Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer is a fictional character from The WB/CW television series One Tree Hill, portrayed by Hilarie Burton. A talented visual and musical artist, Peyton has a heavily guarded heart due to the number of lost loved ones in her life. She goes through life changes throughout the series as she finds love from Lucas Scott, to Jake Jagielski, then back to Lucas again. She shares a special bond with Brooke Davis, her best friend for many years. She also becomes close friends with Haley James. Her friends have been there for her during difficult times.
Wilmington Star described the character as having "blown away every stereotype the media has placed on cheerleaders", while PopMatters referred to her as "a walking contradiction."
Burton was one of the more prominent VJs on MTV for two years, with her looks and other onscreen activitiesacting as assets. She was the host of her own show, MTV's Hits, helped launch the network's Beach House from the New Jersey shore in May 2002 and was a regular on TRL. Her MTV VJ job allowed her to pursue other media career opportunities, and eventually led to her being cast as Peyton. Burton, who favored acting as a career, auditioned for the part of Ed Harris's daughter in the film Radio. She was encouraged by subsequent callbacks, but did not land the role.
