Peyton Sawyer
Peyton Sawyer | |
---|---|
(uncle-in-law; deceased) |
Peyton Sawyer is a fictional
Wilmington Star described the character as having "blown away every stereotype the media has placed on cheerleaders",[1] while PopMatters referred to her as "a walking contradiction."[2]
Character development
Casting
Burton was one of the more prominent
Burton said, "I've never studied acting or anything because I've been so lucky with MTV. I'm convinced I got the chance to be on One Tree Hill because I did a guest thing on Dawson's Creek as myself, when the cast appeared at the MTV Beach House." She added, "And my only scene was with Chad Michael Murray (Lucas Scott). So, now The Chad and I are reunited. How bizarre is that?"[5] With regard to what her life is like as an actress, Burton said, "Actors like to think their lives are very difficult, but they're not. Yeah, you're running around a lot. But I used to work in a supermarket and in a bar. That was hard. This is fun."[3]
Personality and wardrobe
Peyton has been described as beautiful, smart, fiercely independent,
Burton said she herself was torn between cheerleading and hobbies which would not necessarily be considered hobbies of a cheerleader while in high school. "That's part of the reason I took the show, because I was like, holy cow, this was me in high school." Burton said there are always stereotypes in high school. "People get put into groups. "You're a jock, you're a cheerleader, you're a freak, you're in the drama department. I had a lot of trouble fitting into those groups when I was in high school because I wanted to be a part of all of them," she said. "I think that's how a lot of people are. Some people have the nerve to go ahead and branch out and be a part of everything and some people don't." She said One Tree Hill represents people who are multidimensional and who like more than one thing. "People do like more than one thing. It's nice that [One Tree Hill] shows that," she stated.[10]
Burton said that portraying a younger age (16 at 21) was not a problem, except for one aspect: "My only concern was when I had to put on my cheerleading uniform again. You forget how nerve-racking that is – the vulnerability of wearing bloomers."[3] She said she reread some of her journals from high school to get "into that place" as a high school student again, and that Peyton being similar to how she was in high school helped. "It also helped that the town where we film, Wilmington, isn't too different from the hometown where I grew up in Virginia. Both [are] small towns where high school sports played a big part," she stated.[11]
Initially, the character was mixed-received: she came off as too angry and bitchy to some viewers. "At first, the audience rejected her character because, well, she was mean to our hero (Lucas)," said Schwann. "And she's pretty and popular."
The character's wardrobe originally encompassed a rocker yet feminine look.
Schwahn eventually began to change the character's styles, especially in season 4 and up.
Schwahn had Peyton's personality complement Lucas's, and described their love story as a soulmate/meant to be one.[15][16][17] Burton explained her character's attraction to Lucas, saying she sees Peyton as questioning a lot about her life, similar to how Murray envisions Lucas, and thinks Peyton often differs from her friends on what is important – much like Murray has said he felt as a child.[18]
Artwork
Peyton was further designed as an artist, in order to add more depth to the character and express what she cannot or does not want to say.[1][19] It also complemented her romance with Lucas, as both are deep thinkers who use their skills to speak to the world.[18] The actual artist of Peyton's works is Helen Ward. "Before joining [One Tree Hill], I had already worked as a set designer, storyboard artist and illustrator for a number of films. But I still had to try out for the job," she said. "I think they asked a bunch of people to give their shot at a particular drawing. They were pretty specific about what they were looking for. I guess my work was closest. I got the job."[19]
Ward said that although Burton is a talented actress and has done a great job with the character, she did not feel she had to get to know her in order to proceed with the drawings. "It was the character I was drawing for and I learned what I needed to from the show and the scripts," she stated. In describing the process of drawing for a particular episode, she said she would mostly get input from Robbie Beck, the props master for the show. "Schwahn always knew exactly what he wanted and it would be described in the script. So Robbie would send me the info and I would initially do some quick sketches," stated Ward. All of their communication was via
For scenes where Peyton is drawing or painting, Ward stated, "...there would likely be very light lines for her to follow. Often I would give a finished version and an unfinished for this purpose. If I remember correctly, it was usually the words that I left undone." Regarding the evolution of Peyton's artwork over the years, she said, "I look back at the first season and think the drawings are awful! I certainly became more comfortable working in her style, but I think her style also evolved to fit mine. Does that make sense?" Ward clarified, "Initially I was trying to do something that just didn't flow well from me. The drawings were too clean. A little forced and not at all the way I liked to work." Ward said that as the show progressed, she began to put more of my own style in them, and became more comfortable and the work got better.
Regarding most people not knowing she is the actual artist of the artwork, Ward stated that although people generally do not concern themselves with the workers behind the scenes, she believes this is how things should be, and that she is appreciative of those who have related to her artwork.[19]
Storylines
Overview
Peyton Elizabeth is the only child of Larry and Anna Sawyer, she was adopted at birth; the true parentage and other family ties are not discovered until seasons 2, 3, 4, and 6. Peyton's second name in fact, was given to her by her adoptive parents in honor of her biological mother:
Her biological father's name is Mick Wolf, and Peyton also has a biological half-brother by him, named:
As the show begins, Peyton's boyfriend is Nathan Scott. She soon breaks up with him and falls in love with Nathan's rival and half-brother, Lucas Scott. Peyton drives a 1963 Mercury Comet convertible, which becomes a major plot point as it is because of it that she first speaks to Lucas: from that moment, her car will become a central theme in their love story.
Early seasons
During the first season, 16-year-old Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer is girlfriend to popular jock/star basketball player Nathan, but they soon break up when Peyton reasons that their relationship is more about sexual benefits than love, and that she is tired of his cruelty. In addition, she realizes that she no longer wants to be the star basketball player's girlfriend. She immediately becomes interested in her ex's brooding half brother, Lucas, thanks to his goodness and being very kindred: in fact, through various interactions with Lucas, she finds that he is kind and thoughtful towards her. However, when he confesses the depths of his feelings for her, she becomes scared and runs from him, leaving him heartbroken and desperate. Peyton later goes to visit Lucas and professes that she wants to be with him too, but it is too late: Brooke, her best friend, has now become romantically involved with him. Lucas and Peyton eventually cannot resist each other, and become secret lovers (though no sex is involved). On the night that they decide to tell Brooke, Lucas gets into a car accident and subsequently goes into a
In season 2, although she has initial success with getting the all-ages club TRIC opened, and with encouraging Haley to perform at the club, which eventually fuels Haley's desire to be a singer, Peyton begins to get involved with
In season 3, Lucas and Peyton have spent the whole summer together, growing closer again and forming a great friendship by hanging out, sharing mutual secrets and intimate things and making their bond stronger than it has ever been while Peyton has learnt from her father that she was adopted and that Ellie really is her biological mother. Lucas witnesses Ellie purchasing drugs, but he learns that she was buying them for medical reasons because she has
At the beginning of season 4, we see Peyton burning some pictures of herself with Brooke. Then, she picks up one of herself, Brooke and Lucas, rips out the central part where Brooke is, burns it and puts herself and Lucas next to each other. Peyton then discovers that she has a half-brother named Derek. With prompting from Lucas, she agrees to meet with him. However, unknown to Peyton and everyone else, the person she meets is not her half-brother but rather an Internet stalker who is
Missing years
One year after season 4, Peyton is surprised by Lucas when he comes to LA to propose to her. Feeling it is too soon, she says "someday", unknowingly setting their breakup in motion.
Final seasons
In season 5, it has been almost five years later since high school graduation. Peyton, now 22, works as the assistant to the assistant in a recording company in LA, as her boss likes to remind her. Unable to make it in the music business and fearing to lose her integrity, she decides to quit and goes back to Tree Hill with her old best friend, Brooke Davis,[21] and soon moves in with her. Her reunion with Lucas turns out to not be what she wished for, as he has a new girlfriend, Lindsey. She still loves Lucas, but temporarily puts those feelings aside to force Nathan to come to terms with what he has become after his injury. Finally feeling at home, and with the moral help from Lucas and the financial wealth of Brooke, she starts her own label at TRIC. She recruits her first band, led by a man named Jason.[22] Things get rocky, and Haley convinces her to fire him and keep Mia, the keyboard player, as Mia is the true heart of the group. Peyton also struggles with her feelings towards Lucas, especially since his girlfriend tries to be nice to her.[23] However, Peyton soon antagonizes her. After visiting her old house and remembering how she thought she would always be with Lucas, she becomes bitter. This then escalates into a fight with him as he confronts her about not being the same Peyton he used to know; she retorts that he gave up on the two of them not waiting for her.[24] She later reveals to Lucas that she came back to Tree Hill for him and that she still loves him. She kisses him, and he kisses back but when she goes to his house, she finds out he has just proposed to Lindsey because of his fear of being rejected again by her.[25] After the initial shock, she tells him that if it is what he really wants, she will bury her feelings for him because she wants him to be happy.[26] However, she later winds up lashing out at Lindsey. She regrets her hostile remarks toward Lindsey when she discovers Lindsey's dad died from cancer, which prompts the two to start from a clean slate regarding their interaction.[27] Peyton tricks her former boss into helping her launch Mia under her label.[28] On Lucas and Lindsey's wedding day, Peyton puts on a brave face while watching Lucas saying "I do" to Lindsey. Although the wedding ends up falling apart because it has become crystal clear to Lindsey either that he hasn’t moved on from Peyton due to his second book, which is obviously again dedicated to Peyton and about his everlasting for her, she is still hurt because Lucas went through with his wedding vows.[29] She then focuses on making Haley's new album and helping Brooke with baby Angie.[30] Feeling guilty, she tries to have Lindsey reconcile with Lucas, but Lindsey tells her to read his new book, which she says is about her.[31] One night, Peyton finds Lucas drunk at TRIC. She gets him home, where he utters that he hates her.[32] Distraught, she starts to spend her time throwing water balloons on people as a form of therapy and later paints "Love song" from The Cure on the Rivercourt to tell Lucas that she will always be in love with him. Having seen this and being hardly confronted by Haley about his late behavior, he goes to Peyton to apologize for saying that he hates her because it’s obviously not true, but it was just the drink talking, and he says that it was really hard losing her, letting her go and seeing her again and it’s still really hard for him, making again apparent his everlasting love for her. During this time, Peyton gets word from Mia about a man who claims to have known Peyton's biological mother, Ellie. From the information given, this man could possibly be her biological father.[33] At the end of the season finale, Lucas calls a woman asking her if she wants to get married at Las Vegas - the woman could be Lindsey, Peyton or Brooke.
In the season 6 premiere, it is discovered that the person whom Lucas called is obviously Peyton. She goes to the airport and they hop on a plane to Vegas to get married. Once they get there, the chapel is too trashy, and so they do not get married. Instead, they drive to L.A. and Lucas proposes to her in the same hotel room he did years before and finally become engaged.[34] The two are still in L.A. during Brooke's attack. After Brooke calls Peyton and sounds weird, Lucas and Peyton decide to head back to Tree Hill and have the wedding there instead, but Lucas asks Peyton to move in with him in his house and she happily accepts. Peyton sees that Brooke is beaten up, but Brooke lies and says she fell down the stairs, and Peyton believes her, not knowing that Brooke was attacked.[35] Peyton meets a famous musician named Mick Wolf, who used to know Ellie. He is the one who asked Mia about Peyton during the tour. He keeps dodging around the subject of Peyton's real father, but says a little more about him each time Peyton brings him up.[36] Peyton continues to get to know Mick and continues to ask about her real father. When she asks him why her parents gave her up and, he replies, "We... I mean they, had a tough decision." Mick accidentally lets the truth slip out, and suddenly Peyton realizes this is her father. She invites him over for a nice dinner together, he instead goes and gets drunk at a bar after being sober for a year (as shown by a sobriety chip in his pocket). She and Lucas have also set a date for their wedding, which causes conflict between Lucas and Lindsey with regards to the book tour for his second book.[37] Peyton closes herself off emotionally with regard to Mick and is angry with him for not being upfront with her about who he is. She tells him to leave. Not long afterward, during a visit to Brooke's, Brooke tells Peyton the truth about how she got all the bruises on her body and the two share a meaningful moment, reconnecting. Peyton is later seen on the phone with Larry, her adoptive father. She tells him how much she loves him.[38] Though the cohabitation is initially hard, Lucas and Peyton eventually decide to accept their difference and go throw them while their relationship continues to grow stronger and stronger.[39] Peyton also reconnects with her biological brother Derek, who has returned from the war. Later, she goes to TRIC to meet up with Lucas and a man named Julian, who is interested in making a movie based on Lucas's first novel. Julian was asking Lucas a lot of questions about Peyton before she got there. She runs into Julian near the bathroom, and it is soon revealed that he is her ex-boyfriend.[40] Three weeks go by and Peyton still has not told Lucas the truth about her romantic history with Julian. Lucas is left to discover their past on his own, and is initially angry about it.[41] Peyton throws a USO concert in which Angels and Airwaves, Mia, and Haley play. She continues to connect with her brother, Derek, and clash with Julian over Lucas and his film.[42] Mia visits Peyton, and Peyton is concerned that Mia is not focused on her work. She suggests to Mia that she listen to a CD of songs she could possibly sing. They clash because Mia writes all of her own songs. Eventually, Peyton gives up on Mia and asks her to leave the label. Meanwhile, Peyton deals with stomach pains. She sees a doctor about it, and tells the doctor about Ellie's cancer. Her tearful face after the phone call predicts trouble ahead.[43] Peyton later finds out that she does not have cancer, but is actually pregnant. She tells Lucas first and he is very happy and then Haley finds out in her own time, but Peyton seems hesitant to share her news with Brooke because she knows how much Brooke has wanted a family.[44] Peyton eventually tells Brooke, and Brooke is really happy for her. Peyton has her first ultrasound, but is upset because she thinks that Lucas is too busy to come and has forgotten. Lucas surprises her by coming, and the two get to hear their baby's heartbeat for the first time happier than they’ve ever been.[45] Later, Lucas and Peyton learn that Peyton has placenta praevia and that having this baby could mean the end of her life. Lucas, afraid of losing her and raising a child that has to go through the same motherless state Peyton did, tries to convince her into an abortion, but they decide to get through this and decide to have the baby.[46] After she asked him to marry sooner, Lucas tells her that he wants to do it, but not because she might die beforehand, but because he loves her with all his heart, and wants her to be his wife.[47] Lucas and Peyton get married at the lake where they met. Haley is the minister, Brooke is Peyton’smade of honor and Nathan is Lucas’s best man. After the reception, Lucas and Peyton go home and Peyton collapses on the floor while waiting for Lucas's surprise. Lucas walks in the house and finds Peyton unconscious on the floor in a pool of blood. Peyton is rushed to the hospital by a blood-covered Lucas, who begs her not to leave him. Peyton goes through an emergency caesarean section, and falls into a coma. The caesarean section is successful and she gives birth to a daughter named Sawyer Brooke Scott. She later awakes with Lucas and Brooke by her side. Karen, who has come back to Tree Hill for the occasion, brings in Sawyer, and Nathan, Haley, Jamie and Julian join them. Dan visits Peyton and she, after some hesitation, allows Dan to hold Sawyer. She and Lucas then leave Tree Hill with Sawyer finally leaving happily ever after.[48]
For season 7, Mark Schwahn, the series' creator, said Lucas and Peyton are traveling the world; they are spending time with Karen and her husband Andy, and Lucas is writing a new book.[49] They continue to be mentioned by characters on the series. Her and Lucas' absence during Brooke and Julian's wedding is mentioned by Brooke as being due to baby Sawyer being sick. Haley takes her place as Brooke's maid of honor. In season nine, Haley sends Jamie and Lydia to live with Peyton and Lucas due to Nathan's disappearance.
Reception
Peyton has been described as "a very talented artist" who expresses her emotions through her work and guards her heart after losing so many important people in her life. The character was initially mixed-received, as the audience felt that she was too mean, especially to love interest Lucas.[1] Tracy McLoone of PopMatters stated, "Perpetually cranky Peyton tears around town in a vintage car, listening to loud rock, and wearing a Ramones T-shirt, none of which fits with a typical cheerleader image." McLoone added, "At one point, Lucas asks her why she's a cheerleader, noting that she's 'the least cheery person I know. She responds, 'You don't know me.' [And in fact], she's right. The girl is a walking contradiction. Peyton embodies aspects of the good girl (cheerleader) and bad girl (rocker)."[2] The character's crankiness was eventually toned down, as she was revealed to have a deeper side and her interaction with Lucas and Haley started to win over viewers.[1] The Wilmington Star credits the character with "[blowing] away every stereotype" the media has placed on cheerleaders: "She's—gasp—smart! And interesting! And so not the pop-tart cheerleader TV often delivers," stated Allison Ballard of the newspaper.[1]
Her
See also
- List of fictional supercouples
- Quotes
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ballard, Allison (April 6, 2004). "Peyton's Place: 'One Tree Hill' and MTV star Hilarie Burton finding balance between roles". Wilmington Star.
- ^ a b c McLoone, Tracy (September 29, 2003). "One Trick Hill". PopMatters. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ^ New York Daily News.
- ^ USAToday. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
- ^ Burton, 2004, "Me, Myself and Murray."
- SOAPnet. Archived from the originalon July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
- New York Daily News. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
- ^ Burton, 2004, "Not your mom's drama."
- ^ "The Other Hilarie: Pop Culture section". Teen Newsweek. 2004.
- ^ Walker, Marisa (February 2004). "The New Queen of the Small Screen. Why we're so BFF with Hilarie Burton". American Cheerleader.
- ^ Dejean, Caroline (February 2, 2004). "Career of former student lifts off: Hilarie Burton on MTV and 'One Tree Hill'". The Observer.
- ^ SOAPnet. January 2008.
- ^ Jackie (April 11, 2007). "Exclusive Interview with One Tree Hill's Costume Designer". TheCWSource. Archived from the original on November 8, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
- ^ Jason (January 19, 2008). "Mark Schwahn, creator of One Tree Hill, at Macy's". TheCWSource.
- ^ From the official TheCWSource YouTube channel: Mark Schwahn talks about why Lucas picked who he did, when he knew this was going to happen and what will happen with the other two ladies. C., Jason (September 12, 2008). "OTH – Mark Schwahn talks about Lucas' choice". TheCWSource. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ^ Cherkezian, Megan (September 27, 2006). "One Tree Hill: Your Season 4 Preview!". TV Guide. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ^ Cherkezian, Megan (January 17, 2007). "One Tree Hill Preview: Lucas and Peyton, Dan's Secret and More!". TV Guide. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ^ ISBN 0-345-47952-1. Retrieved July 3, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "Exclusive: Helen Ward Reveals the Secrets Behind Peyton's Artwork on One Tree Hill". teendramawhore.com. December 13, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.05 I Forgot to Remember to Forget
- ^ a b One Tree Hill Episode 5.01 Four Years Six Months and Two Days
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.03 My way home is through you
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.04 It's alright Ma I'm only bleeding
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.06 Don't Dream it's Over
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.07 In Da Club
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.08 Please Please Please Let me Get What I Want
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.09 For Tonight You're Only Here to Know
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.10
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.12 Hundred
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.15 Life is Short
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.16 Crying Won't Help You Now
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.17 Hate is Safer Than Love
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 5.18 What Comes After the Blue
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 601 Touch Me, I'm Going To Scream Part 1.
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 602 One Million Billionth Of A Millisecond On A Sunday Morning.
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 604 Bridge Over Troubled Water
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 605 You've Dug Your Own Grave, Now Lie In It
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 606 Choosing My Own Way Of Life
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 607 Messin' With The Kid
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 608 Our Life Is Not A Movie, Or Maybe
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 609 Sympathy For The Devil
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 610 Even Fairy Tale Characters Would Be Jealous
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 612 You Have Got To Be Kidding (Autopsy Of The Devil's Brain)
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 613 Things A Mama Don't Know
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 616 Screenwriter's Blues
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 617 You And Me And The Bottle Makes Three Tonight
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 622 Show me How to Live
- ^ One Tree Hill Episode 623 Forever and Almost Always
- ^ Armstrong, Jennifer (August 20, 2009). "'One Tree Hill' sneak preview: Time jumps, hot new characters, and life without Chad Michael Murray". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
- ^ Newman-Bremang, Kathleen (May 19, 2009). "'One Tree Hill' Finale: How We Would Have Said Goodbye To Leyton". MTV. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
- ^ "The 25 Most Important CW Couples". ScreenRant.
- ^ "Top 10 TV Supercouples". www.buddytv.com. November 5, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ De Leon, Kris (April 5, 2010). "Who's Returning on 'One Tree Hill'?". buddytv.com. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
- SOAPnet. Archived from the originalon June 26, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
- ^ Raisler, Carrie (August 28, 2009). "'One Tree Hill': Growing pains". Zap2it. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
- ^ Hidek, Jeff (August 19, 2009). "WE LOVE TV: Fans pick 12 "most essential" episodes of "One Tree Hill"". starnewsonline.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
Further reading
- Rizzo, Monica (2005). One Tree Hill: Meet The Stars Of One Tree Hill. Scholastic Inc. p. 106. ISBN 0-439-73036-8.
- Markas, Jenny (2005). One Tree Hill: The Beginning. Scholastic Inc. p. 264. ISBN 0-439-71560-1.