In the early 2000s, Chad Michael Murray was the biggest teen sensation of the day.
Not only did he capture the hearts of teen girls with his role on One Tree Hill, but
he also snagged kisses from starlets like Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday and Hilary
Duff in A Cinderella Story.
But unfortunately for this once-beloved actor, the 2000s are long gone, and the acting gigs
he used to audition for are being given to the next generation of TV and movie star hopefuls.
While there were high hopes for his transition to the Hollywood big leagues, Murray all but
disappeared from Hollywood.
Here's why.
Leaving One Tree Hill
Let's be real, Murray was pretty much the sole reason people tuned in every week to
watch One Tree Hill.
Or, at least, he was a main attraction.
His character, Lucas Scott, was a relatable, brooding bad boy that girls couldn't get enough
of.
But to the surprise of many, Murray chose to leave the show after its sixth season,
exiting with co-star Hilarie Burton.
Although it initially seemed like a smart move on his part to go out on top before the
show went downhill, the decision ultimately did more harm than good.
"I think that the time had come to make a choice."
Career peak
There’s no denying it: One Tree Hill was a high point for Chad Michael Murray's career.
Maybe even the high point.
While fans may remember Murray for his roles in 2004's A Cinderella Story and 2005's House
of Wax, it’s worth noting that he landed those gigs during his time on One Tree Hill.
Once he departed the hit show, Murray quickly faded away from the public eye.
After departing One Tree Hill, Murray said he aspired to follow in the footsteps of Brad
Pitt and James Franco, telling Lindzi.com:
"Whether you're a character actor or a leading man, you still have to work your butt off.
Some people don't and they have short-lived careers.
Others do and they have incredibly illustrious careers."
Despite earning fairly consistent work over the years, nothing proved to be as popular
as One Tree Hill.
Given Murray’s disappearing act, it appears that he’d jumped ship far too soon — and
without a life jacket.
Under the radar roles
Murray actually hasn't stopped working; it just seems like he did, largely taking roles
on small networks, short-lived series, or critically panned movies.
Have you ever seen 2013's Cavemen or 2016's Outlaws and Angels?
Don't feel bad.
Lots of people haven't, and the critics who did watch those flicks weren't exactly pleased.
"No regrets."
In 2013, Murray managed to claim a featured role on Chosen, a web series distributed through
Crackle.
Although the show has survived three seasons, it's still struggling to maintain its foothold
within a market that's saturated by strong original streaming series.
While Murray was likely happy to have snagged a consistent TV gig as Chosen’s Jacob Orr,
his career desperately needed a more high-profile gig with a more popular show on a major network.
Perhaps that's what Murray was trying to achieve when he landed the role of Jack Thompson on
the first season of ABC's Agent Carter in 2015, but that show didn't survive beyond
its sophomore season, squashing hopes of a mainstream comeback.
And his role as Sam Phillips in CMT’s Sun Records didn’t do much better, with the
show lasting just one season.
Quiet life
Chad Michael Murray's personal life also went from center stage to underground, which may
have negatively affected his professional career.
In April 2005, Murray married fellow One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush.
However, their union was short-lived.
Bush filed for divorce in February 2006.
Initially, the actress tried to file for an annulment, citing fraud as the primary reason,
but that petition was denied.
Considering the drama that went down at the end of their marriage, we don't know how the
exes managed to behave professionally on set.
"My mother once told me, if you don't have anything nice to say, not to say anything
at all."
After that, Murray's personal life was rarely shared with the public again.
In 2014, he quietly married actress Sarah Roemer.
Not long after, the two announced that they were expecting their first child, a son who
arrived a few weeks before Father's Day in 2015.
In November 2016, Murray and Roemer announced they were expecting their second child, a
daughter, who was born the following March.
Despite how Murray’s family has grown over the years, they’ve managed to keep a relatively
low profile on social media.
And while that may be a healthy personal decision, it certainly hasn't helped audiences remember
Murray's superstar past or crave a comeback for his career.
Other interests
Like many Hollywood figures, Murray has used his celebrity status to dabble in projects
loosely related to acting, but you might not have noticed.
He starred as Alicia Keys' love interest in the music video for "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)"
in 2010.
The following year, he embraced his inner Lucas Scott by authoring a graphic novel titled
Everlast.
Murray then also co-wrote a thriller-romance novel about a soldier called American Drifter,
published in 2017.
While it's fair to say he's not afraid to venture into new endeavors, if Murray wants
to make it big in Hollywood, he may need to focus all of his attention on acting.
"I truly want to take chances, do things I'm afraid of and really just find something new
when I go to work."
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