like hello, Wow, the one time Dan's not willing to be completely inappropriate is perhaps the one time it's warranted so his kid
doesn't get his knees broken. But okay, But so this is the back story that I found sweet resting because Dante and act like they know Dan Scott from high school and they're about the same age, So what's that backstory? Did they play together? Did they play against each other? When Danny was on JV, Like, what is the story they said? That would have been so cool they had said that when Dan walked into the strip club and they were like, look who it is, our old boy?
Did you know something like the young hot shot whatever? Because ps the minute Nathan says you know, Dan asks him what their names are, and Nathan says Dante and Bear, and Dan knows immediately who they are. And it's like if there had been backstory rather than oh, everybody knows the local mafia guys like, which is ridiculous, who are these people? They needed a name for their gang? If he knew them from high school, it's much more interesting.
So much, Yeah, and you're right they should have done that. Um, do you think Dan was being more docile because he's trying He seems to be trying to become a better person at this school, Karen that was going on. I think he doesn't want to funk up Nathan's like Duke prospect. I think it's more about the legacy of basketball. Then it's like trying to impress Karen, you know, not impress her, but like if there's some sort of sincere change. I do think he's on his best behavior around her. She does.
He does present as his best self, which is essentially the bare minimum for a normal person when he's around Karen. But I I agree with Hill and that I really think he looks at the facts. And because Dan doesn't care about Whitey at all, he doesn't give a ship if Whitey loses that last championship. He just wants Nathan to be okay and to go to Duke. So it's like, well, you know what, it sucks for everybody else, but you're
still gonna win. And that's classic Dan Scott. I don't care what happens to anybody else as long as I win. And he's telling Nathan to do the same thing. That's true that happened in my high school. We went we went to the state well, no, we went to the state championship, and there was a boy from my school who had gotten like a full ride to uv A to go play football. There was a real fear that he could get hurt in that final game and it would screw up his scholarship, and so she told everyone
he had mono and couldn't play. So our star player did not play in the state championship game and we lost by one point. We lost by like a kick at the end, and you know, he was absolved because his future was set. But for everyone else whose last game it was, it was like devastating. And for the poor kicker who like all came down on that kid. I think he was like a sophomore too that they brought up from the soccer team, and so his heart
was broken. Um, but this one kid, all of us were like, you don't have mono, like show us the letter. But all his mother cared about was like, I'm preserving your future. I don't give any of these other kids like You're the only one I care about. So that reality for Dan Scott is like pretty believable, you know, just I'm only here to care about my kid. Yeah. Well, and by the way, I can't say I don't get it, like the idea, especially because of how intense those contact
sports are. Like a kid gets a concussion, a kid's need gets snapped in the wrong direction, and they're there, their career is over there, They're dealing with a disability for the rest of their life. And this idea that you know, what I think our show did well in the moments was when it really told the story of the everyman and like the small town kid, and before we jumped the shark and everyone became the most successful person. What they did, like wheat has got to live up
to that. Everyone had to be exceptional. But but I think there's it's like I get that fear of this is one more night that's either going to make or break your life. My kid's only chance to go to college, to go to college, debt free, to have a future, is making sure that they stay safe for this, you know, three more hours of a Saturday night. And that's a tough one. That that is a moral dilemma that I'm you know, I'm not sitting here being like I would
have done the same thing. I'm just going, Oh, that is that is heavy, Like that that amount of stress and pressure because because It's like, what message does it send to the kid. I'm not saying it's it's good or bad. I'm just wondering what the message is that you can't You've been working towards this with your whole team, everybody's been on the same page, and then at the last minute, then you can't say you can't participate. Like
did he want to? And he's he was forced not to or was he Like nobody knows, that's what those private conversations were. But to force your kids to not participate in something that they wanted to, they've when working toward all year, and like not sharing the joy of the winning maybe or that that moment. And as a parent,
you're saying, my job, my job is to protect you. Yeah. Absolutely, And you know what, what I'm realizing is really interesting is that there's a layer added because Hillary, you're telling a story about the football team, and because football is such an injury prone sport. Basketball it's like, who gives you're gonna go play the game? Like what are we talking about? You know, the threat to Nathan is that
they're going to break his knees. It's not that his knees are going to get broken in a basketball game. It's so much less likely that you have, you know, a career ending an injury, and I don't know man that I'm like, oh, I'm like, that's a that's but all the other parents are like, you know what, my child has sacrificed their body to make your our child look good for the last four years. The least you can do is show us show up and walk out
onto that court or so uncomfortable. That's what I think about the message, Like, what's the message that's being set subliminally for that kid to the rest of his life walking out going Everyone else is allowed to make sacrifices for me, but I don't make them for other people. Ask the message. There's no I in team, but there is interesting. I mean, do you think that Nathan should play like you're in Nathan shoes? Do you think that
he should throw the game? Yeah? I think he should play, and he should and he should not throw the game. I think he should play his hard out and do the right thing and deal with the consequences afterwards. I guess I'm like, if knowing what the court courting processes for college sports, like that recruiter comes in and they take you to dinner and they meet your mom and dad and there's like a whole little the fair where
they try to get you to choose their school. Like why doesn't Nathan just pick up the phone and be like, I'm getting you know, I'm getting outroaded. I'm not the first or last kid who is going to encounter this situation because he's a dumb kid and those guys are big and scary. Well, and I think because there is the fear. There is always the fear when you have done something wrong, even if it started as an innocent
situation or mistake. The fear is if I tell everything will be over, Yeah, if I if I admit how far this has gotten, this will be a catastrophe. And interestingly, in in in that very human instinct to try to avoid what you see as your present potential catastrophe, you make the coming catastrophe worse. That's why I think he should play and play hard and do the best you can and try and win and not throw the game, because it's just you just keep creating the lies. Snowball
man and deception snowballs. It just keeps going and gets bigger and bigger. I don't know, I think you gotta keep your side and straight clean as much as you can. Meanwhile, I feel like we were having a pretty good time with Rick Fox and Conrad fair Like. It was cool. That energy was fun, Like just you guys are here to bullious. I like it and I love you. I loved you. In the cafe with them, You're like, thanks, boys, give me some more money. I know. So cute. They
were fun, they were fun to have around. They were so lovely. Yeah, my boobs looked huge in this episode. Hot in this episode. Okay, so the last two episodes, whatever was going on with the Maxim fall out, you were making them pay for that joy because oh you wanted some of this, Well, then you're missing me. Um, you made him pay. I liked it. I like the
little lacey dress at the banquet too. What was fun about this stage that we're entering into for Haley in the pregnancy is that, Um, what many people don't know about me is, um, I am a bit gluten intolerant, and when I eat certain things, my stomach instantly looks like I'm pregnant instantly, and um to the point where I've had people come up to me and be like, oh my gosh, I didn't know. Stop. Oh oh, I'm
not kidding. Any time I eat a sandwich, people on the internet are like, oh my god, she's pregnant, and I'm like, listen, I am aware that it looks like I have swallowed a whole bowling ball, but that sandwich was delicious and it was worth it. And I don't know what you want for me, and like, I have photos that much. You guys know, my my best friend Babs, we have a picture the two of us standing side by side in a mirror picking our shirts up, and
we look like too pregnant best friends. And he had just we had been traveling for like three weeks and didn't have an option to eat food we weren't allergic to. And it is I'm going to dig it up and send it to you. It is unbelievable how pregnant we look. And it's like, well, it's just it's back then we didn't know. I didn't know a lot about allergies or what I need. Eight hours. It was like you just go over to the craft table and shove in your
mouth whatever's there. Whenever hot you know, hot pockets snack they bring out at eleven o'clocket. So I'm showing all this stuff in my mouth and I'm like, you know what this But I'm always having to suck my stomach in every time that happens. And so finally, for the next like I don't know, seven or eight episodes, I just relax because Hayley pregnant, so I could tell let it all gro. You used your instrument, you knew your instrument, and you were like, I'm making art right now. I
am going to use this. But I think I was wearing a padded bra for the pregnancy stuff. But yeah, that was fun. It was a fun. Look Um, we're going to talk about the banquet, Okay, I remember being going out of order, but whatever, we're going out of order. But I remember being very pro banquet hair do. Yes you are. I loved it. Yeah, I loved it at the time. To you, it was in bohemian joy and that was a vibe I was into. I feel like
the image you brought in, wasn't it from along Came Polly? No, it was from Jennifer Aniston at your Clothes, But Jennifer Aniston at the Golden Globes. The usual were in the cold dress and crazy and she had graides like in her in her beachways. Yes, and you wanted those little braids and your wives. And the reason the reason it worked on her as because she was incredibly toned in hands of her body structurally looked like it was like a sculpture structure. And the dress she was wearing was
very structured. It was a long gold dress that I think had like maybe rectangular beads on it or something, so it was super angular everything. Then so then you compliment that with the wildness of the hair and it works. But with this I'm already wearing a frilly dress. I didn't have My body wasn't in that sort of like structural format, and it was just like I literally looked like I had been sleeping days on that hair with never washing it and never taking a shower. That's what
it looked like. And by the way, that's what our bosses all told me. And I was like, you guys don't have any creativity. You're just you know, silly boys, you don't know, trying to control me. The hottest thing I'm in red carpet. No, it really wasn't. I thought it could have been used a little. But here's what I'll say. It had strong like Game of Thrones energy, oh,
where it was like, yeah, it was themed. Hell. We were saying when we were watching the scene between Brooke and Haley and the banquet that after Brooke walks away, I don't know what you said. You said something about like I'm just not sure anymore something. You walked away from me, and I just really wanted you to turn around and come back and say do you need a hair brush? It's when Brooke is telling Haley what a good friend Rachel has been to her. Oh yeah, that's
what it is. Oh yeah, I just love that, like Brooke and Rachel for the last couple episodes have morphed and like the outfits match, the hair matches, the eyeliner matches. It's like when your cycles sync up when you're living with another girl. It's a total subconscious thing where it's like,
wait a second, you're the same human now, Like so cute. Yeah, it's really cute because you had your hair all bouncy and curly, and I'm like, look at all that girl and Daniel's hair today George washed the episode over my shoulder and she was like, is that the same person? Great too? I loved that red forties lip on you with your hair all baby, that was so pretty. And Rachel Danielle doing that sixties headband. Yeah, dress look so
yeah with a little boufa in the back. Yeah. It is interesting that both of us went kind of period. I liked it. It was it was very sweet. I liked that red lip too. Well. If you're not wearing a red dress, one must red lips, one must. Let's talk about the uh, the Brooke and Lucas of it all, because that threw me for a loop. It's so random and it literally makes no sense that Brooke is like, the two people I love the most in the world have broken my heart and then she's like, do you
want to go to the banquet with me? I think I miss you? And and Joy and I were watching because you were taking Georgia school and we were like, why is this happening? Like this doesn't track at all, And I realized by the time we got to the end of the episode the entire reason for it is to set up that these two can admit that the spark is gone, that they're gonna be friends for real, just so Lucas can tell Peyton that him and Brooke have realized it's over. That's the only reason. It's not
grounded in any reality. It just needed to happen so that you guys could happen, so in service of the story. I get it, but I really wish. I just wish there had been something that had triggered it got yes, something that had gotten her thinking about it, or that she'd said to Rachel, you know, I went for a bad boy again, and maybe I should try to make it work with it. Not I mean, I don't know. I don't know. I can't come up with any reason
that it would happen. I know it needed to, so there needed to be something, but it just felt so random. I okay, I agree. But in the context of Brook's character being an only child and growing up in a householder, she probably got what she wanted a lot. I think that does kind of reed um personality characteristics, where it's hard to make a decision because every time you choose something, you're like, oh, maybe I wanted the other thing. Oh well,
maybe I shouldn't have chose that. Maybe she chose this. So I'm kind of it feels realistic to me that she would have made her choice and then been like, well, I don't know, maybe maybe I don't let me see, let me see, let me see. So what you're saying is the Brook and Nathan are the same person. There two privileged white kids that are like, I'm just gonna do some dumb like I don't need to like maybe
everybody all the time. If Brooke can what she wants all the time, if that's sort of been the habit in her life, then that it would naturally make sense that she would want the thing that she can't have. So once she makes the decision and like pushes Lucas away, now he's the person that she can't have, so she kind of wants to find out, like can I still
have him? I see that less though in this I think the thing, the only thing that grounded it in some reality for me was when when Rachel says to Brooke, like you're clearly rebounding, of course, and you know Brooke was betrayed. She just got cheated on again, and she's doing it, and you know, she she's like, if they're all the same, maybe I should give it a shot
with somebody that I I love. The devil, you know, it's the devil, you know, it's like we you know, there there's all that research that says we would rather be in the pain we know than risk the unknown, even if it would get us past it. And so I that I get just wish they'd leaned into it
a little more. I think the writing was really lazy in this for Brooke, with this, with this Lucas rebound thing, and I think if if she could have gotten a little clearer on it, even if Rachel had pushed her a little more, because that's where I see that thing you're talking about joy. If Rachel's like, you're rebounding and she's like, no, I'm not, No, I'm not. What, let me show you how much I'm not rebound. They still really care about this person. Like that I would have
loved to see. But what I do like is that if it is that, if it is, that, I'm going to go back to what I know very quickly. It's just like it's gone. You know, when the fire goes out, you can't always relight it, and and it's gone. And I liked seeing I thought that Janice Cook, our director, did a really good job. When Whitey is giving his beautiful speech about Camilla, you see the way. It's hitting
everyone differently, but it's not overplayed. And I you know, I caught the moment between Haley and Nathan realizing they have that kind of love. I watched everybody having these things and I literally saw Brooke kind of go ah, Nope, don't have it. I don't have that. And I liked. I liked that there was a realization of I want to be loved like that. I don't know if it exists anymore, but I'd like to find out, and that felt nice. The pressure that it has to exist in
high school is hilarious to me. And like, I love that Rachel has become our voice of reason. I mean, she's like saying all the no dust stuff. Um. However, there was some with Rachel that I was very conflicted about and I took no. Okay, so the whole failing grade thing, we know what was going on behind the scenes at this point, like she was rejecting our boss,
Daniel was behind the scenes. And so this whole speech that the calculus teacher gives her, You're a pretty girl and can flirt your way through, but all your friends are going to leave you behind, and if you don't do the work, you're not going to get to hang out with your playmates. You know. That was all such veiled language against her, and it's just such like weird
subconscious like, yeah, it was, you're right. It was such a random scene and we really hated that out of order, inappropriate, and it felt like it was an out of touch teacher being like, oh, you know, I just got a study, just got a study harder and will be fine. But
it didn't fit. It was so weird and now I understand why now that you're bringing that up well, because and they also tried to veil the threat by hiring a woman to play that teacher, so that it was a woman saying to a younger woman, I see what you're doing. You're pretty and you rely on your looks. And it reeked of like sexist, ick because it was our boss saying that to Danille, not a teacher saying
it to Rachel. And it's so gross. It's grows when someone thinks they're being clever and you're like, uh, we all know what you're doing, dork, we all see you. But I thought we had also established earlier in Rachel's storyline that she was like, you know, secretly brilliant because she answered all sorts of hard questions and knew, like all these answers in some class. That's right, We've already established that she's like super smart. And she does say
to Haley, you tutor all these people. I've seen what you do for them. I'm actually smart. I've just missed a lot of class. So they they did try, but not that hard, not that hard. It was just it was just lost in in the personal attacks, and we were at that stage in our show where so much of what was happening on screen was needling at people personally. Yeah, and now Mouth's rejecting her. Now Mouth the character based on our boss, I don't want you anymore. I've got
somebody new. So what do you guys think about the speech everybody kept giving Haley about giving everyone's second chances, because that was all about Rachel like trying to get to I was disappointed that Haley had nothing to do this episode. Well that's I don't have anything to do for the next because she's becoming a mother and that's her only identity. You're like hair right now, I'm all
for it. But you know what I will say is because there's such a beautiful relationship established that you and James have built for Haley and Nathan. It's so fun to watch you guys together, even if technically there's not a lot going on. There's so much happening around you that there's a bit of a respite as an audience member when I get to see the people I love to watch being in love, just being good to each
It's not important, it's totally important. In a story like That's, where you've got so many weaving storylines, so much drama, you've got to have at least one stable place, even if the stable place changes into into different storylines, and it has to otherwise it gets boring. But I just I guess as your friend, I just want to say, even when you feel like you don't have a lot to do, you're so fun to watch. You're like the safe thing we want our woo be. You know who else?
You know who else is really becoming a highlight in that space, And I wish we'd gotten to hold onto him longer. Is Earnest? Yeah, real, Derek, you know they did that thing. I know we talked about it a bit, and we can, you know, we can get into it. They made him kind of the cliche of the military guy who's always yelling at you. And I think when they when they got that out of their systems, and he just was able to be present with you and wasn't written to yell, but was able to be firm
and challenging to you know, to say to you. I wrote it down that that he says, take a risk today. He pushes you lovingly. And it's really nice in you know, Larry's absence. It's so nice to see Peyton have a supportive male figure in her life like this, this older brother figure. It's just really really fun to watch watching the bedroom get painted, you know, the advent of red
bedroom records. It's all starting. And uh, you guys had a I don't remember exactly what the dialogue was, but your chemistry is just so good and I was I need more of this. I need more of the two of these guys interacting. Guys, Guys, you want it today? Do you want it today? Don't want it today? More and more and more. Earnest, I'm really excited about this reunion. I have not gotten to see Ernest since he left the show. So guys, we have him today. Let's breathe
in you guys, my brother's here. They're well, how do you? Oh my god, you look exactly the same. I'm going to you, I've aged twenty years and you look exactly the same. And that's not fair. Um. We've been watching you for like weeks now, which sounds like a very creepy way to start this off, but watching like the introduction of real Derek and then all the military stuff
which we can we can get into. Um, I'm really glad that you were able to come on for this episode because this was a lovely you know, button for your character. Um, you know, seeing you deploy, I was really sad. We've just been watching you and Hillary and your whole storyline and and we've really just been like fawning over you. So we're so happy you're here. Thank you, And I'm glad you guys enjoyed my performance, and I'm so happy about that. We wish we had you for
so much longer. We're watching it back, you know, because Sophia just said, we don't remember a lot of it. We just didn't have time to watch the show while we were filming it, so we missed a lot of your performance. You know, we saw bits and pieces, But it's so nice to watch it back now and also sad to realize we only got you for four or five episodes. We needed more. I felt really protected with
you being there. You know. We had just done the storyline where like my characters assaulted and there was also all this like wonky stuff going on behind the scenes, and you came in as such like a grounded, mature energy, and I was just like, why, why are you taking this person away from me? Like they took Ellie away from me, they took you away from me. I was just like, what people always leave? God, people always leave? What? Um? What was your experience with the show before you got cast?
Did you have any idea what One Tree Hill was? Honestly no, because I was in college, so like literally college, I watching no TV. And then like I just yeah, I just got a call and they said, hey, down to Wilmington's And it was just so amazing because I'm actually from Wilmington's. Yeah, Oh my gosh, I remember that. I'd forgotten, like so much of my family is from Wilmington's and I was. I had had an amazing time there because my dad, not my dad, my uncle loaned
me his car and it was just amazing. It was great. But yeah, I grew up. I grew up in Wilmington. I was there for like the first few years until about three. Yeah, and then I go there every year because my family is there and we go to Rightful Beach to the we have a beach house there. Yeah. Oh my god, dude, So you're still always there. I'm still always there. And then in mind from middle school, Joe Houser, he runs a company in Wilmington. So it's
just like it's just funny coincidence. So when you go down there, do people recognize you? Are they like, oh my god, it's brother Derek. Oh of course, of course. I feel like everyone in Hound knew you guys. I mean even when we were shooting, you know, just like going out, people would just that's all they would talk about. It was it was very cool. I have a very strong sense memory of us being at level five. Do
you remember real Marines on the rooftop? We had the fake Marines with us, and it was like there was like this energy of like, oh, you guys are playing military on TV. Well we're military in real life and we'll kick your ass. And I just remember being like oh no, they will. Yeah. I definitely felt a lot of pressure. Just I mean, my my family were from the military. I had my father was in the Air Force, my uncle was in the Air Force. So everyone was
like just picking me apart after the episode. Really yeah, just my walk wasn't completely military. You know, We're saying good bye and then I'm like walking away, you know. Yeah, the fact that, uh, in the last episode, Lucas and Peyton both just came out into the training center and just like found you, like rolled up in a hummer walking around base. Yeah, just like got right in, no problem.
We lost our minds. We were like, on no planet would someone in fatigue just pick up a teenage boy and drive him into the middle of a training exercise. We were losing it. But but having having so many folks in your family come from military backgrounds, did you ask for advice when you got the part of Derek or were you like, I got this, I know what this is, Like, how did you prepare for it? I
had such little time to prepare. I was actually on vacation in Europe when I found out that I was going to do the show, and I was like, Okay, you're gonna come to Wilmington everything, and I think I maybe had very little time to get down there and get started, so I just I mostly had to just go off of what I knew from my dad, from just family members. But the hardest part was just you know, I just felt like, you know, erect in this uni.
It was kind of tight in there. But but I remember they made a really big deal out of that. There was like a technical advisor to make sure that the belt was appropriate, and so much pressure was put on you to like make it right, you know. It was it was a mad dash for sure. And then I remember them the technical guy with the punching yes yeah, um, and I and I just I was just so excited and I was ready to jump in. So whatever it was, I was pretty much prepared to just you know, just
go with the flow, you know. Um. We talked a lot about how like you were directed to be really really angry and to be like really aggressive in the first couple of episodes where we see Derek, the first version of brother Derek we had was definitely like get your together, Pat, and you're being a baby, you know,
and was like super aggressive. Was that eat your experience with military and your family just being like heightened like that, or was that something that you were directed to do on our show because you're so good at like the softer, more intimate stuff. I think, I mean, I feel like
that's a natural impulse for me. Sometimes with emotional I feel like I high lean on anger sometimes maybe too much, I don't know, but um, and I think I was aware that there would be a shift, so I wanted to go in initially with a little bit more oomph and then kind of shift to the more sensitive side.
But I don't know, m hm. That's smart to be able to give an arc too, so you don't just come in at the same at the same tone, because we wanted to see you sort of get wooed into this experience and then how it be that much harder to leave? Absolutely? Absolutely, And I really felt the ending to like, I mean, even just watching it back so much.
There's so much heart in One Street Hill, which I really appreciate, And even the way the show was shot, I feel like they just aren't them any shows that you see now, Yeah, that really capture that young adult sweetness,
that young adult Um. I don't want to use the word angst, but you mean Yeah, Well, I think what what was interesting for us was realizing that our show gave a lot of people permission to be vulnerable anyways that didn't require you know, fantasy or and again no shade to the genres we love, but we didn't need vampires. We didn't need you know, billionaire parents with private jets. We didn't need it. Like, it didn't have to be
so heightened. It could just be honest. And I think, you know, you tapped into that in such a way it felt natural, you know, to your point Derek coming in, you know, written the characters written to be reluctant to say I didn't ask for a sister, you know, I didn't sign up for this, and that sort of energy, combined with this military background, it's so interesting to hear you say that you wanted to really bring it in the beginning because it's it's a mask, right, It's a
defense mechanism for his terability. So much from just my family members, just that there's a there's a way that you have to protect your emotions in order to do the job that you have to do. And that's I think something that I very much felt from from my father. I wanted to bring to this because you know, working with Hillary, you were just so charming and you're so sweet. So it was just I was really happy to have family.
I was so I've been so alone earnest. But you and I both come from military families, and so I think we very quickly bonded over that because there was this desire to portray the military in a loving way. You know, we were at war at the time. I
had friends in Iraq. I think you also had friends that were deployed or family members that were that we're out um, and you know that that was important to us that like we show the honor of our men and women, you know, And and we wanted the character of Derek to kind of embody that and be like, look, this is someone that deals with hard stuff and is doing it in a noble way. And he may seem like a hard ass, but he's actually like parked outside of Peyton's house making sure that no one breaks in
while she's asleep. Yeah, and that that ark for you and the way that you played it, bringing that mask down when you see him out there and he tells Lucas that he's staying, but she doesn't need to know because he's trying to give her that confidence back. And then this episode, the reward of seeing you tube together out you know, socially in a in a happier environment, and watching you be supportive and remind her that she's a strong person and that she can do these things.
It's it's just such a refreshing energy, um, in the midst of our show. Yeah, and in such a simple message, even the no fear. I just really appreciated that. Just hearing that, UM, I think that that's something that it's so simple. It's such a simple statement. But I think that everyone struggles with you, you know, and UM, I don't know, that just really resonated with me. I love it. In this episode, you said to Peyton, go take the risk. Um. I mean, I tell my daughter that I used to
tell her a lot more. I guess I don't know. I got out of practice that I used to tell her all the time on her way to school. You've got to make at least two mistakes today. Oh that's a great, you know memo, because exactly exactly how else are you gonna learn if you don't and learn that and you do make mistakes, it's usually okay, Like if
everybody's okay. In the end, like things eventually get cleaned up, so you gotta try episode because she actually gets rejected, the horrible thing happens, You make the mistakes, you give it to try, and then the bad thing happens and it's still okay. That was my favorite part is the look on your face, Ernest, when Peyton comes and like has to tell you, like, yeah, I did it. Uh it didn't go good. It went bad, and like that lock on your face of like, oh, come out and
just wait. It worse for this kid, Like how do I got to stay and go to the banquet with her now? But I want to go. I think your advice, you know, take the risk is part of what pushes Peyton to finally say it in the end, you know, when Lucas says, Brooke and I have realized it's over, like it's really over, and then you you unload and you say how you've been feeling. It's like you're still
taking his advice. Actually, I love that. I felt really comfortable with you from the jump because you were a n y U guy and I had just worked with Brian Greenberg who was also an n y U guy, and like Strangely enough, you guys had very similar set energy, like I can see that, yeah, and so I didn't I have for the whole rest of my career, always wondered if that was like an n y U thing, just that like grounded nous and focus. You know, you two were the most prominent people had worked with. Yeah,
there's definitely like a tunnel vision. I was thinking about this for this, but just um that when I'm on set, everything goes so freaking quick for me, and I just feel like, well, where did the time go? And I think it's like I have a d D. But like the only time I have tunnel jian is when I'm acting, you know. But I think that there's something about n
Yu that kind of garners that. You know, we spend a lot of time, like thirty forty minutes before we even enter a room into a scene, so you spend a lot of time trying to, I guess, work yourself into a particular state, you know, for the circumstances. For sure, Um, it's hard, it's hard, but if things are just moving, moving, moving, it's just like you're kind of stuck in a machine, especially coming onto a show like ours, where it was such a well oiled machine, and we all have our
relationships set and everything was kind of you. You're walking into something that's been in motion for a very long time. Well yeah, I mean there's definitely a lot of payoffs still. But to be able to just come in solid and centered and comfortable with who you are and who you saw this character as and just give that it was
such a generous. It's such a generous thing to do as an act or to not get caught up in the hype or the chaos or the confusion or the intimidation and any of that stuff, but just to just open up your heart and be there in spite of all these things whirling around you. And you definitely had that presence. I didn't work with you more than I think that one scene, that banquet scene, but I remember that about you. What I remember was all of you
were so close. It was just and and it's so funny because I didn't get that, I got the vibe. I mean, especially with eight. I'm sorry, Hillary, because because I immediately I did feel comfortable around you, but then when I met all the rest of you, I still just felt completely comfortable because you guys are so comfortable
with each other, and it really comes across. Even when I watched it today, Um, it was just obvious that you guys, we're so close and loved each other and we're having so much fun, and um it made the episode more enjoyable. I really actually enjoyed watching it this time. It was I mean, I get all weird about seeing myself, you know what I mean? Well, yeah, what was the reaction from all of your buddies though? When you're like, hey,
I'm on one tree hill. You know, remember that time everyone wanted to be doing like cool edgy, like everyone wanted to be playing a heroin addict back during two thousand six. Oh yeah, I mean that's I mean that was like I mean, coming out of n y U, I was like edgy, Yes, But even watching this again, I was like, man, like, there's so much about this show that's so soft, and I just really enjoyed the pace of the show as well. I think that it would be hard to make a young adult show like
this now, just because I think that they would. They would try to make everything punchy, they would try to sensationalize things, and I really felt the softness, the sweetness, the room, a building of relationship. You can't duplicate it, you can't recreate that. I feel like it was a time capsule, a time capsule of TV, because I think that you can look at the show and you could, you know, pick apart the hairstyles and the clothes and
things of that era. But I think that there was there was something else happening that I feel like just doesn't no longer exist in television. You know, even when you watch Netflix, I feel like you can immediately tell a Netflix show even if you didn't know what it was. You know, Um, what what were the shows you watched growing up? Like? What were the shows when you were in high school and made you feel safe? Martin Signo, M Boy Meets World. Were you pumped to see Leon
Norris on our set? Yes? Yes? Um dock tails? Oh so good? What else did you think about it? Having not watched it for you know, fifteen years? What jumped out? How thin everybody was, any all of you? I just you know, it's so funny. I think every show I've shot I just felt fat, you know, and then you know, you go back to see an episode you're like, oh, I was clearly out of my mind. You know what I mean. And I think that that's just like an
actor thing that happens. But yeah, that was one of you're like hot older brother energy, like the mill you run on that base, like barking orders at all the other dudes. Like it was such macho energy. I don't know how you see it as anything other than like, yeah, I'm awesome, check this out. Okay. I mean you know, you know, as an actor, I think that no matter how good you do, you still feel like, oh I
could have done it better. I could have done this. Yeah. Yeah, Well, nobody tells you when you decide you love storytelling that what you're really signing up for is a lifetime of beating yourself up. But I think what's interesting is in this, in this stage of our lives, we're all talking about it, and it's like, oh cool, you two all right, Okay, I'm not by myself. This is nice. We're all a little crazy together. I appreciate gen z and and this whole new self help arab era. I've learned so much
about every mental disorder. Oh my god. In the same way, I just know that that I have a d h D. I was like, how you I've literally went through my whole life not knowing this. Do you know how many problems I could have solved in my in my life, how much more self confidence I would have had? How just so much that I'm like, I cannot believe I lost so much time yep, not knowing that this was my problem. I want you to do with a thirty second drawing for Drama Queens so we can post it
on our Instagram. Ernest, Yeah, yes, can I make a request? Sure? Yeah, that's what No. I want. I want you to make us a piece of art in thirty seconds to one. I'm seriously, I'm going to do this literally the minute we and I'm going I'm gonna send it to you guys immediately. What's going on with you? Dude? Did you I'm cyberstalking you? You know? Please come on? Yeah? Um, I just yeah, I just had a baby. Girl. She's so graduated, she's too much, but she's but she is
she is so beautiful. We we truly have been like scrolling through your Instagram and we're like, oh my god, look at this baby. Yeah, you're done for McKim didn't Payton, that's crazy? Oh my god. I have the best idea ever. Okay, Okay, Ernest, you do art, okay, and I want you to explain
more of your art thing. But you, guys, I saw in Star News today because I still get the newspaper back in Wilmington's that they are commissioning a mural in downtown Wilmington's in that BISU Theater alleyway, and they're like, we want people to submit their designs for this big mural that's gonna get painted in town because there's no murals in in downtown Wilmington's and they want that. And so here's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking big brother Derek
is the right person for this game. And then we can all go to like open the mural. We could do a ribbon cutting because it's in an alley. Oh my god, Okay, we go yeah, tell okay, so explain your art to everyone, because I seriously I cybers talked the out of you. Er. I'm just like going through all of your posts on Instagram, like so cool. It's me pursuing that edgier side of myself. I started making
things about poverty. I was doing that for a bit, and then I started to feel like that was very cliche but I mean, I know you guys have seen what's been going on in the United States lately, so um, a lot of people struggling, and I think I was in New York and I was just seeing so much of that and I just wanted to capture some of it. Um and just I think, just keep busy, just keep working. I think lately I've been making a lot of films. I'm I'm working on a feature film right now. And cool.
I love these creative outlets though, because there's a part of me that thinks that big brother Derek is probably doing the same thing. You know, a lot of my friends who got out of the military really needed career paths and other directions when they got out. And so watching you paint Peyton's bedroom in this episode, I'm like, of course, our brothers and artists they have this. Yeah, that's right. I love that. It's a great outlet, great, great for emotional um expression, just trying to find a
way to process. It's about yeah, yeah, And I think that's what the character of Derek is like pushing in your arc Because we have these little kids on our show, like bad things keep happening to all of us. We get shot at school. Parents die. We get dumped, you know, like bad stuff key, but we get dumped in that category. We get dumped the world spectrum, but none of us are processing it until this like older Lewins comes along and it's like all kids are nuts, Like you have
to do the work, do your work, and that's important. Well, we talked about that actually, Earnest in one of our last episodes, watching your performance and what real Derek offers to Peyton. We've we've spoken a lot on this podcast about how these kids go through these traumatic experiences. Nobody sends them to therapy, nobody, nobody helps them to Hillary's
point process. And weirdly, you know, the grown ups who were writing these storylines would would write a lot of jokes, Like Lucas says in the last episode to Peyton, you know when you guys have a moment and Derek is, you know, has his wall up, Lucas goes, well, I like the other Derek better, and it's like the other Derek is literally a rapist. Let's not make jokes about this.
And and what's so cool is that, even though your arc was not as long as we all would have liked, you showed up and you grounded it in this way. That really did say for the first time, you have to deal with this, you have to face it. You you as a character, like you know, even though you know, Hillary was like, oh my god, I hated the boxing. I think I looked ridiculous, but that was it. It was that moment. But you made her get in her body. Hilarious.
It was so bad. Kept trying, We just kept trying to perfect the like punch punch, punching in the breakdown, Oh god, oh god. We like to ask a lot of our friends who come on the show, like, where do you think your character is today? M hmm. Definitely not in the military my sense. Um, I don't know. I immediately went to carpentry. Maybe it's because in the episode, but just something I don't know. I get the vibe, something that's very relaxing but also engaging. Right, yeah, I
love it. Okay, we're going to spin a wheel. Because this is a high school oriented show, we like to do superlatives most likely too, did you have superlatives at your high school? I couldn't tell you in your yearbook? Oh okay, here we go. Who's most likely to not forget your birthday? Who so so Earnest. We do this for a character on One Tree Hill, and we do
it for one of the cast members in real life. Okay, okay, Yeah, it's tough because you weren't with us for super long, so you didn't get to know all of us very well. But you can take your best guests. Um, who is it to not forget to remember? I guess to remember your birthday? The person. That's the way of saying it. That's seven am text. The character I would say, Peyton brother. Um the actor, I would say, Sophia, Yeah, no, you you're you're you seem like a very precise artist. She's organized.
Thank you. We need to know what Ernest real birthday is. What's your birthday? Is your birthdad? It's that's right, because we're all in July. I remember now, Okay, here we are all right. Happy birthday, brother, You're stuck with us forever. We're going to get text messages. Hopefully we get to see you in person soon, yes, and I hope so too. Yeah, And I'm looking forward to our artwork. Maybe I'll get that tattooed. No pressure, right, literally, but a lifetime of
appreciation gets Lee earnest. So good to see you all. I had a blast shooting those episodes. You guys are awesome. Seriously, thanks Bud, We're happy to see you. Bye bye, I love Why did they get to keep him? Like? Why wasn't he at Peyton's wedding? Why wasn't the things? I don't know? I know, Well, I'm straight glad we got today in our in our parallel universe version of One Tree Hill, he stayed forever forever. Alright, guys, Next week, next guys, Oh, next week we got season four episode nine,
some you give away. They all sound so spooky this season. I'm like, after every single one we read, I want to go done, done, done, don't I don't know why? Al Right, Well, let the dreaded too. We'll see you next week. Bye bye bye, Hey, thanks for listening. Don't forget to leave us a review. You can also follow us on Instagram at Drama Queens O t H or email us at Drama Queens at I Heart radio dot com.
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