For six seasons, Hilarie Burton portrayed Peyton Sawyer, the leading female character on the Warner Bros. teen drama “One Tree Hill,” crafted by Mark Schwahn.

Burton faced challenges in the first two seasons as she resisted Schwahn’s attempts to overly sexualize her character, leading to a reputation of being difficult.

However, Burton mentioned that things escalated in season three as Schwahn’s inappropriate actions, initially perceived as social awkwardness, intensified.

According to Burton, she endured years of harassment and assault from Schwahn, including him forcibly kissing her and touching her inappropriately in front of others.

Speaking with Variety, Burton revealed a toxic culture on the set of “One Tree Hill” where Schwahn allegedly fostered competition among women, engaged in verbal abuse, and spread false rumors about physical relationships with female cast members.

This misconduct was not limited to Burton, as former writer Michelle Furtney-Goodman recounted an incident where Schwahn publicly made inappropriate remarks and gestures towards her.

Another unnamed actress shared an experience of Schwahn grabbing her suddenly on set, emphasizing the hostile environment.

Following these revelations, 18 women, including Burton, penned a letter to Variety accusing Schwahn of s**ual harassment, prompting his suspension from his current role as showrunner on E!

drama “The Royals.”

This action followed a Twitter thread posted by “One Tree Hill” writer Audrey Wauchope, shedding light on the abusive behavior in the industry.

Wauchope’s account triggered a chain reaction of support from other women who had worked with Schwahn, such as Sophia Bush and Bethany Joy Lenz, exposing a pattern of manipulation and mistreatment.

Burton detailed instances where Schwahn allegedly manipulated female cast members and created a toxic work environment.

She described how Schwahn would play actresses against each other and use deceitful tactics to maintain control over them.

Despite facing Schwahn’s advances during a trip to Texas and in subsequent encounters, Burton stood firm in rejecting his inappropriate behavior.

Ackles, another actress on the show, corroborated Burton’s account of Schwahn’s misconduct.

The persistent harassment extended beyond the set, with Schwahn reportedly making unwelcome advances towards Ackles during a promotional event in Miami, further illustrating his disregard for boundaries.

As allegations against Schwahn mount, it is evident that his actions