Why Did Hilarie Burton Leave One Tree Hill?

By Cassidy Stephenson , Katie Doll , and Kieran Loughlin

Updated Oct 15, 2023

One Tree Hill's Hilarie Burton played Lucas Scott's love interest Peyton Sawyer until the character left in Season 6. Why did Burton depart the show?

Summary

Hilarie Burton was a key cast member on the teen drama One Tree Hill, in which she portrayed Peyton Sawyer.
Burton left the series after Season 6 to explore other opportunities and "start something new."
Since One Tree Hill, Burton has made several recurring and guest-star appearances on acclaimed TV shows, including Grey's Anatomy and The Walking Dead.