“One Tree Hill” alum James Lafferty has expressed his desire to compete in the upcoming Season 35 of “Dancing with the Stars.” However, it hinges on one condition, and he asked his fans to help him fulfill the goal.
Lafferty starred on the teen drama series “One Tree Hill” for nine seasons, after which the actor focused on directing, writing, and producing. The two seasons of his crowdfunded TV show, “Everyone Is Doing Great,” were recently licensed by Netflix, and the actor is hopeful for a third season.
James Lafferty answered some fan questions on TikTok, including one about whether he would ever join the reality dance competition “Dancing with the Stars.”
“I think me going on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ would be valuable not so much for the competition aspect, but for the comedy aspect,” Lafferty answered. However, he added that it was a good idea for the third season of his show, “Everyone Is Doing Great,” in which he portrays Jeremy Davis, a former teen star attempting to stay relevant.
The actor continued, saying that fans have seen some of his dancing skills, or lack thereof, on “One Tree Hill” and “Everyone Is Doing Great,” adding, “It wouldn’t go well for me, but it would definitely be entertaining for Jeremy.”
The Actor’s Condition For Joining ‘Dancing With The Stars’
Days after posting the video, Lafferty posted another reply, this time to Ezra Sosa, one of the professional dancers in “Dancing with the Stars,” who commented, “he’s hot im down.” The actor thanked Sosa for the comment, adding, “You’re not so bad yourself.”
Lafferty said he’s thought about joining the dance competition, saying, “I wanna do it.” However, there’s a caveat: That “Everyone Is Doing Great” gets on the top 10 TV shows in the U.S. on Netflix. “I will come do ‘Dancing With The Stars’ and be happy to do ‘Dancing With The Stars’ if ‘Everyone Is Doing Great’ cracks the top 10,” he stated.
Lafferty urged his fans to watch the two seasons of the show, click the thumbs-up button on the Netflix show page, and spread the word to friends. The actor admitted that he’s a “terrible” dancer and wants to improve, and if his show gets on the top 10 and he joins the dance competition, “everyone wins.”
James Lafferty’s Nine-Season Run On ‘One Tree Hill’
Lafferty began acting at a young age, but it wasn’t until his role on “One Tree Hill” that he rose to fame. In an interview with PEOPLE in 2024, he almost quit acting before he was cast. “It was my last shot at it. I was just going to go to college if I didn’t get this role,” he shared.
He initially auditioned for the role of Lucas Scott, which went to Chad Michael Murray. Lafferty was instead cast as Nathan Scott, which they thought was better suited for him. Nathan, the star of his high school basketball team, was the central protagonist at the beginning, but underwent a character arc and became one of the most beloved characters in the show.
“One Tree Hill” ended in 2012 after nine seasons. Apart from getting some acting roles, he transitioned to work behind the scenes and went into directing, writing, and producing.
James Lafferty Co-Created ‘Everyone Is Doing Great’ With Stephen Colletti
Lafferty and “Laguna Beach” alum Stephen Colletti co-created “Everyone Is Doing Great.” The latter was also in “One Tree Hill,” first appearing as recurring character Chase Adams starting in Season 4 before becoming a series regular.
In 2018, the two actors launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to acquire funds for their series. They raised over $250,000 and debuted the first two episodes at the ATX Television Festival that same year. Hulu later acquired the distribution rights for the show, and Season 1 premiered on the platform in January 2021.
“Everyone Is Doing Great” follows two best friends and former stars of a fictional vampire series “Eternal,” Jeremy Davis (Lafferty) and Seth Stewart (Colletti), as they struggle to find their footing five years after the end of their show.
Netflix Acquired Exclusive Distribution For The Series
It took a few years for Lafferty and Colletti to create Season 2 of their show, and it was completed in 2023. By that time, however, Hulu’s streaming license had already expired. Netflix then picked up “Everyone Is Doing Great,” acquiring exclusive global distribution rights for the series in a licensing deal with Sony Pictures Television.
Both Lafferty and Colletti have expressed the desire to create a third season of the show. Since they are producing the show independently, however, it may take some time before a third season is completed.
Seasons 1 and 2 of “Everyone Is Doing Great” were added to the Netflix roster on May 11, 2026.
