Years after they appeared on a steamy magazine cover, the two former 'One Tree Hill' actresses now open up in a new interview that they did the photoshoot under duress.
- November 30, 2022
AceShowbiz - Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton accuse "One Tree Hill" bosses of forcing them to take part in a sexy photoshoot for Maxim magazine. The actresses graced the cover of the men's magazine back in 2006 alongside their co-star Danneel Ackles with the trio being picture wearing cream shorts and open shirts which revealed push-up bras underneath - and now Sophia and Hilarie have said they didn't want to take part.
"I literally got told if you do not go and shoot this cover with your co-stars, we will guarantee you that you will never be let out for a press day, a movie, an event, any of your charities. We will keep you here forever," Sophia revealed on the "Drama Queens" podcast.
Hilarie went on to claim she was told their show was at risk of being cancelled if they did not participate. She added, "I remember getting pulled into the production office and I sat on a floor while our boss was on a couch as we were given this very friendly soft pitch that was, 'Look all the other shows have been on the cover of every single magazine and no one wants you guys. No one wants you and you finally have someone that wants you and you're really going to turn your nose up at that?' "
She went on, "It was very much a 'No one else wants you. The studio wants to cancel your show. If you don't start to generate some buzz and attract these male numbers, then we're dead and all your friends are going to lose their jobs.' "
Bush claimed show bosses were concerned with increasing male viewer numbers but she insisted she didn't feel comfortable with the sexy shoot or with her character Brooke being "sexualised" on the show.
She explained, "We got told we had to do [Maxim], and I - because Brooke had been so sexualized on the show, and the whole idea of this like hometown hottie was [Hilarie's character] Rachel's storyline, I was like, 'Look, if the girls wanna do it, that's great. I don't.' "
She claims she told her bosses, "Like I have gone to battle trying to make Brooke less of this thing that you guys tried to force me into. I don't wanna do it."
"One Tree Hill" debuted in 2003 and continued on air until 2012. Both actresses remained with the show until it went off-air.
