‘One Tree Hill’ Cast, Crew Accuse Showrunner Mark Schwahn of Sexual Harassment - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 11-14-2017, 12:23 AM

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/one-...-3-1202614198/

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The cast members and crew of the drama series “One Tree Hill” have written a letter accusing former showrunner Mark Schwann of sexual harassment and offering support for their former colleague, Audrey Wauchope.

The cast members and crew, including stars Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, and Bethany Joy Lenz, wrote Monday that they “have chosen this forum to stand together in support of Audrey Wauchope and one another” following statements made by Wauchope — a former writer on the series — on Twitter Saturday accusing Schwann of harassment. In the letter, 18 women who worked on the show claimed, “Many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally. More than one of us is still in treatment for post-traumatic stress. Many of us were put in uncomfortable positions and had to swiftly learn to fight back, sometimes physically, because it was made clear to us that the supervisors in the room were not the protectors they were supposed to be. Many of us were spoken to in ways that ran the spectrum from deeply upsetting, to traumatizing, to downright illegal. And a few of us were put in positions where we felt physically unsafe. ”

In her Twitter comments, Wauchope described being subjected to frequent and unwanted touching by Schwahn, who she did not identify by name; seeing Schwahn show naked photos of an actress that he was having a sexual relationship with to staffers without the actress’ knowledge; and Schwahn calling Wauchope’s writing partner into his office to try to talk her out of getting married and into dating him.

Wauchope wrote Saturday, “I’m furious and sad and everything else for the women who have sat on that couch next to that man. And I’m furious and sad and everything else that years later I don’t feel safe to be able to do anything real about this and that it seems to be happening all over this town.”

A teen drama about a groups of young men and women growing up in North Carolina, “One Tree Hill” aired on the WB from 2003 to 2006, and on the CW from 2006 to 2012. Schwahn created the series, and was showrunner for the entirety of its eight-season run.

In a statement Monday, E!, Universal Cable Productions and Lionsgate Television — the companies behind Schwahn’s current show, “The Royals” — said, “We are monitoring the information carefully. E!, Universal Cable Productions and Lionsgate Television are committed to providing a safe working environment in which everyone is treated respectfully and professionally.”

Read the letter from the “One Tree Hill” cast and crew members below:

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To Whom It May Concern,

All of the female cast members of One Tree Hill have chosen this forum to stand together in support of Audrey Wauchope and one another. To use terminology that has become familiar as thesystemic reality of sexual harassment and assault has come more and more to light, Mark Schwahn’s behavior over the duration of the filming of One Tree Hill was something of an “open secret.” Many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally. More than one of us is still in treatment for post-traumatic stress. Many of us were put in uncomfortable positions and had to swiftly learn to fight back, sometimes physically, because it was made clear to us that the supervisors in the room were not the protectors they were supposed to be. Many of us were spoken to in ways that ran the spectrum from deeply upsetting, to traumatizing, to downright illegal. And a few of us were put in positions where we felt physically unsafe. More than one woman on our show had her career trajectory threatened.

The through line in all of this was, and still is, our unwavering support of and faith in one another. We confided in each other. We set up safe spaces to talk about his behavior and how to handle it. To warn new women who joined our ranks. We understood that a lot of it was orchestrated in ways that kept it out of sight for the studio back home. We also understood that no one was fully unaware. The lack of action that has been routine, the turning of the other cheek, is intolerable. We collectively want to echo the calls of women everywhere that vehemently demand change, in all industries.

Many of us were told, during filming, that coming forward to talk about this culture would result in our show being canceled and hundreds of lovely, qualified, hard-working, and talented people losing their jobs. This is not an appropriate amount of pressure to put on young girls. Many of us since have stayed silent publicly but had very open channels of communication in our friend group and in our industry, because we want Tree Hill to remain the place “where everything’s better and everything’s safe” for our fans; some of whom have said that the show quite literally saved their lives. But the reality is, no space is safe when it has an underlying and infectious cancer. We have worked at taking our power back, making the conventions our own, and relishing in the good memories. But there is more work to be done.

We are all deeply grateful for Audrey’s courage. For one another. And for every male cast mate and crew member who has reached out to our group of women to offer their support these last few days. They echo the greater rallying cry that must lead us to change: Believe Women. We are all in this together.

With Love and Courage,

The Cast,

Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz, Danneel Harris, Michaela McManus, Kate Voegele, Daphne Zuniga, India DeBeaufort, Bevin Prince, Jana Kramer, Shantel Van Santen, and Allison Munn

And Brave Crew,

Audrey Wauchope, Rachel Specter, Jane Beck, Tarin Squillante, Cristy Koebley, JoJo Stephens

And All the rest of the Women We Worked With Who Are Finding Their Voices as We Speak

TMC · 11-17-2017, 09:49 PM

Hilarie Burton and other cast and crew members details One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn’s alleged sexual harassment
Burton says she earned a reputation for being “difficult” after she struggled against Schwahn's attempts to sexualize her during the first two seasons of The WB teen drama. “Things took a turn in season three,” Burton says. “That’s when Mark decided that I was his muse.” According to Variety, “Burton claimed that Schwahn twice forced himself on her, kissing her on the mouth without warning and against her will. She said Schwahn touched her inappropriately while in the presence of his wife. All in all, she described a culture on One Tree Hill in which Schwahn pitted women against each other, was verbally abusive, and spread false rumors about physical relationships he claimed to have had with female cast members.” Variety also spoke to a former writer on the show, Michelle Furtney-Goodman, who alleges that Schwahn “forced her head down between her knees, balanced a soda can on her, and joked about her performing oral sex.” Another actress, speaking anonymously, alleges that Schwahn grabbed and pulled her between his thighs. A rep for Schwahn declined to comment on the new allegations.

TMC · 11-20-2017, 09:07 PM

Ex-One Tree Hill writer details the misogyny she experienced when she was the only female on staff
At one point, Stacy Rukeyser -- a daughter of Wall Street Week's Louis Rukeyser -- was the only female writer on a staff with 11 male writers on the WB series, something she found odd for a show focused on teen girls. “Despite my ability to ‘hang with the guys’ and make it through two years on One Tree Hill,” says Rukeyser, who is currently UnReal's showrunner. “I was still perceived as somewhat of a buzzkill. I fought for truth in the female characters' storylines, and for a less oppressive level of discourse in the writers room. When the other writers decided on Hooters for lunch, I was faced with a daunting decision — do I ‘suck it up’ and go along, so as not to miss out on any ‘work bonding,’ or simply laugh it off and let them go without me? I went with option C, and told them it made me uncomfortable (they went anyway, of course — "they have the best wings in town!"). I was ridiculed, harangued and called names.”

TMC · 12-22-2017, 08:38 PM

Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton respond to One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn’s firing from The Royals
“43 women came forward. To the ones who did and to the ones who didn’t or couldn’t, I hope this news is a salve to your souls,” Bush tweeted. “To the other predators out there? I hope this is a lesson that sometimes, even if it takes time, justice is served. You’re next.” Burton added: “The reason we cannot condone ‘degrees of harassment’ is because one day you get your butt or boob grabbed at work. And you laugh it off. You become conditioned. "She's such a good sport" they say. And then? You meet a Schwahn.”

TMC · 05-08-2020, 12:11 AM

Hilarie Burton feared she wouldn't work again after accusing One Tree Hill creator of sexual harassment

Burton says she still worries there will be consequences for speaking out against Mark Schwahn in 2017. “You Google my name and these stories come up. And for anybody that’s hiring, why would you hire me if you could hire someone that’s unproblematic?” tells Us Weekly. “I have this bad habit of saying what I think and that’s not always well received. So yeah, I still think it. I hope that that’s not the case, but I don’t know. I don’t know how many jobs I’ve been up for that I didn’t get the call because they were like, ‘Hmm, that one. She’s trouble.'”

11-17-2017, 09:49 PM	#2
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,496	Hilarie Burton and other cast and crew members details One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn’s alleged sexual harassment Burton says she earned a reputation for being “difficult” after she struggled against Schwahn's attempts to sexualize her during the first two seasons of The WB teen drama. “Things took a turn in season three,” Burton says. “That’s when Mark decided that I was his muse.” According to Variety, “Burton claimed that Schwahn twice forced himself on her, kissing her on the mouth without warning and against her will. She said Schwahn touched her inappropriately while in the presence of his wife. All in all, she described a culture on One Tree Hill in which Schwahn pitted women against each other, was verbally abusive, and spread false rumors about physical relationships he claimed to have had with female cast members.” Variety also spoke to a former writer on the show, Michelle Furtney-Goodman, who alleges that Schwahn “forced her head down between her knees, balanced a soda can on her, and joked about her performing oral sex.” Another actress, speaking anonymously, alleges that Schwahn grabbed and pulled her between his thighs. A rep for Schwahn declined to comment on the new allegations.

11-20-2017, 09:07 PM	#3
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,496	Ex-One Tree Hill writer details the misogyny she experienced when she was the only female on staff At one point, Stacy Rukeyser -- a daughter of Wall Street Week's Louis Rukeyser -- was the only female writer on a staff with 11 male writers on the WB series, something she found odd for a show focused on teen girls. “Despite my ability to ‘hang with the guys’ and make it through two years on One Tree Hill,” says Rukeyser, who is currently UnReal's showrunner. “I was still perceived as somewhat of a buzzkill. I fought for truth in the female characters' storylines, and for a less oppressive level of discourse in the writers room. When the other writers decided on Hooters for lunch, I was faced with a daunting decision — do I ‘suck it up’ and go along, so as not to miss out on any ‘work bonding,’ or simply laugh it off and let them go without me? I went with option C, and told them it made me uncomfortable (they went anyway, of course — "they have the best wings in town!"). I was ridiculed, harangued and called names.”

12-22-2017, 08:38 PM	#4
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,496	Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton respond to One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn’s firing from The Royals “43 women came forward. To the ones who did and to the ones who didn’t or couldn’t, I hope this news is a salve to your souls,” Bush tweeted. “To the other predators out there? I hope this is a lesson that sometimes, even if it takes time, justice is served. You’re next.” Burton added: “The reason we cannot condone ‘degrees of harassment’ is because one day you get your butt or boob grabbed at work. And you laugh it off. You become conditioned. "She's such a good sport" they say. And then? You meet a Schwahn.”

05-08-2020, 12:11 AM	#5
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,496	Hilarie Burton feared she wouldn't work again after accusing One Tree Hill creator of sexual harassment Burton says she still worries there will be consequences for speaking out against Mark Schwahn in 2017. “You Google my name and these stories come up. And for anybody that’s hiring, why would you hire me if you could hire someone that’s unproblematic?” tells Us Weekly. “I have this bad habit of saying what I think and that’s not always well received. So yeah, I still think it. I hope that that’s not the case, but I don’t know. I don’t know how many jobs I’ve been up for that I didn’t get the call because they were like, ‘Hmm, that one. She’s trouble.'”