Bio
“I am a down-home girl. I love home and a German shepherd and an old red pickup truck from the ’50s. I would love an old house in Alabama with little kids running in the yard.” ~ Bethany Joy Galeotti
Bethany Joy Galeotti (born Bethany Joy Lenz) is an American actress, musician, director, writer, and producer.
When she is not filming One Tree Hill in Wilmington, North Carolina, Galeotti lives in Battle Ground, Washington. Galeotti wed musician, Michael Galeotti on December 31, 2005 and on February 23, 2011, the couple announced the arrival of their daughter, Maria Rose Galeotti.
Galeotti is also an incredible singer, with a four-octave vocal range. She has worked with director Garry Marshall and Carole King on a new musical and with director Arthur Allan Seidelman on a production of The Outsiders. Bethany Joy loves photography, painting, and her dog, Scout, a Springer spaniel.
The Early Years
Bethany Joy Lenz was born on April 2, 1981 in Hollywood, Florida. Until 2003, Bethany Joy used Joie Lenz as her stage name. The unusual spelling of her name was adopted in her early teens. Today she is simply Bethany Joy.
The family moved to Texas when Bethany Joy was age 4. She landed her first role at 7 as a Munchkin in an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz and by age 10 she had been cast in the role of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird at the Irving Community Theater in Texas. While on a class trip to Los Angeles, Lenz landed her first professional job in a commercial for Swans Crossing, a teen series.
Bethany Joy’s Careers
Acting
Lenz loved to perform, and in 1992 her family moved again, this time to New Jersey, which enabled her to pursue acting in New York City. She began auditioning and booked several commercials, including Eggos Waffles and Dr. Pepper. In her sophomore year of high school, Lenz’s talent caught the eye of a casting director. Joy was hired to play Linda Halleck in the Stephen King thriller Thinner.
In March of 1998, she landed a nine-episode stint on the daytime drama The Guiding Light as Reva Shayne’s teenaged clone. Lenz’s performance as the spunky and vulnerable clone earned her raves from viewers and critics alike. Soon after she was offered a contract role playing Michelle Bauer, the proverbial girl next door. In 1999, while still appearing on the show, she won the role of Rose Cronin in Mary and Rhoda, playing the daughter of Mary Tyler Moore’s character in the TV movie based on the popular 1970s TV show.
In October 2000 at the end of her two-year contract with The Guiding Light, Galeotti decided to leave her role as Michelle Bauer Santos. She moved to Los Angeles where she performed in a theater production of The Outsiders and began to guest star on television shows such as Off-Centre, Charmed, Felicity, Maybe It’s Me, The Guardian and the pilot Destiny for Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. In 2002, Galeotti joined the cast of Bring It On Again as Marni Potts.
One Tree Hill
In 2003, at the age 22, Galeotti was cast in the WB’s television series One Tree Hill as Haley James, the quintessential girl-next-door who is best friends with Lucas Scott, portrayed by Chad Michael Murray and wife of Nathan Scott, portrayed by James Lafferty. During her time on One Tree Hill, Galeotti was also offered the role of Belle in Beauty and the Beast when it was still in production on Broadway, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with the show. Galeotti also appeared in an episode of Life Unexpected alongside Kate Voegele as part of a crossover-event between One Tree Hill and Life Unexpected.
Directing
One Tree Hill
Well into the 6th season of One Tree Hill, Galeotti made her directorial debut in an episode entitled “Screenwriter’s Blues”. Galeotti stepped behind the camera to call all the shots, as Lucas finally got the opportunity to cast his movie. Galeotti initially approached producer Greg Prange in 2007 with the idea of directing but was not given the opportunity to direct until two years after her request. Over the course of Season 6, Galeotti shadowed several directors, watched them prep and went on [location] scouts. Since her directorial debut, Galeotti has directed two more episodes of One Tree Hill.
Music
Since Galeotti’s exit from The Guilding Light she has completed a demo of original music. Trained by the director of The Brooklyn College of Opera, Galeotti plays the guitar and piano, and writes her own music. Her first album, entitled Preincarnate was released in October 2002.
Galeotti continues to release new music, often through her character Haley James Scott on One Tree Hill. In 2005, after recording “When the Stars Go Blue” with costar Tyler Hilton, the duo joined The Wreckers (Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp), and Gavin DeGraw for a 25-city North American One Tree Hill Tour that started in Vancouver. Galeotti and Hilton scored the #89 spot on February 2005′s Billboard Pop 100 chart with the duet “When the Stars Go Blue.” While on tour, Galeotti debuted her second independent record entitled, Come On Home. Despite her hectic schedule during the tour, Galeotti also filmed her first music video for “Songs in My Pockets” at Coney Island Beach and Astroland in Brooklyn, New York.
In 2006, alongside ex-American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, Galeotti co-wrote and recorded “Halo” which was released in the second volume of the One Tree Hill Soundtrack. During this time, Galeotti inked a deal with Sony Epic Records and worked with her producer, Ron Aniello (Lifehouse, Guster, Barenaked Ladies) to record original material. However, in 2006. after changes within the company, Galeotti split from the label. Despite the musical setback, that same year Galeotti traveled to Los Angeles to write and record several songs for the soundtrack for Ten Inch Hero. Galeotti’s split with Epic allowed her to open new doors in her music career and since then she has decided to sign under the independent record label. Hillasterion.
In 2007, Galeotti premiered the song “Feel This” which debuted in the 5th season finale of One Tree Hill. The airing led to an excited response which made “Feel This” the number one Top Seller on CD Baby; one of the largest independent music outlets in the world. In another episode entitled “Messin’ With The Kid”, Galeotti’s character Haley James Scott encounters a street performer portrayed by Grace Potter. Ambitious to reestablish her music career, Galeotti and Potter’s characters sing the hit single “I Want Something That I Want”.
Everly
In 2008, Galeotti took her music to new grounds and formed the band, Everly, with her life-long friend, Amber Sweeney. Immediately after the duo was formed, Everly, musical acts Angels & Airwaves, and occasional One Tree Hill guest star Kate Voegele teamed up with the USO for a live concert event for military personnel. The USO concert was filmed and formed the basis for a One Tree Hill episode, titled “Even Fairy Tale Characters Would Be Jealous”. Everly continues to release various singles for One Tree Hill and is expected to release their full-length album in 2011.
Theater
The Notebook Musical
After six months of writing a libretto of The Notebook Musical based off of the New York Times best selling novel, The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, Galeotti brought the idea to her producer Ron Aniello. Shortly after they formed Galeotti & Aniello Productions. and presented their first-ever Live Theatrical Workshop in October 2009. This preliminary step toward an eventual opening in New York consisted of basic sets, costumes and choreography. All actors were expected to be off-book for performance. The workshop was intended to assist the creative team in visualizing, editing and critiquing the play as well as to garner producer interest and investors. Galeotti has until now kept facts about the musical under wraps; however, on November 2010 in response to Twitter followers who successfully raised more than $2000 in one day for the charity Love146, Galeotti released the song “Troublesome Tongue”. “Troublesome Tongue” features Noah’s father, and his friends explaining Noah’s childhood stutter to new love Allie (played by Galeotti).
Food
Galeotti’s Restaurant
In the summer of 2009, Galeotti teamed with her husband, Michael Galeotti, and in-laws to open Galeotti’s. The Galeotti family has lived in Battle Ground, Washington for over 10 years and was highly enthusiastic to bring their vision of an excellent restaurant with a cozy family feel. Bethany Joy Galeotti is the head owner of the new restaurant which is located at 801 E. Main Street. The restaurant focuses on healthful, organic, locally sourced foods, and uses eco-friendly materials and supplies whenever possible.
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