About Hilarie Burton
Hilarie Burton is an American actress, businesswoman, author and producer. A former host of MTV's Total Request Live, she portrayed Peyton Sawyer on The WB/CW drama One Tree Hill for six seasons. Post One Tree Hill, Burton starred in Our Very Own, Solstice, and The List.
She has also had supporting or recurring roles in television series, including her role as Sara Ellis on White Collar (2010–2013), Dr. Lauren Boswell on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy (2013), Molly Dawes on the ABC drama series Forever (2014), and Karen Palmer on the Fox television series Lethal Weapon (2016).
Burton was born in Sterling, Virgina to a father who was a salesman and and veteran of the U.S. Army, and a mother who drove a school bus. Growing up, Burton had a passion for acting. A passion she decided to pursue after graduating high school. She went to New York University to study acting, and wound up with a better gig. After winning a guest spot to interview on the red carpet for MTV, Burton impressed and was given a full time job. Ironically, while growing up in Virginia, Burton was not allowed to watch MTV. In 2002, Burton made a guest appearance on Dawson's Creek as a VJ.
Burton went on to present at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards and MTV's Iced Out New Year's Eve. Burton went on to portray herself on The WB drama Dawson's Creek in 2002, which marked her television debut.
During her time on One Tree Hill, Burton resided in Wilmington, North Carolina, where the show was filmed.
In 2009, Burton began a relationship with actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, after being introduced on a blind date set up by Jensen Ackles and his wife Danneel, their previous co-stars.[citation needed]
The couple's first child is a son; their second child is a daughter.
Burton has been candid on social media about their struggle to conceive, stating that it took five years to successfully carry a second baby to term. The couple married on October 5, 2019. Their private wedding was attended by many of their One Tree Hill and Supernatural co-stars.
Morgan and Burton have made their home in Rhinebeck, New York, on a 100-acre working farm in the Hudson Valley with cows, ducks, chickens, alpacas, donkeys, and an emu.
Since 2014, they have been co-owners (along with Morgan's friend, actor Paul Rudd) of Samuel's Sweet Shop, a Rhinebeck candy store they saved from being closed after the previous owner, a friend of theirs, died suddenly.
