Sophia Bush, best known for her role as Brooke on the popular teen drama One Tree Hill, has spoken publicly about experiencing sexual harassment and predatory behavior from the show’s creator, Mark Schwahn. The series, which aired from 2003 to 2012 and followed the lives of two basketball-focused half-brothers and their friends in Wilmington, North Carolina, attracted millions of viewers and launched Bush’s career. However, her time on set was marred by allegations of inappropriate conduct.

Bush, now 44, detailed the issues in her forthcoming memoir, *And I Will Tell You Mine*, and in recent interviews. She described a working environment in which Schwahn, who was significantly older, engaged in repeated acts of harassment. Among the accounts reported by Bush are instances where Schwahn groped her, shouted at her over complaints about a hot tub scene designed to sexually exploit her image, and created an atmosphere of intimidation and objectification. Bush also recounted how Schwahn exhibited pornographic photos of one of his mistresses to male staff, displayed photos of actresses’ underwear fittings on a bulletin board, and maintained a sign that jokingly stated sexual harassment would be graded but not prosecuted.

Co-star Hilarie Burton also reportedly faced misconduct when Schwahn forced himself on her. After Burton left the show, Bush said Schwahn tried to sabotage her career by disparaging her to industry contacts. The toxic environment eventually led several writers and cast members from both One Tree Hill and Schwahn’s later series, *The Royals*, to publicly confront the allegations during the #MeToo movement in late 2017. Schwahn was dismissed from *The Royals* but has not publicly addressed these claims.

Reflecting on the delayed response, Bush expressed regret that the abuse was not called out earlier, citing fear and isolation as barriers for the young actresses at the time. She emphasized that the entertainment industry in the early 2000s lacked adequate support systems for women facing such issues. Bush also shared that she did not disclose her experiences to her parents until well into her 30s, noting the difficulty of sharing such traumatic experiences with loved ones.

Following One Tree Hill, Bush secured a lead role on *Chicago PD*, a police procedural drama now in its 14th season. However, she stated that abuse continued on that set as well, this time allegedly involving a fellow actor.

Bush and her former castmates have called for better protections and support for young performers, likening the need for on-set guidance to the support systems present in sports, where athletes have access to psychologists and other professionals. She highlighted the constant self-doubt and fear that actors face when confronting harassment, underscoring the powerful sentiment that many feel they must tolerate abuse to maintain their careers.