The ‘One Tree Hill’ star said he got ‘roasted a little bit’ by his former castmates who were all together in Wilmington, N.C., when the campaign launched

In a heartwarming return to his ‘One Tree Hill’ roots, James Lafferty, everyone’s favorite Nathan Scott, is back in the spotlight. The actor, who left a lasting impression playing Nathan from 2003-2012, recently took part in an engaging new campaign for American Eagle. The photoshoot, capturing Lafferty on a familiar basketball court, resonated with fans of the show and exemplified the effortlessly cool and athletic aura he’s famed for.

The campaign images, shared broadly on social media, exhibit Lafferty shooting hoops and working out, donning American Eagle’s gym gear. In some striking shots, Lafferty, 38, shows off his well-toned physique in just boxers, adding a touch of nostalgia and excitement for fans.

On Instagram, Lafferty nostalgically captioned his post, “It’s the oldest story in the world … Returning to the court in AE 24/7. @americaneagle #AEPartner,” a touching nod to ‘One Tree Hill.’

This remarkable campaign also ties into the recent Friends with Benefits charity basketball game Lafferty played with former co-stars like Bryan Greenberg, Stephen Colletti, and Robbie Jones. This game was part of a slew of reunion events in Wilmington, North Carolina, where ‘One Tree Hill’ was originally shot, aimed at raising funds for the V Foundation.

Reflecting on the campaign, Lafferty mentioned that it also reminded him of his and Colletti’s series, ‘Everyone Is Doing Great.’ He humorously noted, “Frankly, this campaign is something my character would do in the show, only he would probably mess it up extravagantly.”

May 18 was an exuberant day for Lafferty as the photos went live just as he was engrossed in the festivities in Wilmington. Sharing a light-hearted mishap, he revealed that he initially botched his Instagram post due to a lack of cell service and WiFi. The confusion resulted in three identical pictures being uploaded, leading to what he described as “pretty hilarious phone calls with my wife and my manager.”

These laughs wouldn’t have been complete without the camaraderie of his former ‘One Tree Hill’ castmates, who “roasted” him a bit, albeit in a friendly fashion.

Connecting with his followers has always been crucial for Lafferty. His former co-stars’ reactions were priceless, with Hilarie Burton humorously commenting, “What in the thirst trap is this?!?!?! James!!!!!!! Good Lord. Put a warning on stuff like this.” Sophia Bush also added, “Bro, you gotta warn the internet when you drop something like this!” and Bryan Greenberg chimed in with, “Damn kid!”

Lafferty admitted he wasn’t quite prepared for the overwhelming reaction, saying, “Of course, you’re always hoping that anything you do is going to be well received. But I was just trying not to think too far down the road, to be honest.” Above all, he focused on following photographer Sergio Garcia’s directions, given his self-professed lack of modeling expertise.

Nonetheless, Lafferty diligently prepared for the shoot: “So, go to the gym, eat right, shave in all the necessary places and hope for the best.”

You can catch the first season of ‘Everyone Is Doing Great’ on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video, where Lafferty’s charming humor and relatable dilemmas promise a good watch.