Prime Video
The ’90s and early 2000s were a golden age for teen dramas, with everything from “Dawson’s Creek” to “The OC” debuting during the era. But as every fan of the very best of these series will know, there is only one Tree Hill. Yes, the WB (and later CW) series arguably produced a perfect season of high school melodrama with its inaugural episodes, and now, more than a decade after “One Tree Hill” went off the air, we’re returning to the small North Carolina town for a revival.
The new series is being spearheaded by former stars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton Morgan, who respectively played Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer on the original show and more recently hosted the “Drama Queens” rewatch podcast. But the duo has also enlisted “Virgin River” and “Firefly Lane” producer Becky Hartman Edwards to executive produce and write the upcoming Netflix series. Edwards is flanked by Danneel Ackles, who played Rachel Gatina in the original “One Tree Hill,” and who, alongside her husband and “The Boys” star Jensen Ackles, is executive producing through her company Chaos Machine.
Jensen Ackles, who also got his start on the WB by playing Dean Winchester on “Supernatural,” wasn’t previously involved with “One Tree Hill,” but with him and his wife’s production company overseeing the revival, fans will naturally ask the question of whether the actor might pop up in the Netflix show at some point. It seems such a thing wouldn’t be all that difficult, either, as the actor has now stated that all his wife would have to do is ask — or rather, tell …
In a September 2025 interview with Variety, Jensen Ackles was asked what it would take for him to appear on the upcoming “One Tree Hill” revival now that he and his wife were producing through their Chaos Machine company. “She’d probably just have to say, ‘You’re doing this,’ and that would be the end of it,” said the actor, who most recently starred in Prime Video series “Countdown” and is currently appearing in Season 3 of CBS’ “Tracker.”
Jensen Ackles is excited for his wife’s One Tree Hill revival
The CW
Jensen Ackles explained that he hoped the “One Tree Hill” revival wouldn’t need him before speaking positively about the preparations for the series. “I think we’ve got all the elements, all the players, in place for that to be a fantastic show,” he said, “I’m really excited for what [Danneel Ackles] and the lovely ladies of ‘One Tree Hill’ have put together. It’s pretty fascinating, and they’ve been working really hard on it, and I think Netflix is going to have quite a smash on their hands.”
The “Boys” star went on to talk about how Chaos Machine has been moved over to Amazon, where the team is developing a project based on a book. He then explained that his wife is more “well-versed” in the world of “One Tree Hill,” which allows him to “go off and play cops and bad guys.” All of which sounds like we won’t be seeing an Ackles appearance in the upcoming show for now, but if the show struggles initially, perhaps Netflix might ask Danneel Ackles to step in and tell her husband he’s “doing this.”
In a way, then, we should hope a Jensen Ackles appearance isn’t necessary for the “One Tree Hill” revival. The women behind the production have spoken openly about wanting to “reclaim” the show for themselves, following their horrific experiences on the previous iteration. Quite notably, Becky Hartman Edwards replaces show creator Mark Schwahn, who has all but disappeared from the industry after being accused of assault and harassment by several members of the “One Tree Hill” cast and crew. So with that in mind, here’s hoping the whole thing goes off without a hitch (or a Jensen Ackles).
