Shantel VanSanten has a background modeling. In college she studied to be a photojournalist.

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Shantel VanSanten made quite the splash with her debut on One Tree Hill last season as Quinn James; free-spirited beautiful photographer running away from her past and moving to Tree Hill to further discover herself and her future. As we saw Quinn had a year full of new discoveries that took her down an interesting path of new love, loss, and just about everything in between which ultimately led her to have one of the most unexpected cliffhangers in One Tree Hill history! I had the pleasure of catching up with the always super-sweet VanSanten on set recently in the midst of her filming the aftermath to Quinn's final season seven scene that left her lying on the floor after being shot. 

VanSanten, who is of Norwegian-Dutch descent, says the name Shantel came from her mom wanting her to be called something unique. And that's exactly what you get with VanSanten. She comes across as someone who possesses a rare genuine spark and gratefulness about everything. Chatting with VanSanten it's easy to see just how appreciative and enthusiastic she is about her role and experiences with One Tree Hill; as she reflected back on her most cherished moments with Quinn, why she's so touched by fan reactions, and what she's most excited about with her storyline this season! 

What was your reaction when you first found out Quinn would be shot? 

Shantel-You know I read it and I called Mark [Schwahn] and I was like, 'are you getting rid of me? Is this it? This is how I go?' (Laughs) No he actually called me beforehand and was like 'okay I just want to let you know, we're going to shoot you'. And I'm like okay ha ha you're really funny. And he was like 'no really, we're going to and it's okay'. But it was such an unexpected thing. I watched the finale with my family and I didn't tell anybody. And when it happened they all looked me and were like 'oh my god! You're shot!' And I was like, 'well I have a job next season but I don't actually know what it entails so, yup there you go'. And even so, even if you have a contract they don't have to bring you back, so it was something where I was like are they going to bring me back for one episode and then am I dead, or am I just gone? So it was still nerve-wracking until we read a few of the scripts. It's a pretty amazing storyline. 

Mark wrote the first four or five scripts I think, and it's such a strong season. I feel that it feels like it's going to be the last season and everybody's so excited and so blessed that we have another season. And I feel like it's cool for everybody's characters because maybe it will bring more closure. But Mark has brought his A-game for the first five episodes on everybody's story lines. There's so much going on and so much to follow and every story is just so strong.

I know the buzz with the fans has been how Quinn getting shot, and Haley losing her mom has just been too much tragedy for the Scott/James family. 

Shantel- Yeah and it's funny because some people have said that to me. But anything is possible on this show. If anything maybe, you never know what circumstances are going to do to people and you never know what Mark's going to find in a situation that brings out something else in a different character. And sometimes it is a tremendous loss that makes you change your mind. Haley really struggled with depression and sometimes it maybe wouldn't push somebody further in depression. Maybe it would make them step up and make them realize that you can't mourn the loss and that you have to enjoy the moments in life that you do have with people. So I mean you never know. And the first few episodes are really hazy and you don't really know and it's all really confusing. It's going to be quite the ride for the fans. 

How does the shooting affect Quinn this season and everyone around her? 

Shantel-It obviously affects everybody's life tremendously. Eventually we're either found dead or half alive or you never know where a story could go. Especially on TV they can kind of do whatever they want and create whatever roles that they want. But it definitely affects everybody. Everything in Tree Hill kind of does, it's a small town. So when Brooke goes through something, or Haley, or Nathan, everybody feels that weight because everybody's close and it's kind of like a friendship and I think that's why people relate to it a lot. But it'll affect Quinn's life tremendously. Tremendously.

How do you prepare for your emotional scenes? You had a great amount of those last season. 

Shantel-Yeah there are a lot of those. You know I enjoy comedy so much. And I enjoyed the balance that they had me have last season and if I survive, I hope to have the same this season, of having those dramatic moments but then allowing the audience to see you happy as well. Happy and in love and having comedy and having a normal relationship because that's life. Life happens and you have the moments where everything is fine and fun and you never know when it's going to switch and turn and something bad happens or something dramatic happens. 

And for me I have always worked in a place where I pull so much from my own life. It's kind of why I wanted to be an actress. I looked at my life and thought I have so many stories to tell. It's a safe but vulnerable place. I can use my character and I can tell my stories and nobody has to know what exact story I'm telling or what I am using to find my emotion. Like the story could be about my boyfriend and me and I'm talking about my dad or my grandfather or my mom. And you just substitute out different situations and people and you try to relate to what other people might feel when they watch the scene. And it's the biggest fulfillment. I've received so many fan letters regarding the Lydia story line last season and people were just like you really helped me through things, you inspired me. I saved a few of them because they were so cool. It's the reason I do what I do, it's to inspire people, or to help people, to make them feel like they're not alone because you get to watch a show and you get to lose yourself.  I've been there and my character's there and we've all been in different places.

What do you hope for Quinn this season? 

Shantel-Well I would love for her and Clay to survive and be able to recover. I think that it gives you a new perspective and appreciation for life when you go through something that traumatic. And just for her to follow her heart as far as work goes. I'd also like to see Quinn and Clay have a little bit more fun. We always want to laugh more. (Laughs)

Fans on Twitter told me they just really want to see Quinn and Clay on the beach a lot. 

Shantel-I know they always want us on the beach! Which I'm totally happy with. I love shooting there. Unless we have, like in January we had to shoot a whole bunch of beach and pool stuff and it was freezing! But it was good preparation for going to Utah and being in a bikini so I couldn't complain. 
 

How is Quinn different this season? Last season when we first met her, she seemed a bit lost, and trying to find herself. How has she evolved this season? 

Shantel-Well every life experience changes you. So if Quinn recovers she's certainly going to grow and be changed from the experience. I remember when I started, I was like who in the hell is Quinn? Okay I can define who I think she is, but then people hand me stories and I realize little things about her and I'm like okay so she likes this and she likes to do this. Even styles of clothing change or make up changes. Like in the beginning for instance Quinn would often be very made up and stylish but over time we talked about moving away from that because Quinn seemed more down to earth to me.

I always find myself thinking more about Quinn, especially when you shoot TV and you don't shoot movies because you're so immersed in it and you play it so long that I find myself thinking, like I wonder what color Quinn would do? I know what color bed spread I like. What would Quinn like? (Laughs) And it's so funny somebody told me once if you wanted to find a character, consider how they would brush their teeth. Are they a quick scrubber? Do they just gargle? Do they brush their teeth once a day, six times a day? Do they floss? And it really makes you kind of think about it. It's just the little tiny things that maybe people don't notice but I own my character more when I do them.

Which One Tree Hill character do you find you most relate to? 

Shantel-Everybody wants to be Jamie because he's a kid. And I think everybody is a kid at heart. That's the safest answer, the part that's like “I'm like Jamie because I'm a kid at heart and we all are.” Everybody on the set is. I think that's why we all get along. But I think I am close to who my character is because so much of me goes into my character. I think there's also a part of me that I find in Joy's [Bethany Joy Galeotti] character, in Haley. The strength that she has and the nurturing part of her. I don't play the nurturing person, but I'm an older sibling and I've always taken care of my brother and sisters, so it's weird for me to be the older one and not be nurturing and not be the one that's the caretaker. So there's a part of me that feels like I understand Haley's character as well. And it's cool because I feel sometimes sisters do trade off those roles. Sometimes you need and sometimes you give and vice versa.

Looking back on season seven, which moment that you had with Quinn stands out most to you? 

Shantel-I have two. Looking back there was the episode where it's raining, where I show up at Clay's door and I ask him if I can come in because I'm struggling with something, and he tells me that I have to leave and he chases out to the car in the rain and sits in the car and tells me about his wife. I feel like it was such an important moment for their relationship, opening up to each other and building that trust and that friendship in order to be where Clay and Quinn are now. It was kind of like an overcoming, one of the biggest obstacles where she's opening up to another person. And those scenes there's like three of them and they're my favorite sequence and I still cry when I watch them. 

The finale episode was so much fun to shoot. All the episodes Mark writes are so much fun. There's so much energy in them and if there's not a lot of energy there's always the drama. And it was fun to prance around in the snow in a bathing suit. As nerve-wracking as it was, it's so funny. And I love doing the dancing sequence that I got to do and the comedy. I kind of got a little bit of everything last season.

What do you like to do most in Wilmington when you're not working? 

Shantel-Rob [Buckley] and I visit the comic book shop probably two times a week. At least. There are two of them, well the two of them that we go to that we found. I refuse to tell where they are because they have a very limited section and people might get the good stuff before I do. (Laughs) When I'm here I love just being out on the beach and just enjoying the peace working in a small town offers. The beaches here are a lot more quiet and the water is a lot warmer than California. I also love working out when I don’t have to work... probably because I love eating and Kilwin's home-made ice cream is one of my weaknesses!

Shantel works with 'Rally For Kids With Cancer'

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Actress Shantel Van Santen has been on a vibrant journey of growth these past two years both with herself and her character of Quinn James on One Tree Hill. In our final interview of the season, Shantel reflects on her experiences since joining the CW drama in 2009 and how they made her into the actress she is today. She talks about the fun moments, the challenging ones, the friendships and why she's so grateful for all of them! Shantel also tells fans what can be expected from the finale and shares what she will most take away from One Tree Hill.

If the series does end this year, fans of the show will have taken a lot away from Shantel as well. Her sincere and admirable qualities have led her to make a real difference in the lives of so many young women with her inspiring interview for the True Beauty campaign. At just 25 Shantel showed much courage and strength when she shared her story for the first time-and by doing so she gave strength to girls struggling by making them feel supported by her words. You know someone has touched lives when the feedback to their interview includes comments like 'being saved and changed for the better', and when parts of it are being quoted on girls mirrors at school! And that's exactly what Shantel Van Santen has done and just another thing in her life she expresses her true gratitude for her. In addition to the influence of One Tree Hill, Shantel talked about the impact the responses to her True Beauty interview had on her and why she's thankful for them every day!

We've talked about this but for all the girls who responded and whom you helped with your Team True Beauty interview, I wanted to briefly talk in here about the powerful feedback you've been receiving. Just a few days ago I received a message from a girl saying she wants to meet you so she can thank you for changing her life with your interview. You made such a profound impact by sharing your story.

Shantel- It's so amazing. I wish I could meet everybody. I wish I could go up to them and give everybody a hug that way they really knew me. I know when you read interviews that you feel supported in there, but I just feel so strongly that I wish everybody knew they're not alone, or they didn't have to feel that way. I'm not what defines beauty, or healthy, or skinny, I can only be what I am.

Your words really helped with them not feeling alone in their struggles. I still get emails and tweets about them re-reading it before school or after a bad day because they say it makes them feel more confident. It turns their day around. Like I told you before it's become like a 'go-to article' for girls to feel better with!

Shantel- It's incredible. I do hope to meet the people that it has made a difference to because it means so much to me. I didn't do it for anybody else and not even really for myself. I just felt it was the right thing to do. If I was going to speak out I would only want to speak out to somebody that I knew would take care of the story I was telling and my feelings about things. And I know that you did. And I appreciate it. If it wasn't for you that story would never be out there and those people would never feel like they had anybody that understood them. So thank you!

I'm so honored and that means so much to me. What is so cool is I was looking back at our past interviews, and in the first one from season seven you told me about the eighth grade paper you wrote in school about wanting to be a role model for others. And in the in-studio interview we did last summer, in the midst of talking about Quinn you still brought up wanting to inspire and touch people lives. So it was always there for you. I know it was always in your heart to help others. And now you're receiving messages from girls saying how much you inspired them and they're quoting you on their mirrors at school next to Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe! So wonderful!

Shantel- It's so amazing! It's all about those little things and it's all about reinforcing. I'm just so glad that it spoke to people. I really am. I'm glad every day. When you send me responses, I try to remember that it's about my heart and my soul. That's what it's about. And to keep doing the right thing with my life, that's what matters. It's not about whether or not I worked out today, or what I ate today, it's about the fact that I reached people and helped.

On to One Tree Hill, what can you say about what's ahead for the finale? I know you guys will find out very soon whether you will be back for another season or not.

Shantel- Schwahn had to write a finale that could go either way because we film far before they know. If it is the last episode ever I think he just wanted the fans to have closure. I know that the fans are used to big, dramatic, emotional and large circumstances happening but it's a quiet episode. It's more like the heartbeat that's behind everything. It's in the simple, small moments that you find the heart of this show. It's in the small things you say to one another. The moments that couples have, or sisters have, or some family members have. There's nothing huge that happens but I think that's only fair because if it is the last you wouldn't want to leave people hanging.

We're not Sex and the City! We won't be making a movie! (Laughs) As much fun as it would be to make a movie. You never know actually with Mark and everybody and especially with how many fans we still have.

Are you satisfied with the ending for Clay and Quinn if it is the series finale?

Shantel- At first I sat down with Mark and we kind of talked about what we thought was best. I think it's best for where Clay and Quinn have come from and where they are now. It just kind of makes sense. I actually don't expect everyone to agree with it. But I really love where the story ends if that's where it ends for us. And what's great is it ends in a place for everybody where I think that the fans will feel fulfilled, but there's still more story to tell if it isn't the end. It really is kind of a springboard for even more storytelling. It's not final. If it's the end Mark has always found a way to finish his stories well and if it isn't then it's going to be a really interesting season nine! The show will find itself in a different place than it ever has. Our lives are all going to be in a different place.

We just saw the Puerto Rico episode, how was that to film? It was a big Quinn episode.

Shantel- Puerto Rico was a blast. It's funny the episodes in the beginning of this season were very Clay and Quinn episodes just because of the way the finale was and they were storylines I could really sink my teeth into and use my emotional toolbox for. And I enjoyed them very much. Then after that it was a celebration of life and of a relationship that kind of found a new place for Clay and Quinn. How could you go through something like that and not want to live your life to the fullest? Especially with each other. It's one of those things where it's a game changer. You get shot, you both survive and you realize how much you love each other, and now you get to live your life to the fullest and you get to do the things you dream of. You get to be with the people who are most important. I think for Quinn she reflected back and realized how important her family was and how important love was to her.

She kind of was goofy! I loved doing all the fun, silly stuff that maybe to everybody else didn't necessarily have a true purpose or meaning, but it did because it showed that she was living life again. Having gone through a divorce, losing her mom, finding somebody she could confide in, falling in love with Clay, and then being shot; it was like every time she would get up something would bring her back down. And for once she got to be happy. And help other people. Help her sister through her pregnancy. Be there for Clay through his recovery. It was very selfless, where the first season Quinn was the one who needed more help.

So the Puerto Rico episode was the first time where it was Quinn's episode again and it kind of got to be about her. I thought it was important to see her working again and to see her passionate about something. She shot photos of the wedding and we spoke of a few other jobs that she had here and there but it was the first time I feel she got to love what she was doing again and she fell in love with the side of it that mattered the most: the heart and the soul of what she fell in love with doing a long time ago. I think it was important to show. And on top of it it got us all to Puerto Rico! It was kind of a fun girls Sex and the City feeling episode. We shot at the very end of everything. It was kind of a nice way to end the season.

What was the most challenging part of this season for you as an actress?

Shantel- The most challenging was all the emotional stuff at the beginning of the season. It was funny to come back to when you were so excited to be reunited with all your cast-mates and then to have such a heavy storyline, of course, is challenging and was challenging. But I always accept challenges. It's what I live for in acting. It's fun and it's great to do the comedy and the goofy stuff. That stuff kind of comes naturally because I'm a big goof-ball, but it's the emotional stuff that is so difficult because you make yourself so vulnerable. In episode three, the one where I was alive and he wasn't, we shot all of my work in one day in one hospital room. I don't think the tears ever stopped. That's always a challenge. Greg Prange directed that episode and Joe Davola directed the one before it, that was really emotional too, and they all I feel served such a great purpose for Clay and Quinn's relationship. It only deepened our relationship and our bond even more so I was more than willing to give everything that I could emotionally for the sake of their relationship.

Working with Rob [Buckley] on those kind of scenes is such a blessing because he knows about my life and I know about his and we're best friends so when we cry we're always there for each other after. It's not a process where it's like once you're done, you're like, "okay, I can stop crying!" You kind of feel bad after. We go home and we watch something funny, order Chinese food and we sit around and try to decompress from those kind of days. I'm grateful for them but they are the most challenging.

I think you and Rob did such a great job with all those emotional scenes early on.

Shantel- Thank you. We can't be good without each other. A scene is collaborative. It's never about one person. Even if Rob had his eyes closed when I was speaking to him, it would be him squeezing my hand in my closeup as I balled my eyes out. I could never be more grateful that I got to work with my best friend for two years. It's something that I really hold on to. Him and I have texted each other about what we feel about having a season nine and it's always like we're in this together. Hopefully they don't ever try to separate us! (Laughs) I think we'll probably protest. I'm so grateful for Rob and for Joy [Bethany Joy Galeotti]. Having friends like them, they've been a huge cornerstone and a huge foundation for me being able to flourish on the show and in that environment.

I think a popular scene that so many loved in the hospital was the monologue with Jamie while Quinn was in her coma. Jackson Brundage is such a little professional!

Shantel- He is. What's funny is while he was giving his monologue, obviously I was supposed to be in a coma, and when it was his coverage tears were streaming out of my eyes. I told them you have to do his coverage first because I'm going to cry even with my eyes closed. There's no way that I can't. Of course I did. (Laughs) But you'll see on the blooper real, I woke up and scared him right before the end of his scene. They're like “Jackson let's just do this one part one more time.” It wasn't the whole speech, it was the very end when he gives me the star. So he gave me the star and he reaches in to give me a kiss and I grabbed him and scared him! It was awesome! (Laughs) We get to mess with people a lot during the coma stuff.

What was the most fun part about this season?

Shantel- The most fun was all the great, awesome singing I got to do this season! (Laughs) It just so happens that Quinn's not good at anything. She's not good at singing. She's not good at dancing. She's good at photography and that's about it. (Laughs) I told Mark, you know Jana [Kramer] can sing, Joy can sing, everybody has these great qualities, and I can't really sing. I can't really dance. (Laughs) I eat Toaster Strudels a lot so all of that was fun! And I ate a lot of ice cream. (Laughs) And I got to be fake spray-tanned! Which was definitely a process to get off!

If the show does end, what will have been the most valuable thing for you from it? What will you most take away from your One Tree Hill experience?

Shantel- For me it's my friendships. I get to walk away with those. I also get to walk away with two years of experience on a TV show that has such a huge fan base. I feel grateful for having been a huge part of it for two years. I walk away so grateful to Mark for the stories that he has told through me and allowed me to share. And I always tell you that I hope that it inspires people and touches people. I've had people write me and tell me that they've struggled with their mom's death. I'm fortunate that my mom is still alive and I couldn't imagine how they feel. There's a part of me that didn't know how to play certain things but I so wanted for it to matter. For people to feel like they were never alone and for people to understand, or empathize, or sympathize with Quinn. That's why actors do what they do: is to tell stories and to inspire. To make people dream or to make people feel things. Being able to do that for two years of my life and work with people like Mark, and Rob, Joy, and Jackson; I couldn't be more grateful. I cried so much on our last day with Rob and I. It was so sad. We were shooting one of the last scenes that you ever see him and I in and once we finished the scene I just lost it. I hugged him and I sobbed and told him, "if this is our last scene ever together, I am so grateful for you."

I feel that I have friendships that I'll have for the rest of my life. I can't say that for a lot of my movies. I have a few friends that I've walked away with but nobody that I've worked with for two years and that you become so close to. It's very different in TV. I feel ultimately so blessed and grateful for everybody, for every experience, every episode and every relationship.

What did you learn most from your time on One Tree Hill?

Shantel- Honestly it was probably not to take myself so seriously. Because all the roles that I've had thus far in my life have been pretty serious. Mark allowed me to be goofy, and to not be afraid to be goofy, and silly, and do comedic stuff and to try different things. It's kind of like working in an acting class for two years of my life but it gets to be on TV and you get to work with different people. So for me it's just not to take myself so seriously. It sounds weird to say not take what you do seriously because I do take it seriously. It's the most important thing in my world. It's what I want to do forever. But just in a sense where I let things go now that I probably wouldn't have if it had been previous to this. To not hold onto me criticizing myself or me worrying that a scene didn't go well, and me being more trusting in everybody else that I work with. That's what it's about: letting go of some of the things that I fear, trusting other people and knowing that they have my best interest.

I feel like in TV you do get to grow more because you get many chances to evolve with your character. Where as in a film, it's like if you don't like it once it's out, there's nothing you can really do about it.

Shantel- Yes. TV is different. There's been so many things that I've learned. Even technical things that I've learned. Having only done movies before, TV was way different. I enjoy it very much. You have one character that you play for a long time and as I grow as a human being, Quinn gets to grow. I get to bring different things to my character and to the table. I remember at the beginning of the show when we shot those first three episodes, everybody was like, “Wow, you have grown so much as an actress.” And I think that also comes from growing as a person because when I'm not working it's my job to be in and learn life. Because at the end of the day I have to bring life to the table and play different aspects of life. It's important for me to always be constantly learning and challenging myself so that hopefully I can be a better actress for whatever character that I might play next.

Any final thoughts for your One Tree Hill fans?

Shantel- I want to tell the fans to keep trusting in Mark and in his stories. I know that every season and every episode is different and that the show has grown since season one. It is different now. The finale will speak for itself, and hopefully it's not a series finale and just a season finale. I want to thank the fans because they are the reason that we have the show. It's cool that they're not only interested in the show, but that they do follow us in real life. For everybody who supported me when I did my True Beauty interview, and when we do speak out and when we do charity events, know that we all notice. I appreciate it!

What would you like to say to the girls who were so positively affected by your True Beauty interview?

Shantel- I'm extremely thankful that I spoke out. I didn't realize how many people it would affect or touch. I hope that they hold in their hearts that they never have to feel alone, or feel that they're struggling by themselves, or that nobody understands them because everybody struggles. I still do. We're all in it together. If we all support and love one another, and find ways to do that, then our girl world will be better. And I'm grateful for all of the feedback because it reminds me daily to not be so hard on myself as well. Everybody needs reinforcement. Everybody needs encouragement. 

Conventions today are HUGE! If you look online you will see the usual fan favourites likeComic-Con, and shows like ‘Supernatural’ which truly dominate the television show convention calendar.

But other tv shows, ones still filming or finished long ago, are getting in on the act. And why not? These conventions are not cheap and fans will pay BIG bucks to have even a moment with their favourite stars!

In 2013, I stumbled across a convention by Guests Events that was being held in October that year in Paris, for my favourite television show ‘One Tree Hill’.

From Wilmington To Paris 2013

‘One Tree Hill’ was not an ordinary tv show. It was focused on the teenage audience, but it was far more than a show for teenagers. Each episode and storyline inspired. They taught us all to dream big, work hard for what you want, and if things don’t work out…keep trying until it does. It was more than just characters on a show. These messages remained within us and years later as an almost thirty year old, I still love it because of this reason. There aren’t many shows that offer this to its audience.

It is truly luck that any of us get to meet celebrities whom we idolize in our lifetimes. But to meet 8 of them from one tv show-what an experience!

The ‘One Tree Hill’ convention was called From Wilmington To Paris and would be attended by stars: Hilarie Burton (Peyton Sawyer), James Lafferty (Nathan Scott), Bethany Joy Lenz (Haley James Scott), Shantel VanSanten (Quinn James), Robert Buckley (Clay Evans), Torrey DeVitto (Nanny Carrie), Lindsey McKeon (Taylor James) and Tyler Hilton (Chris Keller). It was a dream come true for any fan, even if two of the main stars were not in attendance: Chad Michael Murray (Lucas Scott) and Sophia Bush (Brooke Davis).

The co-stars even sleep in the same bed!

Backstage at the Jill Stuart runway show during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week on Sept. 11 we got to catch up with One Tree Hill‘s Shantel VanSanten who dished on her on-set and real life BFF, cutie co-star Robert Buckley!

When asked who her BFF on set is, she quickly said Rob! “Rob and I are like butt buddies, he’s my best friend!”

So, how do the pair of pals spend their time? “We read comics and watch Arrested Developmentand The Office, we’re inseparable in real life!”

Considering co-stars Sophia Bush and Austin Nichols found love on set, does that mean romance is in the air?

Apparently not! “Um, in real life? He’s my best friend, no no no! I mean we sleep in the same bed and nap together and to have that friendship to me is so important,” she said.

The star also said their connection definitely adds to their on-screen love connection. “Our chemistry is so much better because of it, because most romances come from a friendship so when you have that base in real life it only helps on screen.”

Although Rob’s still available, interested females may have some trouble answering to Shantal who admits to being super protective of her best guy friend!

“I cut them [girls] away I’m pretty much like, ‘Not good enough, that’s not gonna happen, I don’t like her!’ He always laughs at me. he’s like ‘You are a [cock] blocker,’ and I’m like ‘Yea, kind of’.”

Their relationship may be strictly platonic, but either way their connection but on and off screen is super strong — and I’m sure so many gals would die to be in her shoes!

Looks like Joe is getting a new partner. Shantel VanSanten has been cast as Police Officer Patty Spivot in the upcoming season of #TheFlash! Photo: Facebook/The Flash

With The Flash Season 2 release date set for October 6 on CW Network, cast and plot spoilers continue to surface on the web. Happily, most of the information has been confirmed by official sources during the recently concluded San Diego Comic Con. In the sections below, we will look at latest buzz. Be warned, there will be spoilers ahead.

Shantel VanSanten Cast as Police Officer Patty Spivot

It was just announced yesterday that Shantel Yvonne VanSanten has been cast as police officer Patty Spivot, who may be one new love interest for Barry Allen.

"Patty is obsessed with metahumans and partners with Det. Joe West this season but has no idea that her new crush is The Flash," CW wrote.

VanSanten is an American model and actress. As a model, she has been featured in the magazines Teen Vogue and Seventeen. On television, she played the role of Quinn James in the hit CW teen drama series One Tree Hill.

"I can't sleep I'm too excited!! One of my real life dreams came true... IM GOING TO BE A COMIC BOOK CHARACTER! Thanks @cwtheflash & @decomics for the opportunity! I'm so happy to be part of the family!!," VanSanten wrote on her Instagram account.

Shantel will start appearing in the second episode of Season 2. 

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Zoom is Main Villain

In Season 2, the main villain is being replaced by the yellow-clad supervillain Zoom. Though he shares a similar costume as the Flash, the Zoom has much different powers. The villain has the power to alter the speed at which he moves through time. This essentially makes Zoom faster than his sworn enemy, the Flash.

"We've got a couple villains we don't want to share, yet. We're really excited about Zoom, how that presents, the challenges he brings to our characters. He's going to be terrifying and scary, and fast," showrunner Andrew Kreisberg said in a statement.

Zoom is debut in to the Flash comic book universe in 2001. Before his transformation, the character was known as CCPD police officer Hunter Zolomon. After being paralyzed from waist down, Zolomon tries to convince future Flash Wally West to travel in time to change past events. West refuses for fears of altering the space-time continuum. Incensed, Zolomon decides to use the Cosmic Treadmill to go back in time. The machine explodes, granting special powers to the soon-to-be villain.

'Golden Age' Flash Coming to Season 2

At Comic Con, a special panel announced that the original Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick, will be played by Teddy Sears. The actor is better known for his role in Masters of Sex.

"Having Jay Garrick come onto the show was one of our earliest ideas," Kreisberg explained. "It is so exciting, as we rush into season two, that we finally get to bring the Crimson Comet to life. We couldn't imagine anyone more suited to play the original Flash than Teddy."

The official statement from CW states that Jay is traveling into the future to warn the modern Flash, Barry Allen, about an "impending danger that he alone cannot hope to stop." Just who is this menace? More will be revealed when The Flash resumes this fall.

- See more at: http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/56566/20150715/the-flash-season-2-release-date-cast-and-plot-spoilers-model-shantel-vansanten-cast-as-police-officer-patty-spivot.htm#sthash.9SCh8NDG.dpuf