Sophia Bush Says ‘One Tree Hill’ Producers Fueled The Drama Following Her Split From Chad Michael Murray

36-year-old Sophia Bush has played a variety of roles through the years from Detective Erin Lindsay on NBC’s Chicago PD to starring in hit films such as John Tucker Must Die and The Hitcher. However, the part she is most known for is likely Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill. The series would make Bush one of the most popular actresses on television during its running from 2003-2012. It would also lead to her high-profile relationship with co-star Chad Michael Murray, according to People.

Bush was only 22 when she began dating Murray after the pair connected on set. One year later they were engaged, following an extravagant proposal by Murray complete with hundreds of candles and roses. They were married in 2005 at Santa Monica’s Hotel Casa Del Mar. The marriage wouldn’t stick however, and the pair split up after only 5 months.

Despite their highly publicized divorce, the pair was still required to work together on a daily basis on One Tree Hill which had skyrocketed into popularity. Because she had no choice but to continue on as if everything was normal, Bush said she never really had time to process her split from Murray. “There was no space to self-reflect. There was like, This is my integrity, this is my job, I will not falter for one second or one minute ever on this set,” she said recently in a candid interview looking back at her life following the divorce.

The producers of One Tree Hill didn’t help matters, even running drama fueling television advertisements about both actors. Bush now wishes those who ran the show had more respect for both her and Murray. Rather than respecting their privacy as the pair attempted to be cordial with one another, the producers used their breakup to gain further media attention for the show. “It was opportunistic and ugly and when you run a show, you’re like a parent. You’re supposed to protect your flock and it was the opposite of that. And I imagine that was hard for him as well. It was a very ugly situation on their part. I think they kind of lived for the drama,” Bush said of the situation.

Although Bush was young and naive at the time, she now realizes how deeply inappropriate it is to use people’s personal lives to create story lines. She prides herself in her independence and says that women should never feel afraid to take control of their own lives.