As far as the best TV couples go, One Tree Hill's Nathan (James Lafferty) and Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) rank pretty high. While their relationship begins as tutor & student (and an attempt for Nathan to mess with Lucas), it quickly turns into a really beautiful relationship where both Haley and Nathan feel more seen and understood than they ever have. Haley supports Nathan throughout his NBA journey and his eventual injury, while he never abandons her during the grief following her mom's death in season 7. Not even crazy Nanny Carrie can tear these two apart!
But before they dealt with crazy nannies and loansharks, before they had their son Jamie, and even before they graduated high school, there was one moment that started it all: their first kiss in the rain. And as dreamy as the iconic One Tree Hill scene is to watch, Lenz just revealed it was actually really awkward to film.
@callherdaddy Daddy Gang, what was your favorite Haley moment 🥹❤️
♬ original sound - Call Her Daddy
When Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper asked Bethany Joy Lenz what the most iconic Haley James Scott moment is on the series, she admits many of Haley's best moments are tied to Nathan.
"That kiss in the rain," she answers. "When Nathan and Haley first finally get together and they just have that kiss in the rain! That hose with holes in it and freezing cold water was pouring down on us, it was so fun."
Despite the fact a kiss in the rain sounds like the most romantic thing ever (who doesn't want to hear "I want you" from their partner on a regular basis?!), Lenz reveals it was actually her first kiss with James Lafferty. "He was 17 and I was, uh, cradle robbing at that point," the actress jokes (she was around 21 at the time). "It was just awkward. You're smashing teeth and trying to, you know, you're young kids [wondering], 'How do we kiss each other on camera?'"
@dramaqueenspodcast naley rain kiss #haleyjamesscott#sophiabush#dramaqueenspodcast#dramaqueensoth#onetreehill#brookedavis#bethanyjoylenz#nathanscott#peytonsawyer#hilarieburton#jameslafferty#naley♬ original sound - Drama Queens Podcast
Rewatching the scene on her Drama Queens podcast with Hilarie Burton and Sophia Bush, Bethany Joy Lenz got swept up in the romance of it all — just like fans! "First of all, the rain was so intense," she says. "I could not look up because James is so tall and I had to stand right in front of him. My eyes — if you look back and see that, I couldn't even look up at him...He looked so great in the rain by the way. Him looking down with that angle and that jaw and the rain just pouring on his face. He looked like a man for the first time."
My personal favorite Naley moment is when, despite being in a massive fight, he walks with her down the Tree Hill High hallways so she doesn't have to walk alone. But the rain kiss is pretty good too. ;)
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Read One Tree Hill Star Bethany Joy Lenz "Disappeared For 10 Years" After Joining A Cult for more tea from the Call Her Daddy episode.
