Sophia Bush caught her big break when she landed the role of Brooke Davis on One Tree
Hill in 2003.
Since then, she's found success on the small and big screen, all while focusing much of
her time and energy on her activist work.
There’s definitely much to be said about Bush's on-screen counterparts, but how much
do you really know about the TV star's real life?
Here are a few facts that might surprise you.
Chad Michael Murray marital regrets
Bush has a history of dating her co-stars, but the relationship she seems to regret the
most is her notoriously short-lived marriage to One Tree Hill’s Chad Michael Murray.
The former castmates tied the knot in April 2005 but separated after just five months.
As they continued to work together, the two finalized their divorce in December 2006.
Bush said on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM radio show in June 2018, "Everybody's been 22 and stupid.
It was not a thing I actually really wanted to do.”
Murray's rep hit back in a statement, calling the story "ludicrous."
Meanwhile, Bush clarified things on Twitter, claiming she was merely making fun of her
past self.
She added,
"If all the years that have passed haven't made it WILDLY clear that we're all grown
ups who've become the best versions of ourselves, then I just don't know what to say."
Theater kid
If it wasn't for a high school requirement to perform in a play, Bush may not have ever
caught the acting bug.
According to the actress, she wanted to be a doctor instead — until one formative theater
production had changed everything.
Bush told Mariska Hargitay, in an interview for Vegas magazine,
"Something just clicked, and I realized that my passion for English and my love of literature
could be put into action.
It rocked my world and I just thought, I get this.”
An outspoken activist
Sophia Bush is a longtime activist devoted to using her celebrity to foster real change
in the world.
While the actress is a supporter of a number of charities, the causes closest to her heart
include animal rights, gun control, environmentalism, and human rights.
However, the actress’ outspoken activism and liberal views have been known to make
her a target of online trolls.
Rather than keeping her down, the risk of backlash empowers Bush to continue to balance
her dream day job with her philanthropic work.
She told BuzzFeed,
"I love my job [as an actress], but I couldn't keep doing this if it ever actually precluded
me from working on the world.
I would just get another job."
Tragedy in Tucson
On January 8th, 2011, Bush and her family suffered an unimaginable loss.
During the assassination attempt made on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona, the
actress' 9-year-old cousin, Christina Green, was fatally shot.
Bush tweeted,"Devastating.
There are no words to explain what my cousin's family is going through in Arizona.
How can this be?
Violence is never the answer."
Her ex-boyfriend passed away
Bush suffered another terrible loss in April 2015.
Her ex-boyfriend, Google executive Dan Fredinburg, tragically passed in an avalanche on Mount
Everest when a devastating earthquake hit Nepal.
The actress took to Instagram to express her grief.
"There are no adequate words.
Dan Fredinburg was one-of-a-kind.
Fearless.
Funny.
[...] He was one of my favorite human beings on Earth."
The former couple had remained close friends after calling it quits just a year before.
Inspired by Fredinburg's actionable philanthropy to foster change in the world, Bush worked
to raise awareness for the Celebrating Dan CrowdRise campaign.
Law & Order lady
Bush can be counted among the millions of fans who are obsessed with Law & Order: SVU.
So much so that the TV star was understandably beside herself with excitement when her show,
Chicago P.D., began filming crossover episodes with the popular series.
Bush told TV Guide, "I'm the biggest SVU fan.
So to have Ice T and Kelli Giddish come down and work with us and now to be going to work
with Mariska Hargitay, I feel like it's my birthday."
If this epic selfie of the actress with Mariska Hargitay is anything to go by, that feeling
seems to be mutual.
She loves her raspy voice
As much as Bush is synonymous with her TV and activist work, she's also known for her
signature raspy voice — not that she's complaining.
"My name is Sofia Bush and I love my voice!"
In 2017, Bush explained in an an article she wrote for Today:
Well said.
This empowering stance on her literal voice transfers over to her figurative one, as well.
Speaking up for what’s right
Bush was one of dozens of women to sign an open letter accusing One Tree Hill and The
Royals creator Mark Schwahn of sexual misconduct and verbal abuse in November 2017.
Soon after, The Royals cast and crew spoke out against his alleged abusive behavior on
their set, and the disgraced showrunner was eventually fired from E! following an internal
investigation.
At the time, Bush tweeted, "43 women came forward.
To the ones who did and to the ones who didn't or couldn't, I hope this news is a salve to
your souls.
To the other predators out there?
I hope this is a lesson that sometimes, even if it takes time, justice is served.
You're next."
Her shocking Chicago P.D. exit
Bush shocked Chicago P.D. fans when she exited the show after four seasons in May 2017.
However, details surrounding her seemingly sudden departure have remained murky ever
since she and viewers alike first said goodbye to her character, Detective Erin Lindsay.
In response to a social media user who alleged Bush was simply cut from the show, the actress
wrote, "[It] took me a long time and a lot of hard work to get out of that show.
Please don't demean my capabilities by degrading my position.
I left because I wanted to.
End of story."
Two months later, Bush finally shared some insight into why exactly she wanted to leave
the show.
Explaining that she'd given the showrunners an ultimatum after the show's third season
wrapped, the TV star revealed that she needed certain things to change in the series' workplace
environment for her to stay on past the fourth season.
While she didn't elaborate on the specifics of these requested changes, Bush revealed
to Refinery 29, "I realized by the end of the second season I couldn't do that job anymore."
She's moving behind the camera
Months after Sophia Bush's surprising Chicago P.D. exit, the actress proved that she had
no intentions on leaving the world of television any time soon.
In October 2017, she signed a talent hold and development deal with 20th Century Fox
TV.
The impressive gig would not only see her star in a comedy or drama during the 2018-2019
pilot season but also put her behind the scenes as an executive producer on various projects.
Those particular projects that Bush has lined up both on- and off-screen have yet to be
announced.
However, it sounds like the job will offer her a platform to showcase female-driven stories
that reflect her activist world view.
Bush told Deadline, "Now more than ever, vital female voices need to be heard.
I'm thrilled to begin developing content that inspires and excites me at 20th Century Fox
TV."