Chad Michael Murray

Chad Michael Murray portrayed Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill from season 1-6 with a special guest appearance in season 9.

Chad was born in Buffalo, New York. The 6-foot tall star who resides in Wilmington, North Carolina is more known to audiences of One Tree Hill (2003) where he played the main male protagonist, the above mentioned Lucas Scott.

Biography[]

Growing up, his mother left his family at a young age and, since then, he had to help take care of his younger siblings, together with his dad and brother. While working his way through adolescence, he learned a lot about work ethic which eventually builds his character. His growing up with only a father made him become his idol and once he said in an interview that he could call him anytime of the day whenever he needs help as his father is his rock.

Chad started his working life as a paper boy where he would deliver newspapers around the neighborhood before working as a janitor at Donut World. Chad was only working there for a few days when he lost his job because he was shooting Skittles into the deep-fryer. Sure enough, one of the Skittles got caught in the machine and Chad got fired.

Chad has also worked as a receptionist at a limousine company. When he was 15, he had a resection of his small intestines, which were so twisted they had to be cut out, but there were some complications causing him not to be able to eat for three months. Chad had also broken his nose when he was jumped at a Burger King outlet which then got him into the hospital. It was there where he met the person who inspired him, his nurse. His nurse was a model and she told Chad to start modeling, but Chad only wanted to act. Chad then took a chance and went to a convention in Buffalo and they wanted him to go to another convention in Biloxi, Mississipi.

Not long afterward, Chad got a Tommy Hilfiger campaign which paid his bills and that was when he thought he could really focus on acting. He started out in the first season of Gilmore Girls (2000) with the role of the rich brat Tristin DuGrey. After that, he portrayed Charlie Todd on Dawson's Creek (1998) in its fifth season (2002), where he met two of his following One Tree Hill (2003) co-stars, Hilarie Burton, who ironically was then cast to portray his major love interest in the series and also became his best friend, and Lee Norris. Then, he turned into Lucas Scott, the main male protagonist of the above mentioned popular teen drama, where he met best friends James Lafferty and Tyler Hilton. In the meantime, Chad also starred in the successful movies Freaky Friday (2003) and A Cinderella Story (2004) and then in a B-grade horror flick titled House of Wax (2005).

Murray got married, when he was 23 years old, to his One Tree Hill co-star, Sophia Bush. The wedding took place on April 16th, 2005 in Santa Monica, California. After only five months of marriage, to be precise in September 2005, the couple announced their separation, which was then made official in 2006 with a divorce, despite Sophia wanting an annulment, but it wasn’t granted.

Chad then became engaged to Kenzie Dalton on April 4th, 2006. Despite their seven-year age difference, Chad was very protective of her and mentioned in an interview that Kenzie is somewhat like a diamond. Murray and Dalton ended their seven-year engagement in 2013.

In 2014, Murray began dating his Chosen co-star, Sarah Roemer. The two got married in January 2015 and four months later their son was born. The couple also welcomed two daughters in May 2017 and August 2023 respectively.

Chad played football when he was young and the love of that sport was re-directed into a charity game where he would help underprivileged kids with the money he gains from the audience.

This model-turned-actor has serenaded Jamie Lee Curtis with Britney Spears' Baby One More Time on Freaky Friday (2003), became Hilary Duff's "Prince Charming" on A Cinderella Story (2004) and even watched Paris Hilton die in a violent on-screen death.

Work On One Tree Hill[]

As well as appearing as Lucas Scott, Murray has also written the following episodes:

We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)

He has also directed the following episodes:

A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene

Trivia[]

Married to actress Sarah Roemer since January 2015. The couple have three children together, a son born in May 2015 and two daughters born in May 2017 and August 2023.
Got an accidental 'nose job' during his earlier modeling career! He was 'jumped' in a fast food restaurant and got his nose broken and had to have surgery. If you look closely, you can see the difference between his nose now and back then, because he had to get it fixed and it couldn't be constructed to the way it was.
Underwent a resection of his small intestine as the result of a football injury, so he can't gain weight.
His father Rex works as an air traffic controller.
His mother abandoned his family when he was just 10 years old.
Has 4 brothers (Rex, Nick, Brandon, and half brother Tyler) and a sister (Shannon).
His favorite football team is the Buffalo Bills.
His first job was when he was 10 delivering newspapers, then when he turned 14 he started working as a janitor at the local doughnut shop.
His favorite book is Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
He has three dogs.
A shepherd/wolf mix named Joe, which he takes everywhere with him and a guard dog named Axel.
Ranked #22 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols" (23 January 2005 issue).
His mom left his family when he was only 10 years old, which he says helps him to relate to his character Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill.
He said if he wasn't a actor he would love to be a pediatrician.
His favorite movie is Fight Club (1999).
His favorite television show is The Simpsons (1989).
His hobbies are: Going to the gym, pickup basketball and football.
His favorite musicians are Incubus, Dave Matthews Band, and Pete Murray.
Was originally up for the role of Ryan Atwood on The O.C. (2003), but turned it down precisely to take the role of Lucas Scott. The O.C. premiered seven weeks prior to One Tree Hill, with Ben McKenzie as Ryan.
Wore a Ralph Lauren Black Label Suit in his April 2005 wedding to Sophia Bush.
Chad and three of his One Tree Hill co-stars were on Dawson's Creek: Hilarie Burton (who ironically plays Peyton Sawyer, his major love interest in the series), Lee Norris (who plays Mouth McFadden) and Colin Fickes (who plays Jimmy Edwards).
He and Kenzie shared a Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix named TumTum.
His favorite fashion accessories are a hemp necklace that his father gave him and a necklace made for him by former fiancèe Kenzie.
Good friends with One Tree Hill co-stars Bethany Joy Lenz, Tyler Hilton, James Lafferty and Hilarie Burton.