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Filmmaker to Produce Big Drama for Tree Hill's "Leyton"?

Lucas Scott may finally get a big break with one of his novels when Austin Nichols makes his way to Tree Hill as movie producer Julian Baker. We checked in with TV's former John from Cincinnati to learn more about his 10-episode One Tree Hill arc, including Julian's "voracious appetite for women." Plus: Will Nichols' coed-canoodling teach return to Friday Night Lights? TVGuide.com: What you can reveal about your Tree Hill character? Austin Nichols: He's definitely a troublemaker, kind of a ...

robyn-ross.jpg
Robyn Ross

Lucas Scott may finally get a big break with one of his novels when Austin Nichols makes his way to Tree Hill as movie producer Julian Baker. We checked in with TV's former John from Cincinnati to learn more about his 10-episode One Tree Hill arc, including Julian's "voracious appetite for women." Plus: Will Nichols' coed-canoodling teach return to Friday Night Lights?

TVGuide.com: What you can reveal about your Tree Hill character?
Austin Nichols:
He's definitely a troublemaker, kind of a Jack Nicholson sort. One of those guys you love to hate. I definitely piss Lucas off quite a bit, and that's probably going to come to blows.

Are you going to have any overlap with James Van der Beek, who'll be playing a director interested in the movie?
Nichols:
We don't immediately, but I would imagine we do. The important thing to know is that I'm the producer of the movie, so I'm going to be James Van der Beek's boss.

TVGuide.com: I read that Julian and Peyton (played by Hilarie Burton) have a past connection. Is that anything you can go into?
Nichols:
I don't know why they're being so secretive about my love life on this show, but I'll tell you this: When I had my meeting with [series creator] Mark Schwann, I told him that I wanted them all! There are tons of beautiful women on this show, so hopefully Julian crosses paths with many of them. Julian has a voracious appetite.

TVGuide.com: I also hear that there's a possible romance with Brooke (Sophia Bush).
Nichols:
Time will tell, time will tell....

TVGuide.com: You played quite the heart-breaker on Friday Night Lights. Do you think Noah would ever make a return appearance?
Nichols:
I wish. I really love that show and that character. When I talked to them on the phone beforehand I said [teacher-student romance] happens every day in this country and we should definitely explore this. I know it's a hard thing to do, to bounce all these storylines, and that was probably one of the ones that fell off the table. But I hope it comes back.

TVGuide.com: When we spoke to you back then, you said that David Milch was trying to think of a way for John from Cincinnati to come back. Any updates?
Nichols:
No. At some point DreamWorks was interested in buying the idea and doing, like, a web series or something. They kind of got into a [legal] fight so that didn't really happen. Then David started doing his new series, which I actually really liked and wanted to do, and HBO was a little like, "Maybe we should keep these two apart for the next show." But David's new series, Last of the Ninth, is a cop show that takes place in 1970s New York and it's really bad-ass. As always, he'll be doing some pretty racy, cool stuff.

Crave scoop? Got some to share? Email Matt and Mickey at mega_scoop@tvguide.com.