Whatever Happened To Chad Michael Murray?

When they were 24 and 23 years old, Chad Michael Murray and "One Tree Hill" co-star Sophia Bush got married. According to People, the pair had a Santa Monica oceanside wedding in April 2005. The marriage didn't last, however, and the two separated just five months later. 

Bush avoided discussing the marriage as much as possible over the next 10 years, but she then wrote an essay for Cosmopolitan in 2017 detailing the difficult experience. She wrote, "In my 20s, when I was starting out my career as an actor, I wasn't looking for a relationship, but one found me and became serious, even though I hadn't planned to settle down until my 30s. But when the person you're with asks you to marry him, you think: This must be happening because it's supposed to." 

She explained that while the period was traumatic for her, she now has moved on and realized "that relationships often serve a specific purpose at a certain point in time."

These days, every actor dreams of nabbing an alter ego in the world of Marvel, but Chad Michael Murray was one of the lucky few to nab an identity in the Marvel universe: Jack Thompson. But unfortunately for him, the part came along with one of the few Marvel properties that didn't have the success or lasting power of most movies and TV shows from the cinematic universe.

From 2015 to 2016, Murray appeared as Thompson in 14 out of the 18 total episodes of the ABC series "Agent Carter," which focused on secret agent Peggy Carter from the "Captain America" franchise. Murray played Agent Carter's office nemesis, who later became her boss, and even later appeared to possibly die in a cliffhanger that was never resolved when the show was canceled after two seasons.

Murray and wife Sarah Roemer are parents to two children, a son born in 2015 and a daughter born in 2017. In 2016, Murray raved about how happy he is to be a dad to Entertainment Tonight, saying, "For me, it was the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. Having kids is a game changer and I think you're always walking around with the mentality that you want to make sure that they're proud and you want to represent them well and just be a great leader." 

On his social media, you can often spot glimpses of Murray's fathering in action, whether he's tweeting a photo of himself having a staring contest with his son's stuffed "bun bun" or sharing an Instagram photo of his newborn daughter's tiny hand holding his own with the caption "Don't worry little girl you can hold on as tight as you want for as long as you want, I'm already yours & I'll never let go."  

Yes, your celebrity crush from 2002 is now a novelist. In November 2017, Chad Michael Murray's debut book was released. Murray teamed up with author Heather Graham (not the actress, the prolific bestselling writer) to pen "American Drifter," a romantic thriller about a young army veteran and a free-spirited journalist on the run from drug lords in Brazil. 

Murray even reads the audiobook if you want to experience his writing and performing at the same time. After an event to celebrate the book's release, Murray wrote on Instagram, "So humbled by all your support & love for this book. It's an honor to bring it to you."

In November 2017, a number of women who worked on "One Tree Hill" publicly accused showrunner Mark Schwahn of inappropriate behavior. First, writer Audrey Wauchope wrote a series of tweets recounting Schwahn's invasive touching and comments. She wrote in of her tweets: "The staff sat on couches. Female writers would try to get the spot where the showrunner wouldn't sit as to not be touched. Often men would help out by sitting next to him, thus protecting the women." 

Soon after, 18 other women who worked on the show released a joint letter (via Variety) in support of Wauchope. The letter said in part, "Many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally. More than one of us is still in treatment for post-traumatic stress." 

Murray said he was "proud" of these women in a note he tweeted out. His message said, "The women of OTH have always been strong and incredible. Today they've made us all even more proud by standing as a beacon of what is right, and continuing to lead & change the atmosphere of society."

One of Chad Michael Murray's most recent noteworthy parts was as a recurring character on the hit CW show "Riverdale." Murray appeared in the series for eight episodes as Edgar Evernever in 2019. In the role, Murray had the chance to play a charismatic cult leader, which is a character he told Vanity Fair he thought most actors would jump at the chance to play, and one that seems perfect for someone as charming as Murray.

Although "Riverdale" is a teen drama, it differs from the shows that made Murray famous. Unlike "One Tree Hill" and "Gilmore Girls," "Riverdale" delves into darker themes and follows more surreal plots. Murray said he enjoyed the freedom being on a show like "Riverdale" gave him. "It's fun because it may fall into the same teen culture, but at the same time, I'm not stuck in a box. There's opportunity to really create a character and have a little bit more fun," he said.

Taking the part of Edgar Evernever was also a no-brainer for Murray because his wife, Sarah Roemer, is a big fan of the show. As soon as he heard about the role, Roemer told him he had to do it. And it seems that was great advice as Murray clearly enjoyed the role and working with the "Riverdale" cast.

In March 2023, Chad Michael Murray's new drama series, "Sullivan's Crossing," premiered on CTV. Murray plays Cal Jones in the 10-episode series. Speaking to CTV Atlantic, the actor described his new role as "the mystery man." He stars alongside Maggie Sullivan, who plays a woman returning to the town she grew up in to reconnect with her estranged father. The father is played by Murray's former "Gilmore Girls" costar, Scott Patterson, making the series a bit of a reunion. 

For the small town setting, they filmed the series in the Maritimes region of Canada, where the actor and his family quickly felt right at home. Murray's wife and two children moved up to the Halifax area while he was filming, and they lived as much like locals as they could. His children even joined local dance and football teams. Murray seemed enchanted by the area and said he would even consider moving there. "We just got as immersed and as involved in the community as we could ... We all love it, I mean, genuinely. We would love to call Halifax home, we would, it's one of those places that you'll never forget. The kids miss it," he said. And it seems they'll get to return, as the series was renewed for a second season.