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Actress, Author, Director, Singer, and more, Bethany Joy Lenz is a captivating star known for her roles in One Tree Hill, A Biltmore Christmas, and Grey's Anatomy. Bethany Joy Lenz – originally from Hollywood, Florida – shares her dynamic yet unconventional personal and professional journey of becoming who she is now.

Released on October 22, 2024, Bethany’s memoir Dinner For Vampires showcases her commitment to reflect authenticity, compassion, and commitment in storytelling. Depth and complexity lie within the backstory behind her stardom, with connections to spirituality and community.

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Let’s dive into your New York Times Bestselling memoir, Dinner For Vampires. Your story is resonating on a massive level with people all over the world. And it’s just been chosen as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Books to Read for 2024, among inclusion on other coveted lists. What inspired you to share your story through a memoir?
I’ve always believed that vulnerability is the gateway to connection. My time in this abusive group dynamic taught me how dangerous it can be to isolate parts of ourselves out of fear or shame. Writing Dinner for Vampires was a way of reclaiming those fragmented pieces and turning them into connective tissue for anyone who’s experienced coercion, gaslighting, or narcissistic abuse.

What was the writing process like for Dinner for Vampires? Did you face any challenges while writing?
The hardest part was reading all my old journals from that time and learning to love and accept the version of myself that was so young and lost. Reliving a few of those experiences was like opening a wound that had barely scarred over, but mostly I feel far enough removed from so much of it after years of therapy and slow healing that I also think had an objectivity about a lot of it. I aimed to be honest without retraumatizing myself or others and to craft a narrative that was both deeply personal and universally relatable. Humor and camp became my allies in this, helping me process the pain without being consumed by it.

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If you could describe Dinner for Vampires in 5 words, what would they be?
Survival, humor, heartbreak, homecoming, empowerment. I’d throw in “Authenticity” as an honorable mention.

What were your thoughts and feelings while you were in the cult? Were you able to recognize the cult’s behavior early on?
Well, that’s really what the book is about, so you’ll have to read it. But, no- I didn’t recognize their behavior early on, obviously. That’s the nature of narcissistic abuse- it’s hidden, coercive, deceptive, and custom-designed to gain the maximum amount of trust from each victim or target.

How were you able to rediscover your individuality upon escaping the narcissistic abuse?
It was a slow and deliberate process. I leaned heavily on therapy, my faith, and trusted friends who reminded me who I was before the group. Journaling was crucial for me over the years after I left as well — it helped me unpack what had happened and reconnect with my authentic self. Rediscovering my individuality felt like an act of rebellion against the voices that tried to silence me.

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Whether they are fiction, narratives, personal anecdotes, etc... Are you thinking of writing more stories?
Absolutely. Writing has become a powerful outlet for me, and I have so many stories I want to tell. Whether it’s through fiction, screenwriting, musicals, songs, essays… I feel compelled to explore the complexities of human relationships, resilience, and the things that lead us to ask the big, important questions in life.

What is one thing you would like to tell readers who feel a connection to your own story and see it translating into their lives?
You are not alone. Your experiences, no matter how isolating they might feel, are shared by more people than you realize. Healing is possible, your voice matters, and your story matters.

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Speaking of storytelling, let's talk about a few of your projects as an actress. In 2014, you were the lead in one of E!’s very first pilots, Songbyrd, where you played a Carrie Bradshaw-esque character based on Oscar-winning composer, Diane Warren. Then you played a dark and hardened documentary filmmaker in the film Michael Koryta’s So Cold the River, then fast-paced, Wiley, Keri Allen in the Suits Spinoff, Pearson. You even went back in time in the hugely popular A Biltmore Christmas. Can you talk about these projects and how you go about finding each new character?
For me, it’s all about empathy. I approach each character by trying to understand their motivations, fears, and desires. It’s like meeting a new friend and getting to know them deeply. That curiosity keeps the process fresh and exciting. Songbyrd was such a unique project with a wonderful cast, including Rumer Willis and Tracie Thoms. It was an early opportunity to combine my love of acting and music in a way that felt raw and authentic. Even though it didn’t go into a series, the experience was incredibly fulfilling. I loved diving into a character who was so creative but such a mess in her personal life. I related to that. And Keri Allen was the same. She was a Chicago DA, a very tough woman who was exceptional at her job, but – again – emotionally unpredictable. It wouldn’t be the SUITS world without a few loose cannons. Erica Shaw, the filmmaker I played in So Cold the River, was certainly the darkest of all the women I’ve played – the most haunted. She was a great example of what happens when shame truly eats you alive and creates devastating isolation and delusion. I also related to that in the most hopeless moments of my life. So, I guess you can say in every character there’s a piece of me that I allow to expand in within the safety of the story.

Even time travel?
Oh yes, A Biltmore Christmas! Ha- well, I’ve never gone back in time but I've certainly dreamed about living in another era. I've always said if I had to live in another time it would be the 1940s, so that movie felt like a taste of that dream. And I sure had fun experimenting with the continental accent.

What was it like to balance romance and comedy in the movie?
It’s not much of a balance at all, really. I think the two go hand-in-hand. Real-life romance is in the comedic moments, for me.

**Left:**
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Solanales Wave Ring by Alexis Bittar,www.alexisbittar.com
Virgyn pump in black patent leather with gold detailing by Giuseppe Zanotti
Dress by C-Plus Series
Earrings by Nicole Amato
**Right:**
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Necklace by Nicole Amato
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DOULY LEATHER BELT by IRO Paris

Your featured role in Grey’s Anatomy was vulnerable and personal. Was there a particular scene or memory that stuck out to you?
The energy on set was so supportive, which made it easier to be fully present in the vulnerable moments of portraying a woman who had experienced narcissistic abuse. Mostly though, I remember things off-camera. Matthew Morrison was a gem. So kind and respectful and also funny and I loved the few times we’d hum through musical theatre favorites. He made it all feel very safe, even though he was playing the ‘big bad’.

Yes, you talked in Dinner for Vampires about your love of musical theatre and how it was sort of an undercurrent for your life, providing you with community and a sense of belonging and self-expression. You performed in plays directed by Garry Marshall, Joyce Carole Oats, Arthur Allan Seidleman... You were offered Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, which- I won’t give anything away- but that part of the book broke my heart. You even created The Notebook musical and workshopped your own version of it fifteen years before the production that just closed in New York. That was your idea! Are you still writing musicals? Do you still want to perform in them?
Oh, man, the immediacy of live theater is unmatched — you feed off the energy of the audience in real-time, which is thrilling and I’ve traditionally thrived in fight-or-flight scenarios. It’s been about twenty years since I’ve done a play, but I’d love to get back onstage. If anyone wants to put me in their show in London for the summer, sign me up! And yes, I’m still writing musicals as well. I’ve got two on the burners right now. No moss growing here. ‘Don’t Tell Me Not To Fly, Just Sit and Putter’.

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Haley James in One Tree Hill was also a character who aspired to pursue music. Did you feel a personal connection to your character on the show?
Well, Haley didn’t aspire to pursue music, she pursued it – and successfully. That 30-city tour Tyler Hilton and I did with Gavin Degraw and the Wreckers was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Yes, I absolutely felt a personal connection to my character.

Out of all movies, shows, and musicals, what aspects of your characters do you feel the most connected to? Which ones did you feel to be the most challenging to connect with?
I connect most with characters who have a strong emotional core, whether it’s resilience, vulnerability, or a deep sense of purpose. The most challenging ones are those whose actions I can’t immediately relate to—it takes more time to find the humanity in them, but it’s always rewarding.

One of your Instagram posts had this quote: “Don’t get your hopes up for fear you’ll be made a fool, later.” What is the background and journey of finding this motto?
That’s certainly not my motto – If you have a moment to look at the context, the rest of that post was an effort to explain how that was a subconscious belief I had based on disappointments in life. And that I was grateful to be learning how to allow myself to enjoy good things without waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s a hard thing to do when you’ve conditioned yourself to look for the incoming missile. But I’m discovering through the process of writing this book and receiving all the love and honor coming my way that it’s a much more peaceful existence to look for the good things first. You’re never a fool for appreciating or receiving love.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind as an artist and person?
I want my work to reflect authenticity, compassion, and a commitment to telling stories that provoke people to step outside their comfort zone in some way or other. As a person? I want to create spaces where people feel seen and valued in a way that isn’t pat or without cost. I’d love to convey reason and kindness that point people toward a love where shame dies and freedom grows.

Talent: Bethany Joy Lenz
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photographer: Jaime Pavon
Fashion Stylist: Alison Hernon at Exclusive Artists
Hair: Luis Guillermo using Oribe
Makeup: Romana Lai
Assistant Fashion Stylist: Atėnė At
Studio: 7linestudio
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Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Anna Yim