Friday, Day 1 of the EyeCon Return to Tree Hill 2 convention, had a few evening events but it wasn't until Saturday that things really got busy. Kicking off Day 2 was the photo op sessions at 9:30 a.m., which several celebrities, including Chad Michael Murray, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz and Paul Johansson partook in.
The first panel event of the weekend, a Q&A session with "Leyton" — the couple name for Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton's love-locked characters Peyton Sawyer and Lucas Scott — was set to start at 12:30 p.m. Unfortunately the photo ops took much longer than expected so there was more than a two-hour delay.
But when the panel — held in the lofty, central room of the convention center and accessible to all attendees — finally got started, it didn't disappoint. The audience erupted when the actors came onto the stage and settled into the couch on it, Tree Hill banners behind them. It wasn't long before the first question was asked.
What was your favorite episode?
Hilarie Burton: The championship basketball game when Lucas and Peyton kiss as confetti was falling down (Season 4, episode 9).
Chad Michael Murray: The pilot [Burton interjected to say that it felt "we were really starting something"]. And the season 4 finale, because we came back to where we started. So I thought that was a nice way to end the first chapter of this story.
This question was the first of many about what their "favorite" things were.
About their favorite musician, Murray said Gavin "because he set our sound for the show" and said Tegan and Sara because she's a "nerd" about them. She even joke she's stalked them.
On which scene they thought was most beautiful...
Burton said all of her scenes with her birth mother Ellie, played by Sheryl Lee, but especially when Ellie died. "I was really sad she wasn't going to stick around longer," said Burton of Sheryl Lee. Murray said that he loved working with Craig.
"Keith was the best, he really made a great example of what a father figure should be and he instilled something in me... I think he made me a better dad," said Murray. He loved the emotional response Lucas had to Keith's death.
On their favorite quote, Burton recalled a line "I guess I'm just a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a b****," and another line using that word when Elle came to her door. She then noted how she seems to have said that word a lot. Murray then said he couldn't remember any so Burton whispered one in his ear and he recited it.
"Your art matters, it's what got me here (a line Lucas said to Peyton in season 1 episode 3)."
On their favorite season, Burton said season 5 and Murray again initially said he doesn't remember, but then he said season one "because of all the possibilities."
"It was just fun, we were young, vibrant, energetic, getting to know each other on and off the show," said Murray. "So it was so fun, there's so many memories... Wilmington is beautiful, it became home I loved filming in North Carolina. And season six because we'd grown so much and it was (Leyton's) departure. It closed the seal, we drove into the sunset, I was very happy with it."
On their favorite life lesson, Murray said there were so many since they grew up with the show. Burton talked about advice Sheryl Lee gave her about not getting naked for a part, and how she's glad she listened to it. After they joked about Murray being naked a lot on the show, Murray gave his answer.
CMM: It's weird but I learned to be alone in life. It's such an important thing to have quiet time... I found myself painting and writing, accessing that creative side of me... I found my own bubble, my own space.
On their favorite character besides themselves, they each said they liked the other's. On their favorite hairstyles, Murray got all embarrassed.
HB: I got in trouble a lot the first season, because I had a lot in my hair, blonde, black, etc... the network said it's a little too spicy, so now I'm done with Peyton's LA hair, I do what I want.
CMM: I was rebellious, that was my way of saying I can be me, by dying my hair, growing it out, it looked god awful season 4, I've had multiple people say what were you doing... and I got in so much trouble because right after season 1 I shave it into a Mohawk but we returned sooner than we thought... but then Lucas became the guy with a thousand hair styles.
On their favorite Leyton scene, Burton said when Peyton was pregnant and there was health risks with having the baby and Lucas didn't want her to risk her life. Murray said the end of the pilot episode, when Lucas looks across the basketball court at Peyton because "right then [they] realize, you're a human, I accept you."
On their favorite filming spot, Burton said Karen's cafe because "it's a place people can come and feel safe." Burton said she's even living Karen's life — she opened a similar place in New York. Murray agreed but also said he used to love night shots.
CMM: Being up when everyone's asleep, that's when you feel the energy of the world and take it all in.
On their favorite outfit, Murray joked he liked Peyton's sexy angel outfit and a Halloween costume, while Burton noted a low cut green dress she wore once that made her look like she had boobs. (Season 5 episode 4).
On their favorite other relationships, Burton said she liked the taboo, scandalous ones like Rachel and Uncle Cooper and Skills and Deb.
Then there were questions about the cast's relationship with each other and personal lives.
Someone congratulated Murray on being a dad and asked if Burton was helping.
HB: Chad's seen me with my kid, I think he's trying to do the opposite.
Murray mentioned Burton getting his son a present and Burton said that's her job as the crazy aunt.
CMM: This is the greatest chapter in my life, there's not even a close second, my family is the greatest thing.
About how the two of them felt about each other and how they built their chemistry, Burton joked that they hated each other.
HB: Chad and I are both very alpha... but we knew each other on Dawson's Creek — I had a boyfriend at the time so I was like, I can't be nice or he'll think I like him, so I was mean... but then we became BFF, we fell in love (platonic) as we fell in love on the show.
CMM: Hilarie can see everyone for who they are... if not for her I wouldn't have felt comfortable on the show but from Day 1 she knew how to handle me... she respects and loves people for being themselves and Hilarie is always just Hilarie.
HB: We helped each other grow up and now we get to watch our kids grow up.
About how they all stay in touch, Burton noted that she isn't on social media much because she likes to keep her friendships in the private sector, to help make sure they are real, but she said they do keep in touch. Murray said that they're all spread out and living their own lives but when they do get together "it's like no time has gone by."
There were also random questions.
About if they were like their character in high school, Murray said that he was into sports but he had never played basketball a day in his life.
CMM: But James, Antwon, some of the guys were so good so they helped, they were supportive.
Burton said that she was like Peyton in some ways but grades were the most important thing to her so she could "get out of my small town life to the next stage" and that she and her friends weren't nearly as promiscuous as the show characters.
HB: We still had fun but we kept it to ourselves... I'd encourage all you ladies to do the same.
One fan who came to the convention from Germany asked the actors if they had ever traveled far for some similar event. Burton said she drove really far once to see the movie Boys Don't Cry and Murray said he goes far to see Buffalo Bills football games.
About their most embarrassing moment, Murray said it was hard for him to be naked as much as he was, and for the scene when Rachel is naked on the basketball court trying to seduce Lucas.
Burton said that she liked the naked stuff and she doesn't get embarrassed easily.
About their craziest fan gift, Burton said she has never gotten anything inappropriate. Murray said that he's received photo yearbooks of the cast that fans have compiled, which he and Burton liked because they didn't take a lot of pictures themselves while filming. Burton added more.
HB: Globally, the fans are thoughtful and really creative. And I'm private, people know that, Chad is private, and I think people respect that.
And finally, there were special requests.
One fan asked if they could do impersonations of other cast members. Burton said she could only do Murray — by getting all squinty. Murray claimed he was like that because it was bright out and the crew used a lot of lights in his scenes. Then they call Antwon back on stage to do his impersonation of Barry Corbin, whom they lovingly call Uncle Barry. He did it, briefly, hilariously and exited the stage.
Another fan asked if Burton could sing the "man face" song she sang to the character Lindsey. Burton didn't remember how it goes (if you want to know it's season 5, episode 9, Google OTH fight between Lindsey and Peyton), and then said she didn't like how mean that was.
A third request was that Murray recite one of his most famous lines to Burton, when Lucas told Peyton he wanted her. Instead, he did it to the fan who asked for it, but he didn't remember the line so someone fed it to him and he recited it.
"Peyton, it's you when all my dreams come true the one I want next to me, it's you. It's you Peyton." (It's from Burton's favorite episode, in the same scene, season 4 episode 9).
It was a pretty good panel, with a variety of questions and a mix of both silliness, sincerity, nostalgia, appreciation, and openness shared between the two beloved stars of the beloved show and the hundreds of fans in the audience.
Not a bad first panel of the weekend.