# Sophia Bush
**Sophia Bush** (born 1982) is an American actress, producer, activist, and entrepreneur known for playing Brooke Davis on the teen drama *One Tree Hill* and Detective Erin Lindsay on the police series *Chicago P.D.*, and for her work on civic engagement, women's rights, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. She is a member of the [Directors Guild of America](https://www.edgepedia.org/directors-guild-of-america), has hosted the podcast *Work in Progress* since 2019, and is publishing her first book, the memoir *And I Will Tell You Mine*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982, Pasadena, California; full name Sophia Anna Bush[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/bush-sophia-1982) |
| Breakthrough role | Brooke Davis on *One Tree Hill* (The WB/CW, 2003–2012), nine seasons[2](https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/greys-anatomy/sophia-bush-on-shaking-up-the-grey-s-anatomy-world-this-season) |
| Chicago P.D. | Starred as Detective Erin Lindsay for four seasons on Dick Wolf's NBC police drama[3](https://press.hulu.com/bios/sophia-bush/) |
| Awards | Three 2007 Teen Choice Awards: Choice Movie Actress: Comedy (*John Tucker Must Die*), Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller (*The Hitcher*), and Choice Movie: Breakout Female[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/awards/) |
| Podcasts | Host of *Work in Progress with Sophia Bush* since 2019; co-host of *Drama Queens* from 2021 to 2025[5](https://us.macmillan.com/author/sophiabush) |
| Business roles | General Partner at Union Heritage Ventures, part-owner of Angel City FC, strategic advisor to the First Women's Bank[6](https://wbcollaborative.org/who_we_are/sophia-bush/) |
| Recent acting | Recurring role as Dr. Cass Beckman, a trauma surgeon, on *Grey's Anatomy* season 21[7](https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/sophia-bush-joins-greys-anatomy-season-21-fun/story?id=114869896) |
| Memoir | *And I Will Tell You Mine*, published by Macmillan on October 27, 2026[6](https://wbcollaborative.org/who_we_are/sophia-bush/) |
## Early life and education
Bush was born in [Pasadena, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/pasadena-california), the daughter of Charles William Bush, a photographer, and Maureen Bush, a photography studio manager[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/bush-sophia-1982). She attended Westridge School for Girls, a small private school in Pasadena, and made her acting debut in a school theater production there[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/bio/). She later described the experience of staging a play at school, where theater participation was required, as the moment she discovered performing[9](https://notablepeopleproject.org/sophia_bush).
In 2000, her senior year of high school, she was crowned Queen of the Tournament of Roses Parade[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/bush-sophia-1982). She then spent three years studying at the [University of Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-southern-california), majoring in journalism and minoring in theater, and acted as her sorority's social chair, [Kappa Kappa Gamma](https://www.edgepedia.org/kappa-kappa-gamma)[10](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sophia-bush/). She left college just after her junior year to take the role of Brooke Davis on *One Tree Hill*, on the advice of her advisor in the Annenberg School of Journalism[11](https://rosetta.to/u/oxfordunion/sophia-bush-full-q-a-at-the-oxford-union).
## One Tree Hill
Bush made her screen debut in 2002 as Sally, a college student, in the comedy *Van Wilder* opposite [Ryan Reynolds](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-reynolds)[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/bio/), followed by a small role in the HBO thriller *Point of Origin* (2002)[10](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sophia-bush/). She had been cast as a female lead in *Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines* but was replaced by [Claire Danes](https://www.edgepedia.org/claire-danes); shortly afterward she was cast in *One Tree Hill*, playing Brooke Davis from the show's premiere in 2003 through its end in 2012[10](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sophia-bush/) • [2](https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/greys-anatomy/sophia-bush-on-shaking-up-the-grey-s-anatomy-world-this-season). She also directed episodes of the series, including in its final season[9](https://notablepeopleproject.org/sophia_bush).
During the *One Tree Hill* run she appeared in feature films that broadened her range across genres, including *John Tucker Must Die*, *Stay Alive*, and the horror remake *The Hitcher*, in which she did nearly all of her own stunts[9](https://notablepeopleproject.org/sophia_bush) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/bio/). For *John Tucker Must Die* and *The Hitcher* she won three [Teen Choice Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/teen-choice-awards) in 2007, in the comedy, horror/thriller, and breakout female categories[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/awards/).
In 2017, cast and crew members of *One Tree Hill* publicly accused the show's creator, [Mark Schwahn](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-schwahn), of sexual misconduct, and Bush spoke publicly about the experience; she has described the #[MeToo movement](https://www.edgepedia.org/metoo-movement) as helping shape her understanding of accountability and empowerment[12](https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a63822610/sophia-bush-one-tree-hill-venture-capital-career-interview-2025/) • [13](https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/12/4/sophia-bush-feminist-solidarity/).
## Chicago P.D. and later television
After *One Tree Hill*, Bush moved to the NBC drama *Chicago P.D.*, a spinoff of *Chicago Fire* produced by [Dick Wolf](https://www.edgepedia.org/dick-wolf), in which she played Detective Erin Lindsay for four seasons[3](https://press.hulu.com/bios/sophia-bush/). She told The Washington Post that the character was the closest to her of any role she had played, and described the show's morally gray portrayal of policing as a departure from procedural conventions[14](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/actress-sophia-bush-all-grown-up-in-chicago-pd/2014/01/15/25a8e714-7e00-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html).
Her subsequent television work has included starring in and producing the CBS medical series *Good Sam*, voice work in *Incredibles 2*, appearances in *This Is Us* and Hulu's *Love, Victor*, and a recurring role as Dr. Cass Beckman, a trauma surgeon at Seattle Presbyterian, on season 21 of *Grey's Anatomy*, announced in October 2024 with a debut on November 7[5](https://us.macmillan.com/author/sophiabush) • [3](https://press.hulu.com/bios/sophia-bush/) • [7](https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/sophia-bush-joins-greys-anatomy-season-21-fun/story?id=114869896). Originally booked for two episodes, she extended her stay as the character's storyline with [Teddy Altman](https://www.edgepedia.org/teddy-altman) grew, returning again in the season 22 finale[2](https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/greys-anatomy/sophia-bush-on-shaking-up-the-grey-s-anatomy-world-this-season) • [15](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/sophia-bush-reveals-concerns-surprise-appearance-greys-anatomy-season-finale). She is set to appear in the Hulu series *Count My Lies*[5](https://us.macmillan.com/author/sophiabush).
## Podcasts and writing
Bush launched her podcast *Work in Progress* in 2019, featuring what she describes as frank, personal, and sometimes political conversations with people who inspire her[3](https://press.hulu.com/bios/sophia-bush/). From 2021 to 2025 she co-hosted *Drama Queens* with her former *One Tree Hill* co-stars Hilarie Burton Morgan, Robert Buckley, and [Bethany Joy Lenz](https://www.edgepedia.org/bethany-joy-lenz)[5](https://us.macmillan.com/author/sophiabush). Her memoir, *And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress*, is scheduled for publication by Macmillan on October 27, 2026[6](https://wbcollaborative.org/who_we_are/sophia-bush/).
## Activism and business
Bush's activism centers on female empowerment and civic engagement. She co-founded and sits on the board of I am a voter®, a nonpartisan movement aimed at creating a cultural shift around voting[6](https://wbcollaborative.org/who_we_are/sophia-bush/). She and her business partner Nia Linder Batts are General Partners in Union Heritage Ventures, a majority African American and women-owned venture capital firm whose investments include Aunt Flow, Angel City FC, Fashionkind, Thinx, and PenPal Schools[6](https://wbcollaborative.org/who_we_are/sophia-bush/). She is also a strategic advisor to the First Women's Bank, alongside [Billie Jean King](https://www.edgepedia.org/billie-jean-king), and a part-owner of the [Angel City FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/angel-city-fc) soccer team[6](https://wbcollaborative.org/who_we_are/sophia-bush/) • [16](https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/sophia-bush/).
In education access work, she has inspired followers to raise nearly half a million dollars for charity, helped build three primary schools in [Guatemala](https://www.edgepedia.org/guatemala) and Laos, and served as a global ambassador for Glamour's The Girl Project, which works to remove barriers girls face to secondary education in 96 countries[3](https://press.hulu.com/bios/sophia-bush/). CNN has named her one of the most charitable celebrities[3](https://press.hulu.com/bios/sophia-bush/). She has also advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and is on the board of the Human Rights Campaign; in a 2025 essay in TIME she wrote about publicly stepping into her queerness and about the political threats to civil rights protections she sees facing the community[17](https://time.com/7294826/sophia-bush-pride-2025-essay/).
## Personal life
Bush married her *One Tree Hill* co-star Chad Michael Murray on April 16, 2005; they divorced on September 29, 2006[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/bio/). She married Grant Hughes on June 11, 2022, and the marriage ended in divorce on December 30, 2024[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/bio/). She married soccer player Ashlyn Harris in 2025[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/bio/).
## References
1. [Bush, Sophia 1982–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/bush-sophia-1982)
2. [Sophia Bush on Shaking Up the 'Grey's' World This Season, Shondaland](https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/greys-anatomy/sophia-bush-on-shaking-up-the-grey-s-anatomy-world-this-season)
3. [Sophia Bush, Hulu Press bio](https://press.hulu.com/bios/sophia-bush/)
4. [Sophia Bush – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/awards/)
5. [Sophia Bush, Macmillan Authors](https://us.macmillan.com/author/sophiabush)
6. [Sophia Bush, Women Business Collaborative](https://wbcollaborative.org/who_we_are/sophia-bush/)
7. [Sophia Bush joins 'Grey's Anatomy' season 21, ABC News](https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/sophia-bush-joins-greys-anatomy-season-21-fun/story?id=114869896)
8. [Sophia Bush – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/bio/)
9. [Sophia Bush, Notable People Project](https://notablepeopleproject.org/sophia_bush)
10. [Sophia Bush – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sophia-bush/)
11. [Sophia Bush, Full Q&A at The Oxford Union, Rosetta](https://rosetta.to/u/oxfordunion/sophia-bush-full-q-a-at-the-oxford-union)
12. [Sophia Bush on the 'One Tree Hill' Reboot, 'Drama Queens,' and Venture Capital, ELLE](https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a63822610/sophia-bush-one-tree-hill-venture-capital-career-interview-2025/)
13. [Grey's Anatomy Actor Sophia Bush Encourages Feminist Solidarity at IOP Forum, The Harvard Crimson](https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/12/4/sophia-bush-feminist-solidarity/)
14. [Actress Sophia Bush all grown up in 'Chicago P.D.', The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/actress-sophia-bush-all-grown-up-in-chicago-pd/2014/01/15/25a8e714-7e00-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html)
15. [Sophia Bush Had Concerns About Her Surprise Appearance In Grey's Anatomy Season Finale, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/sophia-bush-reveals-concerns-surprise-appearance-greys-anatomy-season-finale)
16. [Sophia Bush: Biography at a Glance, CAA Speakers](https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/sophia-bush/)
17. [Sophia Bush: What Celebrating Pride Means to Me This Year, TIME](https://time.com/7294826/sophia-bush-pride-2025-essay/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Bu to Ce*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license