MovieChat Forums > One Tree Hill (2003) Discussion > I figured out the reason I don't love Na...

I figured out the reason I don't love Naley.....

posted 8 years ago by cheerio_xo
13 replies | jump to latest

It's James Lafferty's terrible acting! He is a gorgeous man and he was actually really good in season 1 as "the bad boy with a heart". Actually they were my favourite couple and the only thing I cared about in season 1. But after that... they really just fell flat and it's James Lafferty's poor acting. He feels like a piece of furniture in most scenes and his emoting is just awful after season 1 (aside from the time Haley is hit with the car and he is in the hospital crying, that was good). His character also became rather robotic, being only about basketball and "I have to be a good man for Haley". I mean it is a good sentiment but wish they hadn't ruined him. In season 1 it was like he was an entirely different person and I know most would disagree but I liked him better!

[–] gabelandeskog 8 years ago

I agree that James was the weakest actor out of the main cast, and I thought Bethany was the strongest out of the group. So putting them together might have highlighted James' struggles; though I thought he was fantastic at times. For example, James and Joy were both incredible in 2x13. I actually thought James was pretty great in S2. I think maybe the issue, as you said, was where his storyline headed..

[–] sarkaprokopova 8 years ago

Yip James did a better job as a bad boy in the 1st Season and prior him falling in love with Haley. Otheriwse his acting range on display was very limited, and his straight face stares were becoming irrating to watch after a while...I liked him in the 1st 2 Seasons and then became very bored with him.

Also from observing his relationship with Haley once Jamie was born, they seemes so boring and repetitive to me - not much fun except the sex at Peyton's wedding in S6?

Peyton was obviously more fun to be around as a gf ack in S1, whilst Haley I felt kind of enslaved him and got im to be a boring dude. I think he acted way too seriously for his youg age, and thats one thing I had a problem with in S5 + 6 9the few episodes I bothered watching with them). Just because you have a kid, you can still have fun as a couple, and not only stick to the same routine every day.

[–] cheerio_xo 8 years ago

VERY well said. The writers did a terrible job with that. In season 1, Naley was a big hit because Nathan actually had a personality and flaws. All of a sudden because he fell for Haley, they had to make him this saint who can do no wrong. Life doesn't work that way. Also just to give someone their "happy ending", it doesn't mean they need to be married, have kids and be like an old married couple. That was so painstakingly unrealistic. They could have had them live together and just be teenagers in love.. growing together and making mistakes together. I absolutely hated Nathan as Peyton's boyfriend (from the little I remember of that) but at least he was able to evoke some emotion in me.

[–] lavin95 7 years ago

Yeah agreed, James was the weakest actor out of the core 5 IMO. Naley getting married that early in the show was the biggest mistake storyline wise for Nathan and Haley in my eyes.

[–] thomaskwok 7 years ago

I was one of the people who hated Naley the first time watching it... But now going back, I love them so much, partly because I know how it turns out and how much love is between them. They are the couple that people don't really love the first time watching, but when you rewatch it you do fall in love with them.

[–] lavin95 7 years ago

I don't hate Naley (I actaully really liked them in S1) I just felt that them getting married later in the show would have been better storyline wise for both characters.

[–] thomaskwok 7 years ago

Maybe. But I do like that their love story becomes sort of an epic tale because they were high school sweethearts that did work out

[–] lavin95 7 years ago

I'm definitely not against them ending together and get married/having kids part, it's just when it happened that annoys me.

[–] thomaskwok 7 years ago

What annoyed you about it? I liked it now that I rewatched the show. She was the first girl he really loved and she made him a better person because of it.

[–] lavin95 7 years ago

Basically that after they get married after only an couple of months of dating (if that) and not long after Haley was insecure about Nathan and sex. I get that they really loved each other and they both had changed for the better but that's not really an great reason to get married IMO. Plus it didn't really help that the only couple storylines they got were third party ones, which besides Chris was based around Nathan being (mostly) an idiot and their individual storylines (especially Haley's) being really crappy or for Haley in S6 in non existant. As I said previously, it would've been better for both characters individually if Naley got married later in the show.

[–] simba122504 7 years ago

James is a weak actor, but Naley is GOAT.

Clark's destiny = Superman, LL &LL.

[–] Artisan (3464) 4 years ago

At times I got the impression Lafferty was bored with the whole thing. Then again he was playing a jock and they tend to be like that.

[–] Mustang (5230) 2 years ago

Jocks can be very boring and wooden so maybe in that sense he was a realistic portrayal.

I haven’t seen him in anything else but he was the worst actor. His character constantly fucking up got boring too.