5 Absurd Things Bethany Joy Lenz Had to Do As Part of the Big Family Cult With Her Ex-Husband
- Bethany Joy Lenz married the son of the cult leader in an arranged situation.
- The actress faced a s*x schedule that affected her views on intimacy.
- Past experiences in the cult impacted her future relationships and career.
Bethany Joy Lenz, known for her role on One Tree Hill, recently opened up about her decade-long experience in a Christian cult called The Big House Family. In her upcoming memoir, Dinner for Vampires, she shares her journey of dealing with both fame and the “strict controls of cult life.”
Lenz details the mind-boggling rules, arranged marriages, and how a s*x schedule turned her love life upside down. Here are five of the most shocking aspects of her experience.
1. Bethany Joy Lenz was Asked to Move to an Idaho Commune
When Bethany Joy Lenz moved to L.A. at 20, she quickly bonded with new friends she met at a Bible study. Before long, the group felt more like family, and it was unlike anything Lenz had ever felt before.
Things escalated quickly when a new pastor joined the cult, urging everyone to ditch California for a commune in Idaho. The star went along with it, thinking it was all good vibes.
Little did she know, this move would only deepen her entanglement in the cult’s grip. But hey, sometimes you just go where your heart takes you, right? Despite the chaos, she felt close to certain members and didn’t see the red flags waving all around her.
2. The Arranged Marriage
On the latest episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, Lenz shared that she wasn’t allowed to date anyone outside the group, not even a non-Christian.
As a result, she found herself married to the son of the cult leader, which she described as an “arranged situation.” The relationship was playful, but Lenz missed the intellectual spark the Songs in My Pockets singer craved.
3. S*x Schedules
To make matters worse, the cult imposed strict rules on their marriage, including a scheduled s*x life. The 43-year-old admitted she had a “crazy s*x drive” but felt disconnected from her husband, referred to as “QB” in her memoir.
Lenz felt it was her “duty” to be a good wife, but every time her husband came to town, her stomach dropped. She shared how her feelings of obligation clashed with her lack of attraction.
“I hated it,” the One Tree Hill alumna confessed. Trying to keep the spark alive felt more like a chore than a choice. This not-so-fun approach to intimacy left some lasting effects, even after they divorced.
4. PTSD from Past Relationships
After all that scheduled intimacy, it’s no surprise that Lenz faced some baggage in future relationships. She revealed that simple actions, like picking someone up from the airport, would trigger memories of the cult’s strict routines. This led to feelings of anxiety and flashbacks, showing just how deeply the cult’s control affected her emotional well-being.
5. The Acting Dilemma
As if managing her personal life wasn’t enough, Lenz had to deal with the cult’s interference in her career. While starring in One Tree Hill, she had to kiss co-star James Lafferty on-screen, and her husband absolutely hated it.
In fact, he wanted her to quit acting altogether. But this pressure didn’t just weigh on her—it affected her self-worth and happiness in her craft.
Dinner for Vampires is set to be released on October 22, 2024, and will be available for purchase on Amazon.
