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- Sophia Bush reveals on podcast that Hilarie Burton warned her about Chad Michael Murray
- How the brief marriage unfolded and what came next
- What the warning meant for friendships on set
- Excerpts from the memoir: unexpected friendships and self-reflection
- Comments, past interviews and where the cast members stand now
Sophia Bush has opened up about a long-buried warning from fellow One Tree Hill castmate Hilarie Burton, saying the advice came before a brief, high-profile marriage and lingered in the background of her early career. Her recollections surfaced during a recent podcast appearance and are woven through anecdotes she now explores in a forthcoming memoir.
Sophia Bush reveals on podcast that Hilarie Burton warned her about Chad Michael Murray
On Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, Bush said Burton told her plainly to avoid dating Chad Michael Murray. The warning, she recalled, stemmed from Burton’s negative experience working with Murray on an earlier show.
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Bush described Burton as a close on-set friend who had “explicitly” cautioned her. She admitted the advice was sound, but said youth and inexperience kept her from acting on it.
How the brief marriage unfolded and what came next
Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray wed in April 2005. Both were 23 at the time and married in a Santa Monica ceremony.
- The union lasted only months; they separated five months later.
- The divorce was finalized in December 2006.
- Rumors of infidelity followed their split and are addressed in Bush’s new book.
What the warning meant for friendships on set
Bush said the fallout from her relationship with Murray likely caused distance between her and Burton. She admitted to feeling shame for not taking Burton’s counsel.
Reflecting on the rift, Bush acknowledged Burton had been right about Murray’s behavior at that time. She predicted that internet critics would react strongly to her comments, but insisted the matter is now settled.
Excerpts from the memoir: unexpected friendships and self-reflection
In And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress, Bush writes about the surprising friendships she formed after the split. Some of those women were allegedly involved with Murray during his relationship with Bush.
She framed these connections as restorative. In her words, the women she befriended are now “completely different people” than they were back then.
- Bush calls these new relationships something she “really cherish[es].”
- She celebrates their confidence and independence, using playful admiration in the book.
- She emphasizes growth and forgives past naiveté.
Comments, past interviews and where the cast members stand now
Bush has previously said she harbors no ill will toward her ex. In a 2021 interview she avoided prolonged criticism, noting attempts at self-deprecating humor sometimes get twisted online.
Reps for Murray and Burton had not replied to requests for comment from Page Six at the time of reporting.
Life after the split
- Chad Michael Murray later married Sarah Roemer in 2015. The couple share three children.
- Sophia Bush has moved on personally and professionally. She later married soccer star Ashlyn Harris after a divorce from Grant Hughes in 2023.
