Sophia Bush is finally opening up about one of the most difficult chapters of her life: her short-lived marriage to former One Tree Hill co-star Chad Michael Murray.
More than 20 years after their highly publicized breakup, the 44-year-old actress is revisiting the relationship in her new memoir, And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress, released on October 27, 2026.
© WireImageThe book offers a personal look at their romance, the warning signs Bush says she overlooked, and the alleged infidelity that contributed to the end of their marriage.
For years, Bush has largely avoided discussing the relationship in detail. Now, she is explaining why she decided to revisit what she describes as "the thing I never want to speak about."
According to PEOPLE's exclusive report, the actress reflects on how a romance that initially felt promising became an emotionally difficult experience that affected her friendships, confidence, and professional life.
Sophia Bush Reveals What Went Wrong in Her Marriage to Chad Michael Murray
Bush and Murray first became romantically involved in 2003 while working on the popular teen drama One Tree Hill. Bush portrayed Brooke Davis, while Murray played Lucas Scott. Their on-screen chemistry eventually developed into a real-life romance that captured the attention of the show's devoted audience.
© WireImageThe couple married in April 2005, but their relationship quickly unraveled. By September of that year, they had announced their separation, just five months after exchanging vows.
In her memoir, Bush recalls initially being attracted to Murray's vulnerable side. After arriving in Wilmington, North Carolina, where the series was filmed, she says Murray began opening up about his childhood and personal struggles.
His willingness to share those experiences activated what Bush calls her "nurturer gene." However, she claims their relationship gradually became complicated by "the insecurity, the possessiveness and the controlling demands."
© WireImageAccording to Bush, those issues contributed to increasingly frequent arguments, even as she continued trying to make the relationship work.
Hilarie Burton Warned Sophia Bush About Dating Chad Michael Murray
One of the memoir's revelations involves Bush's longtime friend and former co-star, Hilarie Burton Morgan. Before Bush became seriously involved with Murray, Burton reportedly warned her against pursuing the relationship.
Burton had worked with Murray before Bush joined the cast and had concerns about his behavior. But Bush believed the man she was getting to know was different from the person Burton described.
© WireImageWhen Bush confronted Murray about his past, she says he acknowledged feeling "embarrassed" by previous decisions and told her she "made him want to be better." Bush wanted to believe him.
As her romance progressed, however, her friendship with Burton became strained. During an October 21 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Bush acknowledged that Burton's warning had been justified. "She was right," Bush said, reflecting on Murray's behavior at the time.
She also admitted that she lacked the experience to recognize certain relationship warning signs.
Their friendship eventually recovered, and Bush now looks back on the situation with a different understanding of what happened.
Sophia Bush Details Alleged Infidelity and Marriage Red Flags
Another difficult subject addressed in the memoir is Bush's allegation that Murray was involved with other women during their relationship.
According to her account, rumors about his faithfulness surfaced while they were together, but Murray denied the allegations at the time. Bush says she initially defended him. Her doubts intensified after their wedding, particularly as arguments continued and she began questioning whether the marriage could survive.
© WireImageIn one passage reported by Parade, Bush recalls becoming so overwhelmed by the tension that she asked Murray not to participate in her 23rd birthday celebration. "I couldn’t do another fight or another humiliating show of him marking his territory with my coworkers," she writes.
Bush also describes becoming suspicious about why one of Murray's friends, who had been expected to serve as a groomsman, failed to attend their wedding. The friend had reportedly cited an illness.
Later, Bush contacted him directly to ask what had happened. According to her account, the conversation led to allegations that Murray had been seeing other women. The revelations contributed to her reassessment of the relationship. Murray's response to the specific allegations in the newly released memoir was not established.
Why Sophia Bush Almost Left Chad Michael Murray Out of Her Memoir
Although Bush ultimately decided to include the relationship in her book, she admits she initially wanted to avoid the subject altogether. During her appearance on Call Her Daddy, Bush explained that writing about personal experiences can be particularly complicated when the public already has strong opinions about someone's life.
She recalled telling her editor that she did not want to discuss the marriage. Her editor's response was simple: "I hate to break it to you: Google exists."
© Michael SimonBush also acknowledged the double standard she felt when considering how readers might respond.
Speaking with PEOPLE, she explained, "In a way, some of those more personal stories, I could only make sense of them if they helped other people make sense of something."
Sophia Bush Recalls Filming 'One Tree Hill' After Her Divorce
The end of Bush and Murray's marriage created an unusual professional challenge. Although their real-life relationship had ended, they still had to work together on One Tree Hill, where their characters remained romantically involved. In a separate interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bush revisited an emotional scene from the show's third season. The sequence featured Brooke and Lucas arguing during a storm.
Bush revealed that while filming, she accidentally delivered a different line from the one written in the script. Instead of saying, "I am not your recycling bin!" she shouted, "I am not your punching bag!"
© Getty ImagesThe moment became particularly significant because it occurred while she was dealing with the aftermath of her marriage. Bush says she requested that another take be used, but production declined to make the change because of the cost.
Years later, viewers noticed that her lip movements did not match the dialogue heard in the episode. Bush admitted that she has sometimes hidden social media comments about the scene because she prefers not to revisit that painful period. Still, she credits her fictional character with helping her navigate the experience.
Brooke Davis became more than a television role during those difficult months. Bush explained that portraying a strong, resilient young woman helped her find strength in her own life.
