Hilarie Burton didn’t start out in the entertainment industry as an actor. Instead, she got her start on MTV as a VJ, or video jockey, a play on radion DJs for the network. Burton was known for being an MTV correspondent at special events, talking to the Real World cast members, and appearing on music countdown shows. That changed when she got her big break thanks to One Tree Hill in 2003.
Though Burton has continued acting in the 20+ years since, she’s also worked behind the camera as a producer, appeared on podcasts, and even written a book. She’s embraced her creativity in several different fields. She also, however, is still willing to return to the role that got her into the acting side of the business Burton is one of the One Tree Hill cast members signed on for the revival series.
10 Dawson’s Creek (2002)
As Hilarie In 1 Episode
Dawson’s Creek Drama
In the small town of Capeside, Massachusetts, fifteen-year-old Dawson Leery and his friends — tomboy Joey, class clown Pacey, and many more — experience the highs and lows of teenage life and coming of age.
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*Availability in US Cast James Van Der Beek , Katie Holmes , Michelle Williams , Joshua Jackson , Mary-Margaret Humes , John Wesley Shipp , Mary Beth Peil , Kerr Smith , Busy Philipps Release Date 1998-00-00 Seasons 6
Hilarie Burton’s casting in the WB series One Tree Hill in 2003 would be her big break into the acting world, but she actually had a role on the network a year earlier that was a great bit of stunt casting. Burton essentially played herself in a season 5 episode of Dawson’s Creek, which was possibly the most-talked-about teen drama of its era.
Burton appeared in an episode in which most of the Dawson’s Creek characters make a trip to Florida for their spring break, thousands of miles away from the New England snow. The characters just happen to wind up in the middle of an MTV-like spring break celebration at the beach where concerts occur and partying is televised. Burton plays a VJ covering the spring break mayhem, so she isn’t in the episode a lot.
The episode could really be considered her foot in the door for the acting world since less than a year later she would book one of the starring roles on the next most-talked-about teen drama, One Tree Hill.
Related Dawson’s Creek: The Best Relationship In Each Season
At the core of the Dawson’s Creek stories were its relationships, from the Dawson-Joey-Pacey love triangle to Jen’s sweet friendship with Jack.
9 The Walking Dead (2021)
As Lucille For 1 Episode
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8/10 16 9.1/10 The Walking Dead HorrorThrillerDrama
Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, AMC’s The Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series, developed for television by Frank Darabont, follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain that truly become the walking dead. The Walking Dead lasted for eleven seasons and spawned several spinoff shows, such as Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
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*Availability in US Cast Steven Yeun , Andrew Lincoln , Chandler Riggs , Laurie Holden , Jeffrey DeMunn , Sarah Wayne Callies , Melissa McBride , Norman Reedus , Jon Bernthal , Iron E. Singleton Release Date October 31, 2010 Seasons 11 Showrunner Frank Darabont , Angela Kang , Scott M. Gimple , Glen Mazzara
Stunt casting, when done right, works. That’s why two of Burton’s best roles are essentially just that. While the first sees her as a VJ while she was still working for MTV, the second sees her appearing as her real-life husband’s wife in a flashback episode.
Burton is married to Jeffrey Dean Morgan (which is why she is sometimes credited under her married name, Hilarie Burton Morgan). The two were introduced by Morgan’s Supernatural costar Jensen Ackles and his wife, Daneel Harris, whom Burton had worked with on One Tree Hill. When it came time for Morgan’s The Walking Dead character to get his own episode, complete with fleshing out just who he was before the zombie apocalypse, Burton played his wife Lucille, the woman he named his prized weapon after.
Again, it’s not a huge role for Burton, but it’s one that speaks to her connection with her husband. It’s a role that likely required only a few days of work and allowed her to tap into the chemistry and love they already have for one another. Fans loved getting to see them together on screen.
8 Growing Up Smith (2017)
As Nancy Brunner
As her acting career has grown, Burton has really become a master at being part of a larger ensemble. She’s not always the star of a project, but her work in a movie or television show often means that another character’s story is more grounded and fleshed out. That’s the case with Growing Up Smith.
The movie originally made its premiere in 2015 at the Seattle International Film Festival where it was named in the top five films. It went on to become something of a festival darling before getting a wider release in 2017.
Growing Up Smith follows a young boy from India whose family moves to the US in 1979. It’s a huge culture shock for the family, and the young boy wants to embrace the world around him, especially since he develops a crush on a girl who lives nearby. Burton plays the mother of that little girl. She’s a woman who has to make hard choices in the movie as she ends up uprooting her own daughter when her husband is no longer working and they can’t afford to pay the bills.
When Growing Up Smith landed in theaters, Time Magazine made it their “pick of the week.”
7 Our Very Own (2005)
As Bobbie
Our Very Own lands among Burton’s best projects because it is her feature film debut. In just three years she went from being a host of MTV’s programs as herself to fully embracing the acting world. The movie wasn’t a huge blockbuster, but instead, a smaller release about what happens when the American dream isn’t realized.
Burton plays a teenager in a small town who becomes excited when she finds out that an actress originally from their town is coming back for an event. She and her friends plan out an entire musical showcase to welcome the actress to town, hoping to catch her attention and get help getting out. They all are after their own version of fame and fortune. While they get plenty of praise for their show from the townsfolk, their attempt to track the actress down doesn’t go as well.
With the chemistry between the cast and the nostalgia of classic movies with similar themes, critics enjoyed the movie with TV Guide calling it one of the “nostalgic hidden treasures of 2005.”
6 Grey’s Anatomy (2013)
As Dr. Lauren Boswell For 3 Episodes
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9/10 29 9.3/10 Grey’s Anatomy TV-14DramaRomance
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
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*Availability in US Cast Ellen Pompeo , Chandra Wilson , James Pickens Jr. , Justin Chambers , Kevin McKidd , Jesse Williams , Bokhee An , Camilla Luddington , Patrick Dempsey , Sara Ramirez , Jessica Capshaw , Sandra Oh , Caterina Scorsone , Sarah Drew , Kelly McCreary , Kim Raver , Jason George , Eric Dane , Giacomo Gianniotti , Jake Borelli , Katherine Heigl , Jerrika Hinton , Chyler Leigh , Chris Carmack , T.R. Knight , Debbie Allen , Jaicy Elliot , Anthony Hill , Kate Walsh , Greg Germann , Isaiah Washington , Aniela Gumbs , Martin Henderson , Payton Silver , Gaius Charles , Tessa Ferrer , Stefania Spampinato , Alex Landi , Scott Speedman , Mark Saul , Nicole Rubio , Richard Flood , Ryder Goodstadt , Steven W. Bailey , Adelaide Kane , Alexis Floyd , Harry Shum Jr. , Midori Francis , Niko Terho Release Date March 27, 2005 Creator(s) Shonda Rhimes , Michelle Lirtzman Expand
It’s a shame Burton only appeared in three episodes of Grey’s Anatomy since it was such a fun role for her. At the time, Burton was mostly known for her One Tree Hill role, even though she’d appeared in several other projects. While that series featured a role heavier on the drama for her, this one is quite a bit lighter, which is actually unusual for Grey’s Anatomy.
Burton’s character is flirty and ends up having a one-night-stand with another doctor on the show. She’s also a craniofacial plastic surgeon, and is so in-demand that she spends her time traveling around the world to perform surgeries. It’s the kind of role that Burton could revisit if she wanted to since her character simply moves on at the end of the arc.
Burton joked about just that on X (formerly Twitter) when her former One Tree Hill costar Sophia Bush was cast in a role in Grey’s Anatomy in 2024.
Related The 10 Grey’s Anatomy Episodes That Changed The Show Forever
Since its pilot in 2005, there have been multiple incredibly influential episodes of Grey’s Anatomy that changed the medical drama TV show forever.
5 Lethal Weapon (2016-2017)
As Karen Palmer For 6 Episodes
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon is an American action-comedy franchise that started with the 1987 film Lethal Weapon, directed by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black. The franchise follows the partnership between two LAPD detectives, Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, who have contrasting personalities but develop a deep friendship as they take on criminals in Los Angeles. The series is notable for its mix of intense action, humor, and emotional depth, particularly in exploring the personal lives of its main characters. The franchise has expanded into four films, a TV series, and an upcoming fifth movie, marking its place as one of the most enduring buddy-cop franchises in cinema history.
Created by Shane Black First Film Lethal Weapon First TV Show lethal weapon
Burton has appeared in a surprisingly large number of crime shows. While most of those have featured her as a character for only an episode or two, she had a longer arc in Lethal Weapon since her character was a love interest for one of the main characters.
The series sought to bring the Lethal Weapon movies to a television format. While the idea did work on paper, the series was canceled after the third season. Cast changes and declining viewership likely didn’t help, though the third season did see mostly positive reviews from critics.
Burton appeared in a handful of episodes in the first two seasons. She appears as an agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration who is tough and takes her job very seriously. Though the show was an action-comedy, her character got to be one of the more serious additions to it.
4 True Crime Story: It Couldn’t Happen Here (2021)
As Herself/The Host
Burton is a real advocate for victim and survivor rights.
Burton went back to her TV hosting roots in 2021 but for a very different kind of show. While she hosted pop culture shows for MTV in the early 2000s, here, Burton leads a docuseries that explores murder cases in small towns across America.
While some true crime series can be exploitative, Burton clearly makes an effor to make sure that’s not happening here (she is also an executive producer), which is what makes the show so good. Burton spotlights lesser-known cases in small towns were people genuinely believed themselves to be safe, the kinds of places where doors aren’t locked and neighbors know one another’s secrets.
She also makes deep dives into just why justice can be so hard to get for some of the families she talks to. It’s not just a series that recounts cases, but a series that also examines how faulty the justice system can be in some of these cases. Burton is a real advocate for victim and survivor rights.
3 The Secret Life Of Bees (2008)
As Deborah Owens
The Secret Life of Bees PG-13DramaAdventure
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*Availability in US Director Gina Prince-Bythewood Release Date September 17, 2008 Writers Gina Prince-Bythewood , Sue Monk Kidd Cast Dakota Fanning , Queen Latifah , Jennifer Hudson , Alicia Keys , Sophie Okonedo , Paul Bettany Runtime 110 minutes
Another early movie role for Burton is in The Secret Life of Bees. The movie is inspired by the novel of the same name, and like a lot of Burton’s movie roles, she doesn’t have a huge feature here.
Instead, the spotlight is firmly on Dakota Fanning and Jennifer Hudson, who are fantastic in their roles. Burton plays the mother of Fanning’s character who is killed a decade before the events of the film begin. She appears in flashback scenes throughout the movie, providing an emotional touchstone for the audience to understand the guilt and sadness that Fanning plays throughout the story.
The movie itself sees a young white girl (Fanning) and a Black woman (Hudson) who works for the girl’s father run away to learn more about her mother’s past. The journey takes them to a honey farm run by a trio of Black women who take them in and help them heal.
The movie earned seven NAACP Award nominations and won the Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture.
2 One Tree Hill (2003-2009)
As Peyton Sawyer For 130 Episodes
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6/10 8/10 One Tree Hill TV-14DramaRomanceSports
Set in the fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina, One Tree Hill chronicles the complicated and intertwined lives of its residents. Following half-brothers and rivals Lucas and Nathan Scott as they compete both for positions on their school basketball team and for the affection of their fellow students, Tree Hill’s community is built around community spirit and the complex workings of the ever-growing Scott family.
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*Availability in US Cast Chad Michael Murray , James Lafferty , Hilarie Burton , Paul Johansson , Sophia Bush , Barry Corbin , Craig Sheffer , Bethany Joy Lenz , Moira Kelly Release Date September 23, 2003 Seasons 9 Showrunner Mark Schwahn
Peyton Sawyer is the role Hilarie Burton is best known for. It will likely always be the first role TV fans think of when they think of her acting career. That’s likely something of a double-edged sword for Burton since information has come out about the work environment created by the showrunner and how he took advantage of female cast members. Despite the difficulties behind the scenes, Burton turns out a fantastic performance during her entire time on the show.
Burton’s Peyton is a popular cheerleader when the series begins, but she’s also interested in music and art and has a bit of darkness to her. For people who only knew Burton as a bubbly VJ, it was a drastic departure for her and showed her acting ability right away. Though she left the series midway through its run, Burton has remained active in the show’s fandom. She appears on a rewatch podcast alongside Sophia Bush and Bethany Joy-Lenz and is slated to appear in a sequel series.
Related All 9 Seasons Of One Tree Hill, Ranked Worst To Best
One Tree Hill was forced to reinvent itself multiple times during its nine-season run, so naturally, some outings were stronger than others.
1 White Collar (2010-2013)
As Sara Ellis In 22 Episodes
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35 9.7/10 White Collar TV-PGMysteryCrimeComedyDrama
White Collar is a crime drama television series featuring Neal Caffrey, a skilled con artist and art thief, portrayed by Matt Bomer. After being captured by FBI agent Peter Burke, Neal agrees to help the FBI catch elusive white-collar criminals as a consultant, leveraging his unique skills. The series explores the evolving partnership and mutual trust between Neal and Peter, blending elements of crime-solving and personal redemption.
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*Availability in US Cast Matt Bomer , Tim Dekay , Willie Garson , Tiffani Thiessen , Sharif Atkins , Marsha Thomason , Hilarie Burton , Diahann Carroll , Natalie Morales , Bridget Regan , Ross McCall , Gloria Votsis , Sheena Colette , Alexandra Daddario , Alex Kruz , Christopher Stadulis , Treat Williams , Mark Sheppard , Brian James Pepe , Judith Ivey , Gavin Lee , Noah Emmerich , Kelly McCreary , Piper Kenny , Steven Weisz , James Schram , Jayce Bartok , Charlie Hewson , Daralina Komar , Ryan James Nolan , Beau Bridges , Michael Crowe , Sprague Grayden , Eyas Younis , Isaach De Bankole Release Date October 23, 2009 Seasons 6 Creator(s) Jeff Eastin Expand
Hilarie Burton doesn’t appear in more than two dozen episodes of White Collar. Some might argue that One Tree Hill, where she had more than 100 appearances as Peyton, should be considered her best project. White Collar, however, which she began guest starring in the year after leaving One Tree Hill, shows her versatility as an actress.
White Collar gave Burton the chance to play a more adult role as an insurance investigator who consults for the FBI and crosses paths with professional thieves on a regular basis. She’s not just business savvy, but also street-smart, and she always seems to be one step ahead of those around her. Here, Burton got to be a completely different person compared to Peyton, and she’s gone on to play several characters that have some of Sara’s traits: tough, a bit of a flirt, and someone who never backs down from a fight.
With a White Collar revival on the way, it’s likely there would be plenty of fans who would be interested in seeing Hilarie Burton reprise her role.