Biography
Date of Birth
8 December 1982, Pasadena, California, USA
Birth Name
Sophia Anna Bush
Nickname
Soph
Sophie
Height
5' 4" (1.63 m)
Mini Biography
Sophia Bush has captured film and television audiences with her range of roles and diverse characters She was born on July 8, 1982, in Pasadena, California, and is an only child. Her father, Charles William Bush, is a renowned advertising and celebrity photographer, and her mother, Maureen E. (Searson) Bush, runs a photography studio.
Growing up in Pasadena, Sophia made her acting debut there in a school theater production while attending Westridge School for Girls, a small private school. She was crowned Queen of the Royal Court for the 2000 Tournament of Roses and graduated from high school that same year. In 2002, Sophia made her screen debut as Sally, a college student, in the comedy National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002), opposite Ryan Reynolds. She attended University of Southern California for three years, and took a Journalism major and Theatre minor, albeit she did not graduate, taking her leave of absence after getting the part as Brooke Davis, a flirtatious cheerleader on the WB TV series One Tree Hill (2003). She was also cast to play opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Nick Stahl in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), but, after she began principal photography on the film, the director deemed her too young for the role and she was soon replaced by actress Claire Danes. She was also featured in a three-episode arc on the provocative FX drama, Nip/Tuck (2003).
Sophia got her big break when One Tree Hill (2003) developed a loyal following and became her steady gig. The show ran for nine season. Her character evolved from a trouble-making vixen to a fiercely loyal friend, and is a huge fan favorite. It was while working on the series that Bush began dating her on-screen love interest, actor Chad Michael Murray. They wed in April 2005, but split after five months, in September 2005. In December 2006, their divorce became final. Meanwhile, she continued to land big screen roles, such as October Bantum in Stay Alive (2006), a horror film by writer/director William Brent Bell, and as Beth in John Tucker Must Die (2006), a comedy by director Betty Thomas, co-starring Jesse Metcalfe and Brittany Snow. Bush is co-starring as Grace Andrews, who is terrorized by a killer played by Sean Bean, in the remake of The Hitcher (2007), for Focus Features.
She starred in Serenade Films' movie The Narrows (2008), a movie based on Tim McLoughlin's novel, "Heart of the Old Country". Bush played Kathy Popovich, an NYU student who attracts the attention of Mike Manadoro (Kevin Zegers), a fellow student with some shady connections. "The Narrows" was directed by François Velle. Bush was then seen in Table for Three (2009), an independent comedy that takes a look at the tangled relationships between couples and roommates. The film co-starred Brandon Routh and Jesse Bradford.
Bush garnered the most individual Teen Choice Awards in 2007, taking home awards in the categories of "Choice Movie Actress: Comedy", "Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller" and "Choice Movie: Breakout Female". In addition, she was also a recipient of the "Rising Star" Award at the 2007 Vail Film Festival as well as the "New Hollywood Style Icon" Award at the 2008 Hollywood Style Awards.
Sophia is a passionate philanthropist whose causes focus on the celebration of arts as well as the environment. She is an advocate of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, a foundation committed to the preservation of biodiversity within the Maasai tribal lands of East Africa. Funds support conservation, education, and health services within the Maasai community, as well as a host of programs designed to conserve Africa's legendary wildlife. She also contributes her time and talents to the Art of Elysium, a non-profit that enriches the lives of children battling serious medical conditions by bringing together artists to share their time and talent. She has also worked as an Assignment Editor for Annenberg TV News in her spare time. Her other talents include horseback riding, boxing, and photography. She enjoys reading and spending time with her friends, and resided in Wilmington, North Carolina, where One Tree Hill (2003) was filmed.
Trivia
Works for Annenberg TV News, a student news organization, in her spare time, as an Assignment Editor.
Was the Tournament of Roses Parade Queen in 2000.
Was cast as Kate Brewster in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and even worked on-set for several days, but was replaced with Claire Danes when director Jonathan Mostow deemed her "too young" to play the role.
She attended an all-girls high school in Pasadena, California called Westridge and graduated in the class of 2000.
Is an alumna of the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Southern California. She attended USC for three years before getting the role of Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill (2003).
Her father, Charles William Bush, is a celebrity photographer and her mother, Maureen Ellen (Searson) Bush, is a photography studio manager.
Her favorite television series is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999).
(September 26, 2005) Announced she has separated from her husband Chad Michael Murray.
Ranked #3 on Femme Fatales: The 50 Sexiest Women of 2004.
Named #15 on Much Music's 20 Hottest Women of 2004.
Wore a Vera Wang gown for her wedding to Chad Michael Murray.
Named #90 in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women of 2007.
Ranked #24 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2007 list.
Good friends with Bevin Prince, James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz, Brittany Snow, and Danneel Ackles.
She and Milo Ventimiglia are very close friends. They are members of charity for children.
Her ancestry includes English, Irish, Scottish, Northern Irish, and, from her maternal grandmother, Italian.
Her favorite designers are Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Chloe and Ya-Ya.
There are many designers who send items to the costume department of One Tree Hill (2003) specifically for her to wear.
Has played the same character (Detective Erin Lindsay) on five different series: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Chicago Fire (2012), Chicago P.D. (2014), Chicago Med (2015) and Chicago Justice (2017).
Ranked as having one of the "Most Beautiful Faces" by "The Annual Independent Critics List of the 100 Most Beautiful Famous Faces From Around the World". She was ranked #22 in 2010, #4 in 2009, #20 in 2008, and #38 in 2007.
She attended the University of Southern California for three years as a Journalism major.
She has a Concealed Weapons license.
She is constantly rescuing dogs and, at one point, she had 13 living in her house. She has 2 dogs named Penny and Griffin. She adopted a rescue puppy named Frankie in late September 2016 after the death of her dog Patch, but gave Frankie to a friend in July 2017.
She did almost all of her own stunts for The Hitcher (2007), including the full spin.
Her favorite actors are Sean Penn, Edward Norton and Robin Williams.
Her favorite actresses are Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron.
Sophia Bush married Chad Michael Murray on April 16, 2005 in Santa Monica, California. In September 2005, after five months of marriage, they announced their separation. Bush filed papers seeking an annulment on the grounds of fraud in February 2006. The divorce court denied her petition, and granted her and Murray a divorce, in December 2006, instead.
Ranked #30 on Maxim's "Hot 100" of 2014 list.
Sophia's parents named her after famed international movie star Sophia Loren, who posed for her father Charles William Bush's camera many times. Miss Bush was even included in some advertising shots with Ms. Loren.
Not related to George Bush or George W. Bush.
(September 29, 2005) Officially announced separation from her husband, Chad Michael Murray, to the public.
Appeared in the video for Passion Pit's "Carried Away".
Advocates for women's health care.
Born on exactly the same date as Schuyler Fisk.
She is the second cousin of Christina Taylor Green, one of the shooting victims of the assassination attempt on U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords.
Is an avid beekeeper.
Started a podcast with One Tree Hill co-stars, Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz, titled "Drama Queens" in 2021.
In August 2021, Sophia Bush announced her engagement to businessman Grant Hughes.
Trademarks:
Raspy voice
Her dimples
Quotes
(On starring with her husband on One Tree Hill (2003)) People say "Oh, it must be so nice being able to kiss your own husband on the show", but really, it's not. It's so awkward being intimate with your husband with hundreds of people watching and a camera present.
I love boxing. There's something fierce about using your body's force that way.
I've turned into a total insomniac. Chad will wake up for a 4 a.m. snack, and I will have completely redecorated a room in our house!
I get to experiment with a lot of looks with my character so that's really fun for me. It's like getting to paint a new canvas everyday.
I want to play everything. I really want to do it all.
Samaire (Samaire Armstrong) and I spent a lot of time shopping together and just running around town. She's such a great girl. She's an artist and has a really creative mind. I loved it when they sent me the Stay Alive (2006) script. McG called and said "Listen, read this role and tell me what you think." She's so different from anybody I've gotten to play which was what drew me to it. Aside from the fact that the script is great, original and creepy as hell, the character is very, very cool. She's such a badass. She's a rough around the edge girl and fits into this sect that is of New Orleans.
[In reference to the portrayal of strong women in cinema] I think what's exceptional about that is typically in the sociology of our culture, we're so used to those gender roles of the women being supported and it's wonderful when you see that that's really not how it is. Because sorry to say, women run the house. They run the family. They hold things up. I mean, it's like you don't ever see your mom get sick because she handles everything. And it's kind of amazing I think to show people just how strong women are. And people enjoy it. And I think people want to see women that reflect women in their lives that they know now.
People care about my personal life. But really I'm dorky! I drink beer and go to football games. And ya know, sit in my house in a t-shirt on the weekends and play with my dog!
Getting wasted is only okay when you're young enough to not know better.
[on working with ex-husband, Chad Michael Murray]: My job is my job, and my personal life is my personal life, and I keep them separate. It's my job. It's not always easy, but it's my work - it's what I love and take pride in, and I won't let that slack because of personal circumstances.
I've always been the long-term relationship, go-home-and-meet-mom girl.
[on relationships] Whether it lasts forever or ends tomorrow, it will have taught you something if you've paid attention.
Because I'm 5'4" and athletically built, if I gain five pounds it looks like a lot.
It devastates me now that I have been reduced to a Hollywood statistic-another joke marriage. I never expected to be married more than once...because I knew what I was getting into and will always believe in love.
