He didn’t know what to expect going into this season.
Having lost two of their most valuable players in Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton at the end of last season, star James Lafferty didn’t know what to expect heading into ONE TREE HILL’s seventh season. More pressure? More work? All of the above? “Because we’re really an ensemble show, there hasn’t been a lot of added pressure, and really only a little more work,” explained Lafferty on a recent one-on-one with the TV Addict. “But we’ve worked really hard to make this season the best we possibly can and [the new cast additions of] Rob [Buckley] and Shantel [VanSanten] — who are so committed to creating the best possible characters they can — helped make things really easy on the rest of us.”
He’s firmly planted on Team ‘Naley.’
Although Lafferty wouldn’t spill on the veracity of the scandal that has rocked Tree Hill (Nathan may-or-may-not have cheated on Haley with a now three month pregnant Renee), Lafferty himself doesn’t believe the show would do anything to break up the show’s most beloved twosome, “The fans wouldn’t stand for it!” Adding, after we jokingly suggested that we’d love to see Nathan hook-up with Victoria, “Nathan’s been with everyone on the show, it’s not gonna happen!”
He does’t mind sharing the spotlight.
Particularly when the spotlight is being shone on his fictional TV son Jamie, ONE TREE HILL’s resident scene-stealer played by Jackson Brundage, “Jackson is a little genius and teaches me stuff,” said Lafferty. “Aside from being adorable, his presence has completely brightened up the set.”
Television stardom has its privileges.
Especially when one gets an all-expenses paid trip overseas to promote the show. Like say Lafferty’s recent jaunt across the pond to beautiful Paris. “Getting to go to Paris to promote ‘Les fréres Scott’ with [Creator] Mark Schwahn, getting to spend a few days along the French Riviera with my brother and some friends… well, we definitely would not have travelled like we did had it not been for ONE TREE HILL.”
He isn’t going anywhere.
Although Lafferty has no idea how long exactly ONE TREE HILL will last, the actor did reveal that he’s signed on until next season and “for as many seasons as the CW will have me.” 
Photo Credit: © The WB/Timothy White