Actress Natalie Alyn Lind made her acting debut at the age of five, participating in the series “One Tree Hill”. The star, who is now part of the cast of “Dutton Ranch”, shared details about her childhood on the film sets and the unusual way she was encouraged to join the career.
As revealed in an interview, Lind told PEOPLE magazine what his day-to-day life was like growing up in the production environment. Her mother, Barbara Alyn Woods, played Deb Scott, the mother of Nathan Scott (James Lafferty’s character) on the series for a period of five years.
Natalie even brought up that it was her own mother who insisted that she audition for the child role. The actress recently revisited the recording of that initial audition and admitted to being unimpressed with her performance.
Remembering the beginning of his career and the controversial test
The fictional universe of Tree Hill was, in a way, Natalie Alyn Lind’s first professional “home”. Currently 26 years old, the actress plays the role of Oreana in “Dutton Ranch”.
However, her first work on television was on “One Tree Hill”, the same production where her mother, Barbara Alyn Woods, was for five years as Deb Scott, mother of the talented basketball player and rebellious figure, Nathan Scott. Natalie detailed to PEOPLE: “There was a role on the show for a 5-year-old, and my mom knew about it, but she was so worried that I wouldn’t be a good actress that she made me audition.” She added that she got the role and, as they had different surnames, the family connection was not immediately apparent.
Lind has been rewatching the series, which aired between 2003 and 2012, with nine seasons in total, and so he rewatched his fourth season episode. She described her acting as “terrible”, commenting: “I have so many notes. I’m really happy that my skills have evolved since then.”
The artist joked about the situation: “I think I walk into a room and one of my lines is: ‘Dirt and water’. And I think: ‘Oh my God, who is your casting coach?’ It’s my mother’s fault.”
When reviewing the scene again, Lind expressed surprise at being cast in the role. She is certain that her mother “must have said something, because my skills in that episode are not that good,” and confessed that “5-year-old Natalie was not impressive.”
Lasting bonds and a child’s life on the set of “One Tree Hill”
Lind revealed that he developed a considerable closeness with the cast of the series, which included names like Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, Chad Michael Murray and Bethany Joy Lenz. She has fond memories of how “they were very nice and always very kind.”
The actress recalled a special moment: “When Chad and Sophia got married, I was the bridesmaid,” referring to the actors’ union in 2005, which they later separated.
She also highlighted her relationship with Hilarie Burton: “I was very close to Hilarie. I always loved Halloween. Hilarie was really cool because she used to throw a Halloween party and the kids weren’t invited, but she invited me.”
The artist pondered the passage of time: “It’s so strange to think that I’m older now than they were when they started the series.” She stressed that these bonds have remained strong over the years, with her mother also maintaining close contact with her colleagues. “Being able to see how the cast stuck together is kind of the goal you strive for in life,” he added.
Family influence and the glamor of artistic life behind the scenes
Natalie Alyn Lind credits her mother – who is also mother to Emily, 24, and Alyvia, 18, from her marriage to ex-husband John Lind – as the great inspiration for her entry into the entertainment industry.
Recalling the experience, she said: “Growing up with my mom… I mean, when she went to the film set, it was all so glamorous.” For little Natalie, seeing her mother creating characters, the hair and makeup work, and the constant availability of snacks at the food and drink table was a fascination. “As a child, I thought, ‘What could be better in life?'” he concluded.