Jensen Ackles, whose production company is behind the upcoming One Tree Hill revival on Netflix, says he would appear in the series if his wife simply tells him to. The actor expressed excitement about the project led by original stars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton Morgan. Ackles, not part of the original cast, highlighted the strong team in place for the revival.
Background on the Revival
One Tree Hill, the WB and later CW teen drama that aired from 2003 to 2012, is returning as a Netflix series. The revival is spearheaded by former stars Sophia Bush (Brooke Davis) and Hilarie Burton Morgan (Peyton Sawyer), who recently hosted the Drama Queens rewatch podcast. They have enlisted Becky Hartman Edwards, known for Virgin River and Firefly Lane, as executive producer and writer. Danneel Ackles, who played Rachel Gatina in the original series, is also executive producing through her company Chaos Machine, co-owned with her husband Jensen Ackles.
Jensen Ackles' Involvement
Ackles, famous for Supernatural and currently starring in The Boys and Tracker, was not in the original One Tree Hill cast. However, with Chaos Machine producing the revival, questions arose about his potential cameo. In a September 2025 Variety interview, Ackles stated his condition for appearing: "She'd probably just have to say, 'You're doing this,' and that would be the end of it," referring to his wife Danneel.
He expressed optimism about the project, saying, "I think we've got all the elements, all the players, in place for that to be a fantastic show." Ackles added, "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."
Ackles noted that Chaos Machine has shifted to Amazon for a book-based project, allowing his wife to focus on One Tree Hill, where she is more "well-versed." The revival aims to reclaim the show following allegations against original creator Mark Schwahn, whom Edwards replaces. No release date has been announced, and Ackles suggested his appearance might not be needed given the project's strong foundation.