Sophia Bush made a name for herself as Brooke Davis in the long-running teen drama One Tree Hill. The role opened up many doors for Bush, who went on to appear in films like John Tucker Must Die and Stay Alive during its run.
Today, Bush is happily married to businessman Grant Hughes. She's also an extremely vocal activist and frequently lends her voice to causes she cares about. Bush continues to act and hasn't been shy when sharing her experiences on One Tree Hill.
Here's what Sophia Bush has been up to since One Tree Hill's nine-year run came to an end.
Sofia Bush's Beginnings And Finally Getting Her Big Break
Bush's film career began in 2002 when she appeared opposite Ryan Reynolds in National Lampoon's Van Wilder. She went on to appear in shows like Nip/Tuck, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and the HBO film Point of Origin.
Bush was cast as Kate Brewster in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but director Jonathan Mostow replaced her a week into filming because he felt she was too young for the role. The role went to Claire Danes instead and Mostow praised Bush's talent as an actress.
Bush got her big break in 2003 when she was cast as Brooke Davis in One Tree Hill. Her star profile rose and she became engaged to her co-star Chad Michael Murray in May 2004. The two married on April 16, 2005 and separated in September after five months of marriage. In February 2006, Bush filed for an annulment and cited fraud, but was denied. Instead, she and Murray were divorced in December 2006.
During her time on One Tree Hill, Bush directed three episodes of the series. This included the penultimate episode of the show's ninth season in 2011, which was also its last. Bush remained a regular cast member for all nine seasons of the show.
In 2013, Bush joined the cast of another series when she signed on to play Det. Erin Lindsay on Chicago P.D. The series premiered in January the following year and Bush left the series after four seasons. She said "abusive behavior" was the reason she left the show. She also appeared in Chicago Fire and Chicago Med.
Bush lent her voice to the Pixar film Incredibles 2 in 2018, where she played the part of Voyd. In 2020, she appeared in the Hulu series Love, Victor for four episodes as Veronica.
But acting wasn't the only thing Bush was doing following the end of One Tree Hill.
Sofia Bush Joined Her Co-Stars In Accusing The Show's Creator Of Harassment
Bush's experience on One Tree Hill wasn't always so pleasant. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, she publicly made allegations of misconduct against the show's creator, Mark Schwahn.
In 2017, a letter was published in Variety which was signed by Bush, her co-stars Bethany Joy Lenz, Hilarie Burton Morgan, as well as many other female cast and crew members. The letter was written in support of former show writer Audrey Wauchope, who previously accused Schwahn of harassment on Twitter.
"Many of us were put in uncomfortable positions and had to swiftly learn to fight back, sometimes physically, because it was made clear to us that the supervisors in the room were not the protectors they were supposed to be," read the letter.
Bush also said that Schwahn tried to pit the female actresses against each other, so they wouldn't ask for more money. This was part of the reason Bush, Lenz, and Burton Morgan started a podcast in 2021 called Drama Queens. Bush said her decision was also partly because she appreciates the magic of the show and wants to allow fans to celebrate.
"So let's be very clear that it feels great to be executive producing this podcast together," Bush told People. "We're like, 'Oh, who's in charge? We're in charge.' Yeah. We're in charge and it's great. I love it. I love a reclamation."
Schwahn was fired from The Royals, where he was a creator and showrunner, after the allegations came to light.
Bush Has Become Involved In Activism Work
In the wake of One Tree Hill, Bush has also become more involved in activism work.
Bush has been involved in environmental awareness initiatives. In 2010, she set up a fundraiser for those affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill who were living in the Gulf of Mexico area. Bush also ran a half-marathon that November to support the fundraiser, despite having asthma and a knee injury.
"Advocacy for me really began with the environmental threat as a kid in California," Bush told Green Matters. "Having the privilege to grow up near forests and deserts and the ocean was pretty wild, and wanting to advocate for those spaces to ensure that people would have access to clean air and clean water always felt incredibly important to me."
Bush also became involved in the Pencils of Promise organization in 2011. The organization builds schools and helps those in the developing world gain access to educational opportunities. She also hosted a Prizeo campaign in 2013 to raise funds for the I Am a Girl campaign. Bush also wrote the forward to Alexis Jones' novel of the same name.
She has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. In June 2016, Bush appeared in a video by the Human Rights Campaign where she and others told the stories of the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando.
Bush shared her advice for people looking to get into activism with Green Matters.
"My advice would be to remember the power of your voice, to never let go of that passion. You know what's right, you know what's at stake for your future," she said.
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