Bethany Joy

Bethany Joy Galeotti (born as Bethany Joy Lenz on April 2, 1981, Hollywood, Florida) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress.

Trained at the Brooklyn College of Opera, Galeotti learned to sing, play guitar and piano, and compose music. As a singer, she has released two independent albums, titled Preincarnate (2002) and Come On Home (2005).

At age fifteen, (during her sophomore year in high school) Galeotti appeared in her first movie, Stephen King's Thinner. Her performance was well-noted in reviews, particularly in the Associated Press: "One of the highlights of the film was a joy -- Joy Lenz."

In March of 1998, at 17, she earned a nine episode gig in CBS's soap opera Guiding Light where she first appeared as the teenaged clone of Reva Shayne. Galeotti made such an impression on viewers, critics and Guiding Light executives alike that she was later recast as Michelle Bauer Santos upon Rebecca Budig's exit. [4] This was an unusual move and "unheard of" in the industry according to CBS producer Mickey Dwyer-Dobbin.


Galeotti and Stewart as Michelle and Danny.In November of 1998, Galeotti began acting in one of her most popular roles to date as, Michelle Bauer Santos. While working on the demanding daytime serial Guiding Light, she graduated from Eastern Christian School in New Jersey in 1999 and landed the role of "Rose Cronin" in Mary & Rhoda. She also appeared in the off-Broadway musical "Foxy Ladies Love/Boogie 70's Explosion." [5]

At the time she was juggling a heavy storyline, an MOW playing Mary Tyler Moore's daughter, a one-year run of a New York cabaret and the lead in an independent film. Galeotti was then casted as the lead in a much-anticipated WB pilot which unfortunately never went into production. She had also shot two other pilots, one playing the daughter of Paul Sorvino, and one as the lead in the WB's 1972.

In October 2000, at the end of her two year contract with Guiding Light, Galeotti chose to leave her popular role. Since then, she had a co-starring role in the independent film The End Of August. She then moved from New York City to Los Angeles where she performed in a theatre production of The Outsiders, and also guest-starred on many shows such as Off-Centre, Charmed, Felicity, Maybe It's Me and The Guardian. [6]

In 2001, Bethany Joy joined the cast of Bring It On Again, where she turned in an unforgettable performance as Marni Potts. [7] During this time, Joy was also featured in Interview Magazine's "Stars On The Rise" in January.
In 2003, at age twenty-two, Galeotti was cast in the WB's television series One Tree Hill as Haley James, the quintessential girl-next-door, who is best friends with Lucas Scott, portrayed by Chad Michael Murray, and Nathan Scott’s wife, portrayed by James Lafferty.[8] Upon entering the role of Haley James, Galeotti replaced actress Samantha Shelton's character, Reagan. Approximately around the same time in which she was cast as Haley James, she once again used her original name, Bethany Joy Lenz.

Galeotti, has proven herself not only as a talented actress, but as a musician and a singer. She has a four-octave range,[9] and since her exit from Guilding Light has completed a demo of original music and continues to write screenplays.

Galeotti has recorded two independent records to date. Her first album, entitled Preincarnate, was released in October 2002. In March 2005, she embarked on a month-long music tour with Tyler Hilton, The Wreckers (Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp), and Gavin DeGraw to promote One Tree Hill, where she performed some of her original songs from her second independent record. This second album, titled Come On Home, was sold at the concert venues. During her time off tour, Galeotti filmed a video for her song, "Songs In My Pockets", at Coney Island Beach and Astroland in Brooklyn, New York.
In 2006, under the name Haley James Scott, Galeotti recorded the well-known song "Halo", which was released in the second volume of the One Tree Hill Soundtrack. Alongside producer Ron Aniello (Lifehouse, Guster, Barenaked Ladies), Galeotti's has also recorded original material for an album with Epic Records, but is no longer affiliated with them. [10] Galeotti collaborated with Garry Marshall and Carole King on a new musical as well as working with director Arthur Allan Seidelman on a production of "The Outsiders." In 2006, she wrote and recorded several songs for the soundtrack for Ten Inch Hero.[11]