James Lafferty is an American actor, producer, and director best known for playing the role of Nathan Scott on the TV series One Tree Hill from 2003 to 2012.
The CW hit series One Tree Hill was a favorite of millions and while it has long ended, the stars it gave us remain dear to our hearts. One of them is James Lafferty who played the role of Nathan Scott, the half-brother of Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray) and rebellious son of Dan Scott who shined at Tree Hill high as a jockey, albeit a cocky one.
As the story progressed, we saw Nathan become humbled after falling in love with the good girl and songbird Haley James (Bethany Joy Lenz) whom he later married. Though we could never get tired of One Tree Hill, here is James Laferty’s real story.
James Lafferty Bio and Profile Summary
| Age/Date of Birth: | 37 years old (July 25, 1985) |
|---|---|
| Height: | 6 feet, 2 inches (1.88 m) |
| Ethnicity/Race: | White |
| Nationality: | American |
| Wife or Girlfriend: | Actress Alexandra Park (Partner) |
| Parents: | Mother: Angie Lafferty Father: Jeff Lafferty |
| Net Worth: | $5 million |
James Lafferty’s Fact Card
James Lafferty’s Early Life
Jamie was born as James Martin Lafferty on the 25th of July 1985 as the son of Angelica and Jeffrey Lafferty. His dad operated a local construction company which was the primary source of his livelihood in providing for James and his kid brother Stuart Lafferty.
Both James and his brother attended Hemet High School where they both actively played for the varsity basketball team, the Bulldogs. Considering that he won an MVP in high school and how good his character on One Tree Hill was with the Spalding ball, one would wonder why Lafferty didn’t go-ahead to go pro.
Well, destiny had other plans up her sleeves for him. As kids, James’ mother encouraged him and his younger brother to take up acting as a hobby. James began acting from the age of 6 mostly making non-speaking appearances before he got his first speaking role at the age of 12. It was in the made-for-TV film Annabelle’s Wish.
James Lafferty graduated from high school in 2003 and proceeded to California State University, Long Beach. However, his college education was only short-lived as he had to abandon studies after booking his Nathan Scott role on One Tree Hill.
The ‘One Tree Hill’ Star Met Alexandra Park On the Set of Royals
James Lafferty is known to keep details of his romantic life very exclusive and this has continued to be the case with his current relationship with Alexandra Park. Though they have not given away too much detail about their origin story, it is a confirmed fact that the two met on the set of the E! TV series, The Royals where James worked as a director and Park had a role as Princess Eleanor.
That was in 2015, however, the duo seemed to have kept the relationship under wraps until 2018 when they each took turns to post photos of themselves together on their respective Instagram page. The occasion was the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in Monaco. The photo included a third person, Lafferty’s One Tree Hill co-star, Stephen Colletti.
A few more Instagram posts featuring Parks was seen on Lafferty’s page, unofficially confirming that there was something more between them. And then the big announcement came in September 2020 when Lafferty took to Instagram to reveal that Parks had said yes and that they were getting married, the post included the two in a hug with Parks giving a peek at her engagement ring.
The actor has in the past dated a couple of his co-stars and other famous women in the entertainment circle but this is his first engagement. His last known relationship was with Irish actress Eve Hewson whom he began dating in 2010. Eve is the daughter of one of the world’s rock greatest, Bono. Like his current relationship with Parks, James’ romance with her was notoriously private with only little details available to the media. Their relationship came to an end in 2015 after about 4-5 years. No news surfaced about James Lafferty’s romantic life until he took to Instagram to announce his engagement with Parks.
As common with stars of long-running shows, James Lafferty has been in relationships with a couple of his co-stars. First was Sophia Bush (Brooke Davis) whom he dated briefly in 2008/2009 much to the delight of OTH fans who followed the relationship closely. After things ended between him and Bush, James dated Shantel VanSanten, you’ll remember her as Haley’s sister (Quinn James) on the show. Their relationship, like the first, was also short-lived lasting from 2009 to 2010.
Who Is Alexandra Park?
Alexandra Park is an Australian actress who was born on the 14th of May 1989. She officially began her career in 2009 with a part in the Australian soap opera Home and Away where she appeared in 30 episodes. She then made her TV series debut in 2011 with the role of Veronica in the Australian series, The Elephant Princess.
That same year, she had a small part in Packed to the Rafters. Her next major small-screen role came as Princess Eleanor Henstridge in The Royals. Parks continues to build on her career. She plays the real wife of James Lafferty’s character on the TV series, Everyone Is Doing Great. In January 2021, the couple opened up to E! News about how working together has affected their relationship
In an interview with US Magazine, the Aussie actress revealed that she is a private person who does not pay much attention to the world of fame or social media. She explained this to be because there can be a negative side to fame when people begin to assume they know all about your personal life and throw abuses on social media.
The Royals alum also added that though she and Lafferty decided to be private with their relationship by choice, they also try to share bits of it with fans as it makes them feel included.
James Lafferty Has Been Acting Professionally Since Turning 12
James had a role in the 2000 pilot of Emeril, however, the show was only short-lived. Juggling his senior year and acting, James went on to appear in shows like Boston Public, Once and Again, First Monday, Get Real, and the 2002 TV film, A Season on the Brink. James’ basketball skills definitely came in handy for the latter. The film which was ESPN’s debut TV film was adapted from a John Feinstein book of the same name. It focused on the turbulent 1985–86 season of Indiana University’s men’s basketball team as coached by the controversial Bobby Knight.
James had to leave his ongoing education at California State University, Long Beach as he was called up for the role of Nathan Scott in One Tree Hill. Lafferty had originally auditioned to play Lucas Scott but the directors didn’t see much of what they wanted for Lucas in him. James left his education and relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina where filming was done.
Fortunately, One Tree Hill received rave reviews and lots of viewers making the show Lafferty’s breakthrough role. He was complimented for his ability to adapt to the character’s change on the show. One Tree Hill went on to air for 9 solid seasons, ending in 2012. His Nathan Scott role earned him 4 Teen Choice Award nominations.
James was quite inactive during his breaks from One Tree Hill scoring only a couple of other gigs. After the curtains came down on the show, Lafferty had recurring roles in Crisis (2014) and Underground (2016). He also became more active in film, appearing as the lead in the indie film Waffle Street (2015), as well as 2017’s Small Town Crime.
In addition to acting, James Lafferty is also a director and producer. He directed 4 episodes of One Tree Hill. He has also made his own films including the short film Hours Before and the TV film, Everyone is Doing Great (2015). Lafferty has directed few episodes in the TV series The Royals which is E!’s first scripted TV show.
List of James Lafferty’s Movies and TV Shows
Movies
- Annabelle’s Wish (1997)
- Boys on the Run (2003)
- S. Darko (2009)
- The Legend of Hell’s Gate: An American Conspiracy (2011)
- Lost on Purpose (2013)
- Oculus (2014)
- Waffle Street (2015)
- Small Town Crime (2017)
TV Shows
- Get Real (1999)
- Get Real (2001)
- Boston Public (2001)
- Once and Again (2001 – 2002)
- Prep (2002)
- First Monday (2002)
- A Season on the Brink (2002)
- One Tree Hill (2003 – 2012)
- One Tree Hill: Always & Forever (2012)
- Crisis (2014)
- Underground (2016)
- The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
- The Right Stuff (2020)
- Everyone is Doing Great (2021)
As Director and/or Producer
- One Tree Hill (2009 – 2012) – 4 episodes
- Hours Before (2010)
- The Royals (2015 – 2017) – 5 episodes
- Everyone is Doing Great (2017)
Awards and Nominations
- 2004 Teen Choice Awards Choice Breakout TV Star for One Tree Hill – Male One Tree Hill – Nominated
- 2005 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Chemistry (with Chad Michael Murray) for One Tree Hill – Nominated
- 2010 Teen Choice Awards Choice Scene Stealer for One Tree Hill – Male Nominated
- 2010 Choice Parental Unit (with Bethany Joy Lenz) for One Tree Hill – Nominated
| Profile Summary | |
|---|---|
| First Name: | James |
| Last Name: | Lafferty |
| Also Known As: | Martin |
| Sex/Gender: | Male |
| Profession: | Actor, director and producer |
| Famous For: | One Tree Hill |
| Colleges/Universities Attended: | California State University, Long Beach |
| Educational Qualifications: | N/A |
| Religion: | N/A |
| Birthday & Zodiac |
|
| Age/Date of Birth: | 37 years old (July 25, 1985) |
| Zodiac Sign: | Leo |
| Birth Place: | Hemet, California, USA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity/Race: | White |
| Country of Residence: | United States of America (USA) |
| Physical Attributes |
|
| Height: | 6 feet, 2 inches (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 94 kg (209 lbs) |
| Eye Colour: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Dark Brown |
| Other Body Measurements: | N/A |
| Relationships | |
| Marital Status: | Engaged |
| Spouse/Partner: | Actress Alexandra Park |
| Family and Relatives |
|
| Father: | Jeff Lafferty |
| Mother: | Angie Lafferty |
| Children: | N/A |
| Siblings: | Stuart Lafferty - Brother |
| Other Relatives: | N/A |
| Net Worth | |
| Estimated Net Worth: | $5 million |
| Salary: | N/A |
| Source of Wealth: | Acting Career |
