Sophia Anna Bush (born July 8, 1982)[1] is an American actress. She starred asBrooke Davis inThe WB/CW drama seriesOne Tree Hill (2003–2012), and asErin Lindsay in theNBC police procedural drama seriesChicago P.D. (2014–2017). She was a producer for and starred in the lead role of Dr. Samantha "Sam" Griffith in the medical dramaGood Sam (2022).
Bush was born inPasadena, California,[2] the only child of Maureen Searson and Charles William Bush.[1] Her mother manages a photography studio[3] and her father is an advertising and beauty photographer.[4]
In 2000, she graduated fromWestridge School for Girls in Pasadena, where she was a member of the volleyball team. At Westridge, she was required to participate in the theater arts program. Bush said, "Part of my school's requirement was to do a play. I was really irritated because I wanted to play volleyball and I had to go and do this play. But there was a moment after the performance when I realized I had gone and been somebody else. I thought, 'If I could do this for the rest of my life, I am set.' It was like love at first sight."[5] At age 17, Bush was named theTournament of Roses ParadeQueen in 1999.[1][6] At the time she planned to major in both theater and psychology atTulane University inNew Orleans.[7]
Bush at the Hollywood Style Awards, October 10, 2009
In February 2012, Bush was reported as having joined the cast of the upcomingCBS sitcomPartners.[17] Premiering on September 24, 2012, the series ran for a single season until November, when it was announced that the series had been canceled after six episodes.[18] The remaining seven episodes of the series' initial thirteen-episode order remain unaired in the United States, though they were later aired by various international outlets. In 2013, Bush starred inPassion Pit's "Carried Away" music video, which debuted on February 14.[19] That same year, she was cast in a main role in the television pilotHatfields & McCoys, but the project failed to be picked up to series.[20]
In August 2013, Bush joined the cast ofChicago P.D. as Det.Erin Lindsay.[21] The series premiered on January 8, 2014.[22] She left the series after four seasons.[23] In December 2018, she cited "abusive behavior" as the reason for leaving the show.[24] Bush also frequently appeared on the first and thirdChicago franchise series,Chicago Fire andChicago Med respectively. In 2018, Bush provided the voice of Voyd, an aspiring superhero, inPixar's film,Incredibles 2, the sequel to 2004'sThe Incredibles.[25] In 2019, Bush started her own podcast titled "Work In Progress".[26]
In 2020, Bush appeared as Veronica in four episodes of the first season ofLove, Victor onHulu.[27] Since 2021, Bush has been a co-host on theDrama Queens podcast along with her formerOne Tree Hill co-stars,Hilarie Burton Morgan andBethany Joy Lenz.[28] In April 2023, it was announced that Bush would make her West End debut in2:22 A Ghost Story at theApollo Theatre.[29][30] Citing a medical issue, Bush announced that she would no longer be a part of the production in July 2023.[31] In 2023, Bush appeared onCelebrity Family Feud, competing againstGayle King and her team.[32]
Bush was engaged to herOne Tree Hill co-starChad Michael Murray in May 2004,[33] and they married on April 16, 2005 inSanta Monica, California.[34] After five months of marriage, the pair announced their separation in September 2005.[35] In February 2006, Bush filed papers for anannullment, citing fraud.[36] Bush's petition was denied,[37] and she and Murray were instead granted a divorce in December 2006.[38] Bush later said that it "devastate[d]" her to "have been reduced to a Hollywood statistic—another joke marriage".[39] In a January 2014 episode ofWatch What Happens: Live, she described the pair as "two stupid kids who had no business being in a relationship in the first place".[40][41]
From 2006 to 2007, Bush dated herStay Alive co-starJon Foster. They remained friends after splitting.[42] From 2008 to 2009, Bush dated herOne Tree Hill co-starJames Lafferty.[43] She also dated actorAustin Nichols, confirming in May 2010 that they had been dating on and off for four years.[1][44] Nichols took the role ofJulian Baker onOne Tree Hill to be with Bush,[44] who ended their relationship in 2012.[43] From 2013 to 2014, Bush datedDan Fredinburg, aprogram manager forGoogle. Bush cited the strains of their long-distance relationship as the cause of separation.[40][45][46] She stayed friends with Fredinburg afterward, and noted that his death onMount Everest in 2015 significantly impacted her.[47]
Bush is a part of fundraisers such as __ Cancer, Run for the Gulf, and Global Green Gulf Relief[55] and has been involved in political issues including her support forBarack Obama's candidacy for president in the2008 election. In February 2008, she made several appearances in Texas in support of the Obama campaign in theDemocratic presidential primary election. Bush was joined in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Waco by fellow actorAdam Rodríguez. Touring mostly college campuses, they urged young voters to get involved politically.[56]
In April 2009, along with starsSarah Chalke,Jason Lewis,Alicia Silverstone,Jane Lynch, andLance Bass, Bush appeared in theFunny or Die video "A Gaythering Storm", which parodied aNational Organization for Marriage video objecting tosame-sex marriage.[57] Bush is a staunch supporter ofgay rights and, in May 2009, she showed up at a rally in protest ofProposition 8. She carried a sign stating, "I DO support the freedom to marry", and a shirt which had the words "Legalize Gay" across it. In an interview in January 2012, Bush said about the 2012 Republican candidates: "I will not vote for a candidate who thinks you can 'pray away the gay,' I will not vote for a candidate who thinks that he has more rights to my uterus than I do, I will not vote for a candidate who thinks that it's okay to dump toxic waste in the ocean. I'm afraid for our country that people like this could even be thought of as the president. I live in a country where I believe all men are created equal, not just wealthy white guys. I believe all men, all women, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic background, you deserve the same rights."[58] In June 2016, theHuman Rights Campaign released a video in tribute to the victims of theOrlando nightclub shooting; in the video, Bush and others told the stories of the people killed there.[59][60]
Bush withSusan Herman, President of American Civil Liberties Union on center stage during day three of Collision 2018 at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans
Bush set up a fundraiser intended to help people living in the area of theGulf of Mexico affected by the environmental disaster of theDeepwater Horizon oil spill on April 20, 2010. The actress has visited Louisiana and testified in interviews of the horror she felt when she visited those places.[61] The fundraiser is on the Internet throughcrowdsourcing website Crowdrise.com. The actress, to support the fundraiser, announced that she would be running a half marathon that following November, despite having asthma and a year-old knee injury.[62] Bush has additionally teamed up withDo Something to raise more environmental awareness among teens. She was chosen as the spokesperson to endorse the launch of eMission, a Facebook game with the social mission to engage America's youth in fighting climate change created through the joint efforts of Do Something andU.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)Energy Star program.[63]
In 2011, Bush won the Do Something Twitter Award for having spread the word via her Twitter account on how her followers could help with the cleanup after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[64][65] She was voted "Fan Favorite" byFacebook users on DoSomething.org.[66] In 2011, Bush also became involved in thePencils of Promise organization, which builds schools and increases educational opportunities in the developing world.[67] In December 2011, Bush competed with other stars in theMozilla Firefox Challenge, a one-month fundraising contest whose winner is granted $25,000 to put toward a favorite cause; she won the contest in January 2012.[14][68] In April 2013, Bush took part inGlobal Poverty Project's "Live Below the Line" campaign, which consists in living on $1.50 a day to raise awareness of extreme poverty around the world.[69] In 2013, Bush hosted aPrizeo campaign to raise funds for one of her favorite causes, I Am that Girl.[70] As part of the campaign, Bush offered donors a grand prize of the opportunity toskydive with her.[71] In 2014, Bush's foreword toAlexis Jones' debut novelI Am that Girl was released and distributed by accessories retailerClaire's.[72] In 2016, Bush was named to Oprah'sSuperSoul 100 list of visionaries and influential leaders.[73]
Bush is a founding member of the movementTime's Up. Two of her contributions include creating a clothing line benefiting Planned Parenthood and giving a speech at the Women's March on January 20, 2018.[74] Sophia is also constantly using her social media platforms, such as Twitter, encouraging people to participate in the ongoing activism opportunities around the world.
In the 2018 fight over the nomination ofBrett Kavanaugh to theSupreme Court, Bush was supportive ofChristine Blasey Ford, and praised her "strength" throughout the controversy. Bush tweeted, "To everyone saying 'why did they wait? The timing feels suspect,' etc. Just rememberBill Cosby. No one wanted to believe it about him. It was true. And he's going to prison. I'd wager more women victimized by Kavanaugh will come forward. Women feel safety in numbers #TimesUp".[75] In 2020, Bush joined the ownership group forAngel City FC of theNational Women's Soccer League.[76]
This moment is nothing short of a national emergency. But these days it also feels incredibly personal. Because I type this as I look across the kitchen at my husband. A man with whom I am deeply in love. And a man who might never have come into my life, nor me into his, had it not been for an abortion. Not my experience—I have never had an abortion—buthis. An abortion that he and a former partner had is what got us here.
Bush is known for promulgating her progressive views on her social media pages. She usesTwitter,Facebook,Instagram, and her blog to raise awareness of world events and fundraisers in which she takes part, as well as a platform to raise awareness on progressive issues and political events that are occurring. In November 2024, Bush signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Washington Speakers Bureau (WSB), where she advocates for economic growth, women's empowerment, and community engagement.[78]
Bush's appearance has often been the subject of media attention. She was ranked #3 on Femme Fatales: The 50 Sexiest Women of 2004 and named #15 on Much Music's 20 Hottest Women of 2004.[81] In April 2007, she ranked No. 90 in the British popular men's magazineFHM, in their countdown of100 Sexiest Women of 2007.[81] Subsequently, she ranked No. 89 in the U.S. edition of the same magazine. In May 2007, Bush ranked No. 24 in theMaxim Hot 100 List of 2007.[81] She also appeared on the cover of the November 2006 edition ofMaxim with herOne Tree Hill co-starsHilarie Burton andDanneel Harris. She ranked #30 on Maxim's "Hot 100" of 2014 list. She was featured inPeople's "Beautiful at Every Age" and "Most Beautiful" lists for several years.[82]
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