Chad Michael Murray (born August 24, 1981) is an American actor, writer, and model. He starred as Lucas Scott in The WB/CW drama series One Tree Hill (2003–2009, 2012) and had recurring roles as Tristin DuGray on Gilmore Girls (2000–01), Charlie Todd on Dawson's Creek (2001–02), and Edgar Evernever on Riverdale (2019), all on the same network. He currently stars as Cal Jones in the CTV romantic drama series Sullivan's Crossing (2023–present).
Murray also starred in the film A Cinderella Story (2004) and had supporting roles in Freaky Friday (2003) and Fruitvale Station (2013). He went on to star in Chosen (2013–14), and Sun Records (2017), and appeared as main cast member in Marvel-ABC series Agent Carter (2015–16) and a recurring role in Fox's Star (2018–19). Murray has written a graphic novel with lead illustrator Danijel Žeželj titled Everlast (2011), and a novel co-authored with Heather Graham titled American Drifter (2017).
Early life Chad Michael Murray was born in Buffalo, New York, and was raised by a single father, Rex Murray, who worked as an air traffic controller. His mother left the family when Murray was 10 years old. He has five siblings, consisting of a younger sister, three younger full brothers, and a younger half-brother from his father's second marriage, and has two step-siblings, consisting of a step-sister and a step-brother.
Murray attended Clarence High School in Clarence, New York. He became a fan of literature and played football. As a teenager, he worked at the Dipson Theatres in Eastern Hills Mall. In his late teens, he broke his nose. This led to reports during his career that he had received a nose job. Murray clarified in a 2004 interview, "I got jumped in a Burger King when I was 18 and had my nose put on the other side of my face. It was three guys [...] The doctors didn't even bother running X-rays. They just reset it. But it wasn't a nose job—I hate the fact that people say it was a nose job!"
Career 1999–2002: Career beginnings Murray won a scholarship to attend a modeling convention in Orlando, Florida, where he met an agent who encouraged him to go to Los Angeles for a week and see what happens. He subsequently got a manager and moved to Hollywood in 1999. Murray began modeling for brands such as Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger and Gucci.
In 2000, he guest starred as Dan on the MTV drama anthology series Undressed on the episode "Scared Stiffy" which aired on March 8 as part of its second season. Later that year, Murray was cast in the role of rich kid Tristin DuGray on The WB television series Gilmore Girls as a recurring character in the first season which debuted on October 5 and in an episode of the second season the next year. The series became a hit and Murray would go onto become a staple actor on the network for the rest of the decade. He ended his debut year on screen appearing on the November 16 episode of the CBS crime drama Diagnosis: Murder during its eighth season.
In 2001, he was cast in a television pilot for The WB, the family drama Murphy's Dozen, which revolved around 12 children and their parents in an Irish American family in New Jersey. The lead actress Kathy Baker signed on in March and the pilot was screened for the network in May but was not picked up for the fall season. Murray portrayed the role of teenage David Alexander in Christian Apocalyptic fiction film Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 which released on September 7. Murray was cast in the role of womanizer Charlie Todd on The WB's hit television series Dawson's Creek as a recurring character in the fifth season which premiered on October 10. He next appeared on an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation which aired on CBS on October 3, 2002, during its third season.
2003–2010: Success with One Tree Hill and mainstream films In 2003, Murray began the year appearing in the family drama television film A Long Way Home, also known as Aftermath, playing the role of Sean in a family trying to reconcile following domestic sexual abuse. He next played the lead role of Luke Hartman on The WB's western television film The Lone Ranger which aired on February 26 and served as a backdoor pilot for a potential series run. Murray was cast in the role of love-interest Jake in the Walt Disney Pictures comedy film Freaky Friday, starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, which released in theaters on August 6. It was Disney's third adaptation of the 1972 children's novel of the same name authored by Mary Rodgers. The film was a critical and a major box office success, earning roughly $161 million worldwide. He also recorded a version of ...Baby One More Time which was featured on the soundtrack to the movie.
Later that year, he was cast in the lead role of Lucas Scott on The WB series One Tree Hill which debuted on September 23, 2003. The first-season finale garnered 4.50 million viewers. The series was one of The WB's most successful programs the year it began and continued with impressive ratings after the network merged with rival UPN to become The CW in 2006. The series earned Murray six Teen Choice Award nominations over the years, including winning Choice TV – Breakout Actor in August 2004 and Choice TV Actor – Drama in August 2008. Stemming from the series' popularity, he and his One Tree Hill co-stars became official endorsers for MasterCard, K-Mart, Cingular Wireless and the Chevy Cobalt.
In 2004, Murray starred as Austin Ames in the romantic comedy film A Cinderella Story alongside Hilary Duff which released in July 16. The film was a box office success, earning $70.1 million worldwide, but was panned by critics. The film earned Murray the award for Choice Movie – Breakout Actor in August 2004 and several more nominations at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards. He is the first person to win their awards for Breakout Actor in both the TV and Movie categories in the same year. Murray was listed as one of "TV's Sexiest Guys" by People magazine in November 2004.
He next co-starred as Nick Jones in the horror film House of Wax which released theatrically on May 6, 2005. The film earned Murray two more Teen Choice Award nominations, including winning Choice Movie Actor – Action/Thriller in August 2005. Murray was listed as one of "Fall TV's Sexiest Guys" by People magazine in September 2005, and was the cover model for Teen People magazine that same month. He played the role of Private Jordan Owens in the Iraq War drama film Home of the Brave, alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel and 50 Cent, which test released in theaters on December 6, 2006, before a limited theatrical release on April 17, 2007.
Murray was listed at #12 on AOL Television's list of "TV's 50 Hottest Hunks Ever" on November 4, 2008. In May 2009, it was reported that Murray would not be returning to One Tree Hill for its seventh season. A video of Murray was recorded in which he was telling fans that they did not want him back because they wanted to save money. However, creator Mark Schwahn said in an interview that Murray had been offered "great things" to return to the show.
In 2010, Murray played the love-interest of Alicia Keys in her music video for "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" which premiered on BET's 106 & Park on May 12. The video depicts the burgeoning romance of a young interracial couple reimagined across different eras, from the 1950s through the 2000s. It won Outstanding Music Video at the 42nd NAACP Image Awards in March 2011. Murray played the role of Ethan McAllister in the drama television film Lies in Plain Sight which aired on Lifetime on October 3, 2010. He played the love-interest Patrick Kerns in the television film Christmas Cupid, alongside Christina Milan and Ashley Benson, which premiered on ABC Family on December 12.
2011–2015: Chosen, Agent Carter and independent films On August 29, 2011, The CW announced that Murray would return for a guest appearance as Lucas Scott in the final season of One Tree Hill. The episode aired on February 22, 2012, as part of the concluding ninth season. He then played the male lead Jamie Tworkowski in the biographical drama film To Write Love on Her Arms which premiered on March 11, 2012, at the Omaha Film Festival where it won the Encore Award. The film is based on the true story of Tworkowski's founding of the Florida-based non-profit organization of the same name helping those struggling with addiction, mental illness and self-injury, and received a limited theatrical release on March 3, 2015.
He next played the role of Thatcher in the short film The Carrier which premiered on April 27, 2012, at the USA Film Festival. On March 12, it was reported that he was cast to play the male lead Spider Elliot in a television pilot for ABC, Scruples, with Claire Forlani playing the female lead Billy Orsini and with Natalie Portman serving as an executive producer. The potential series, adapted from Judith Krantz's pioneering 1979 debut bonkbuster novel of the same name, was not picked up by the network. Murray next starred as Dylan in the Funny or Die short First Kiss alongside Rachael Leigh Cook which released on September 11.
In 2013, Murray played the role of Officer Ingram in the biographical drama film Fruitvale Station, which chronicles the last day of Oscar Grant, portrayed by Michael B. Jordan, who was shot and killed by a BART Police officer in Oakland, California. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on January 19 before releasing theatrically on July 12, becoming a critical and box office success, earning $17.4 million from a budget of under a million. Murray next played male lead Andy Wyrick in the horror film The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia which released on February 1. The film, inspired by the true events surrounding the Wyrick family, is Murray's first role playing a father. He guest starred as Officer Dave Mendoza in the crime drama series Southland on two episodes during its concluding fifth season which premiered on TNT on February 13. It marked his on-screen union with its co-star Ben McKenzie (Officer Ben Sherman), who had played Ryan Atwood on popular teen drama The O.C. that debuted the same year as OTH.
On October 9, 2013, it was reported that Murray was cast to join action-thriller series Chosen on Crackle. He played the lead role of Jacob Orr in the second season which premiered on December 12 that year and in the third season which released on April 15, 2014. Murray played the role of Jay in comedy film Cavemen which premiered on October 26 at the 2013 Austin Film Festival before a limited theatrical release on February 7, 2014. He played the role of Tanner McCoy in comedy film A Madea Christmas which released theatrically on December 13, 2013. Murray next co-starred in the apocalyptic thriller film Left Behind, playing the role of Cameron "Buck" Williams, alongside Nicolas Cage and Jordin Sparks. The film, based on the novel series of the same name authored by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, was released on October 3, 2014.
On August 29, 2014, it was announced that Murray was cast in the role of Agent Jack Thompson in the ABC spy thriller series Agent Carter, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first season premiered on January 6, 2015, and the second season premiered on January 19, 2016.