Bethany Joy Galeotti is an American singer and actress. As a singer, she has released two independent albums, titled Preincarnate (2002) and Come On Home (2005). As an actress, she is best known for her role as Michelle Bauer Santos on Guiding Light (from 1998 to 2000) and for her role as Haley James Scott on One Tree Hill (since 2003).

Bethany Joy Lenz was born on April 2, 1981 in Hollywood, Florida. Her father is a history teacher and therapeut, her mother is a manager and she has a younger sister. Lenz and her family moved to Texas when she was four. She landed her first stage role at age seven, playing a munchkin in a local production of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and subsequently performed in To Kill a Mockingbird, Annie, Cinderella and in Gypsy: A Musical Fable. When she was thirteen, she moved with her family to New Jersey.

At age fifteen, she appeared in her first movie, Thinner. She was later cast in CBS soap opera Guiding Light where she first appeared as the teenaged clone of Reva Shayne in a controversial storyline. Lenz made such an impression on viewers and critics that she was later recast as Michelle Bauer Santos upon Rebecca Budig's exit. She also acted in a Broadway musical called Foxy Ladies Love/Boogie 70's Explosion.Then had a co starring role with Danny "The Farrow" Anniello in the Critically acclaimed independant film The End Of August. She then moved from New York to Los Angeles where she performed in a theatre production of The Outsiders, and also guest-starred on many shows such as Off Centre, Charmed, Felicity, Maybe It's Me and The Guardian. At age twenty-two, she was cast in WB television series One Tree Hill as Haley James Scott, who is Lucas Scott’s best friend and Nathan Scott’s wife, a role that she is still playing. During her work on One Tree Hill, she acted in her second film Bring It On Again.

Lenz has recorded two independent records. The first album, titled Preincarnate, was released in October 2002. In March 2005, she embarked on a month-long music tour with Tyler Hilton, The Wreckers (Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp), and Gavin DeGraw to promote One Tree Hill, where she performed some of her original songs from her second independent record. This second album, titled Come On Home, was sold at the concert venues. Lenz also recorded several songs for an album with Epic Records, but she is no longer affiliated with them and is hoping to release the album through another company in the near future. In 2006 Lenz wrote and recorded several songs for the soundtrack for Ten Inch Hero.

Joy recently performed the national anthem at the annual James Lafferty Charity Basketball Game together with Hilarie Burton and Elisabeth Harnois.

Longtime fans have noted her physical resemblance to fellow actress Kay Lenz, although they are not related.

In her early career, she was credited as Joie Lenz, a spelling of her middle name which she adopted in her early teens. When she joined One Tree Hill in 2003, she has been credited as Bethany Joy Lenz (up until 3x10). She was also credited as Haley James Scott on One Tree Hill's CD Friends with Benefits.

Her hobbies are photography, painting, writing, horseback riding, knitting, and making stationary. Her favourite singers include Sheryl Crow, U2 and Coldplay. Her favorite series include Joan of Arcadia, Alias, I Love Lucy, Lost, Arrested Development and Friends.

OTH co-stars Danneel Harris & Elisabeth Harnois both star in Ten Inch Hero. This is the same exact movie Joy recorded three new songs for.

On December 31, 2005, she married Enation band member Michael Galeotti.