Stephen Colletti Shares His Thoughts on ‘Laguna Beach’ While Reflecting on ‘One Tree Hill’ and His Role in ‘Traitors’

Stephen Colletti Addresses Controversy Over The Traitors Credits

When actor Stephen Colletti joined the cast of the Peacock competition reality series The Traitors, fans were quick to express mixed feelings regarding his representation. Some viewers speculated that Colletti, known for his role in Laguna Beach, was distancing himself from his roots by choosing to highlight One Tree Hill in his video confessional credits.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Colletti clarified, “That’s not the case at all.” He explained that he initially suggested One Tree Beach as a credit but the network did not accept it. “I thought that that would’ve really stirred the pot for everyone if they saw that," he said. Instead, he expressed a preference for simply being labeled as “actor,” which he felt was not accommodated.

Colletti recalled the decision-making process, stating, “They’re like, ‘Pick between One Tree Hill and Laguna Beach.’ I worked on One Tree Hill for a longer time, more episodes, and it was more recent. Figured it cast a wider net, so I went with that one.” Despite his rationale, he was taken aback by the backlash, with some accusing him of harboring disdain for Laguna Beach. He firmly rejected this notion, emphasizing, “That’s not the case at all.”

Born and raised in Newport Beach, California, Colletti rose to fame as a cast member on MTV’s Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County from 2004 to 2006. He later portrayed the character Chase Adams on One Tree Hill from 2007 to 2012.

Colletti further elaborated on his choice of credit, saying, “I mean, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, it’s a little word sandwich under there. It’s very long. I mean, you can’t do LBTROC, that doesn’t really have the kind of the zip to it as the Housewives ones. So yeah, One Tree Hill was clean and easy, and I stand by that.”