In her upcoming memoir Dinner For Vampires, actress Bethany Joy Lenz opens up about her experience being part of a religious cult called The Big House Family for 10 years. Lenz, who always had an Evangelical Christian background, found solace in Bible-study sessions where she met like-minded individuals. A pastor named ‘Les’ persuaded her and others to move to a communal ‘Big House’ in Idaho, starting what soon spiraled into a manipulative and abusive situation that lasted a decade.
Lenz recounts how her involvement with the cult became a topic of discussion behind the scenes on the set of One Tree Hill, with concerned co-stars trying to help her. She struggled to leave the organization due to the deep entanglement of her life with it – she was married to a cult member and felt like she had no other friends besides those within the group. Ultimately, the birth of her daughter Maria Rose in 2011 gave her the strength to break free from the cult and begin to rebuild her life.
Lenz reveals that the minister of The Big House Family convinced her to marry his son and embezzled millions of dollars from her television income without her knowledge. She describes the cult’s compound in the Pacific Northwest as a place with strict control, where ‘minders’ monitored her on set and she attended ‘Maoist struggle session’-inspired meetings in a basement. Regular counseling sessions with ‘Leadership’ were used to keep her under their influence until she found the courage to leave.
The actress shares how her co-stars on One Tree Hill were aware of her involvement with the cult, but she initially brushed off their concerns, believing she had a unique connection to God that others were envious of. As she began to recognize the manipulation and abuse she was facing, she sought help from an unlikely source – a super-fan of the show who played a role in her eventual escape from the cult’s grip. Through forgiveness and healing, Lenz’s memoir aims to shed light on the tactics used by manipulative organizations and offer hope to others who have faced similar challenges.
Lenz’s memoir also delves into her personal life, including her marriage to musician Michael Galeotti, a fellow member of the cult. Following their separation and his tragic death in 2016, Lenz reflects on the complexities of forgiveness, healing, and rebuilding her life after leaving the cult. Throughout the book, she emphasizes the importance of acknowledging one’s mistakes and finding the strength to move forward, offering a message of hope to those who may have experienced similar struggles. Dinner for Vampires is set for release on October 22 and promises to be a raw and revealing account of Lenz’s journey through manipulation, abuse, and ultimately, liberation.
