Hilarie Burton and other cast and crew members detail One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn’s alleged sexual harassment

Variety

Burton says she earned a reputation for being “difficult” after she struggled against Schwahn's attempts to sexualize her during the first two seasons of The WB teen drama. “Things took a turn in season three,” Burton says. “That’s when Mark decided that I was his muse.” According to Variety, “Burton claimed that Schwahn twice forced himself on her, kissing her on the mouth without warning and against her will. She said Schwahn touched her inappropriately while in the presence of his wife. All in all, she described a culture on One Tree Hill in which Schwahn pitted women against each other, was verbally abusive, and spread false rumors about physical relationships he claimed to have had with female cast members.” Variety also spoke to a former writer on the show, Michelle Furtney-Goodman, who alleges that Schwahn “forced her head down between her knees, balanced a soda can on her, and joked about her performing oral sex.” Another actress, speaking anonymously, alleges that Schwahn grabbed and pulled her between his thighs. A rep for Schwahn declined to comment on the new allegations.