Kelsey Asbille's Journey from 'One Tree Hill' Teen to 'Yellowstone' Star

Teen dramas often feature older actors playing teenage characters, but Kelsey Asbille's role on One Tree Hill was a unique exception.

The actress, known for her role on Yellowstone, recently appeared on the "Drama Queens" podcast on Monday, March 4. She discussed her experience playing Gigi Silveri on the WB/CW drama from 2005 to 2009 as her first professional job.

When Asbille, who is now 32 years old, reminisced about being 13 years old, she described how the older girls seemed so beautiful to her. She admitted to stuffing her bra for the audition, feeling like she had to do it. She had thought she was auditioning for a cheerleader, borrowing her friend's cheerleading outfit, but was surprised to learn that she was actually trying out for the role of the school nerd.

Upon hearing Asbille's story, Burton Morgan, 41, expressed feeling horrified, especially since she has a 14-year-old son. Lenz, 42, who recently celebrated her daughter's 13th birthday, could relate to the situation.

Gigi was introduced as a student who had a crush on Marvin “Mouth” McFadden (Lee Norris).

"I didn’t really know what I was doing, I was just really happy to be there. I couldn’t believe my luck. I do remember someone telling me to stop smiling," Asbille said with a laugh.

The actress, who was 14 years old when she landed the role, felt lucky to work alongside Norris, who had experience as a child actor on Boy Meets World. However, she wasn't too excited about filming her first on-screen kiss with James Lafferty, as they recreated Nathan and Haley's romance for a skit.

"This is not how I imagined my first kiss," she admitted. "Having it happen on One Tree Hill, with James [Lafferty], was unexpected."

She recalled feeling extremely nervous on the day of the scene, to the point where she was hesitant to even eat a shrimp skewer. She even asked Sophia Bush if actors kiss during rehearsals.

Adding to the nerves was the fact that she had braces during the scene where she had to jump and kiss the other actor. She described the moment as accidentally "punching his face with my face" due to the force of the kiss.

Yellowstone s Kelsey Asbille Recalls Stuffing Her Bra at Age 13 for One Tree Hill Audition 329

Cam McLeod/Paramount Network

She continued, "I should apologize for the worst kiss of my life, of his life. I'm so, so sorry."

Asbille was a fan of Lafferty before being cast and had watched One Tree Hill before getting the gig. "I was totally a Nathan girl," she said. "I had a big crush on James too, he was really nice. The whole kiss situation was just awkward."

She joked, "We don't want to end up with what we thought we wanted."

During season 6 of One Tree Hill, Asbille was 17 years old. However, the show had a four-year time jump which aged most characters closer to the real ages of the actors. This meant that Asbille was even further from the age of her character. She was portraying a 20-something trying to seduce her ex, who was in a committed relationship.

Asbille recalled feeling grateful for her former costars' support and protection during the transition to more mature storylines. She remembered feeling nervous when she had to take her shirt off, not knowing what to do as the scenes became more revealing. Sophia, in particular, was very supportive and made sure Asbille felt comfortable, such as when they had to wear a tube top.

Looking back, Asbille's former costars were shocked at the storylines she was involved in as a child. However, Asbille reassured them that she wasn't overly uncomfortable, largely due to the care and support she received from the women on set.

"I received a lot of support from all of you and the crew while working on One Tree Hill because I grew up with them from the ages of 13 to 17. I always felt really protected," she shared.

One Tree Hill was a significant stepping stone in Asbille's career, leading to roles in Teen Wolf, Fargo, and Yellowstone.

Editor's P/S:

Kelsey Asbille's experience on "One Tree Hill" highlights the complexities of portraying teenage characters in the entertainment industry. Her journey from