‘One Tree Hill’ star Bethany Joy Lenz found herself in a cult. How do you know if you’re in one?
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It’s scary to think about, but you might fall for a cult. Just ask “One Tree Hill” actress Bethany Joy Lenz.
Lenz spent 10 years in a religious cult she calls the “Big House Family” – something she recounts in her new memoir “Dinner for Vampires,” out now – and considers her childhood with divorced parents a key motivator for why she sought out an ill-fated community. (The “Big House Family” is a pseudonym.)
“We’ve all got these blind spots (from) childhood trauma, the gaps in our rearing,” she says. “For me, I wanted a family. I wanted a perfect family. I was an only child. There was a lot of tumult in my family, and so I craved that.”
What exactly happened? It started out as bible study with a group of artists. But the group slowly pried her away from loved ones including her parents; the leader quashed her dreams of playing Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” on Broadway after telling her it wasn’t a good idea; the group’s financial managers spent $2 million of her money on risky investments leaving her effectively broke. Incessant whispers broke out on the “One Tree Hill” set and splattered across the entertainment industry. She married the cult leader’s son – even though she knew he wasn’t the right man for her – and gave birth to a daughter.
The “Big House Family” preyed on her insecurities, she says. “Cults tailor their recruitment strategies to align with what potential members are seeking,” says psychologist Natalie Feinblatt.
One might ask: How could someone fall for such deception? Cult experts say anyone is vulnerable because everyone is susceptible to influence. Charismatic leaders hoodwink highly intelligent, creative people, too.
Content retrieved from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/10/26/one-tree-hill-cult/75600773007/.
