Sophia Bush Reveals One Tree Hill Male Salary Disparity

Sophia Bush revealed significant pay disparities during her time on the teen drama series One Tree Hill, where she earned less than 20 percent of what her male co-stars, including Chad Michael Murray, made. She explained on The Burnouts podcast that the female cast members were discouraged from negotiating salaries, often being told the show was on the verge of cancellation to prevent salary discussions. Bush credited her legal team for successfully negotiating a raise before season four, though her pay increase only brought her to the level of the second-lowest paid woman on the show, still far below the male actors' salaries. She also noted the industry's tendency to pay young actors less in teen television and described her experience as a harsh introduction to the financial realities of the business. Despite being a series regular and a main face of the show, Bush was told her pay could not improve beyond a certain point. Additionally, the show’s female leads, including Bush, have previously spoken out about allegations of harassment on set, and a sequel series is currently in development with Bush set to reprise her role and serve as an executive producer.