Who is Sophia Bush? Sophia Bush opens up about complicated friendships with Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz post-One Tree Hill

Sophia Bush has, over the years, developed a career in television, but the friendships she has with her colleagues from One Tree Hill are still a significant aspect of her life. She has now spoken about her relationships with Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz, discussing the bonds that they have kept throughout difficult periods.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Bush talked about the friendships that developed during the programme and the way the three women have supported each other over the years. This is happening as she launches her memoir, And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress.

Who Is Sophia Bush

Sophia Bush is an American actress and activist who became best known for her role as Brooke Davis on the programme One Tree Hill, which was broadcast from 2003 to 2012. She was born on July 8, 1982, in Pasadena, California, and was the only child in her family; she went to the Westridge School for Girls.

Bush made her first appearance on screen in the 2002 comedy Van Wilder, in which Ryan Reynolds starred. The next year she achieved her major breakthrough by joining the series One Tree Hill. She also appeared in a number of films such as John Tucker Must Die and The Hitcher, and took on the role of Detective Erin Lindsay on Chicago P.D. for four seasons.

In addition to her work in acting, Bush has backed human rights and the empowerment of women. She has also given her support to environmental and charitable causes, such as the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and Art of Elysium.

How Have Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz Stayed Close

Burton Bush and Lenz co-hosted the Drama Queens podcast from 2021 to 2024, going over their experiences on One Tree Hill. Speaking to PEOPLE, Bush said their friendship had lasted for much of their lives.

“I mean, we’ve all known each other for, now longer than we were alive when we didn’t, and they’re some of the longest relationships of my life,” says Bush, 44. “One thing I really value is that no matter what anyone’s going through, we wait for each other.”

She added, “I think that’s really important when you have friction or ease, that no matter what, you’re there, whether it’s easy or hard. That’s something I really do appreciate about all of us.”

Bush said the connection went beyond the three former co-hosts and extended to the wider group of women from the show.

“We got a real gift in each other,” she says. “But it’s not a TV episode gift, it’s a real-life gift, and that comes with real-life stuff. It’s a lot of love that I have and that I know we all do for a long time.”

Friendships That Survived Difficult Times

In her memoir, Bush reflects on the complicated periods in both friendships. Burton had warned her against dating Chad Michael Murray, whom Bush later married and divorced. The disagreement created distance between the two, but they eventually grew closer again.

Bush also writes about her complicated relationship with Lenz, whose religious beliefs once differed sharply from her own. Despite those differences, they continued to make time for one another and later found ways to talk more openly.

Lenz previously acknowledged on Call Her Daddy in October 2024 that her religious beliefs affected her friendship with Bush. She also spoke warmly about Burton, saying, “I love Hilarie, I have always and will always, and I don’t have any problem with her.” Bush and Lenz have since supported each other's books, while the three women have also been connected to plans for a One Tree Hill reboot. Bush told PEOPLE there was no new update on the project.