Sophia Bush’s departure from Chicago P.D. after four seasons shocked many fans. While the exit was initially attributed to creative differences, Bush has since hinted at deeper, more troubling reasons connected to her overall well-being and experiences on set. Recently, on the “Drama Queens” podcast, alongside One Tree Hill co-stars Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz, Bush opened up about her past experiences, drawing parallels between her time on One Tree Hill and Chicago P.D., suggesting a pattern of behavior that influenced her decision to leave the NBC police procedural.
The conversation on the podcast, which also featured Danneel Ackles, started by recapping the Season 4 finale of One Tree Hill. However, it quickly evolved into a candid discussion about the abusive behavior they endured from One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn and how these experiences resonated with their subsequent careers. Burton recounted instances of Schwahn’s harassment, including aggressively rubbing their backs and spreading false rumors about drug use. Lenz corroborated these claims, emphasizing Schwahn’s attempts to sabotage their future job prospects by badmouthing them to potential employers.
Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, and Bethany Joy Lenz on the Drama Queens podcast discussing experiences on set
Bush then drew a direct line between Burton’s experiences on One Tree Hill and her own on Chicago P.D.. She revealed, “What you experienced that night, the way you got yelled at, that’s exactly the shit I was dealing with in Chicago.” She further elaborated on a similar dynamic where male colleagues, while professing friendship and support, remained silent and uninvolved when faced with problematic behavior. This lack of allyship and the recurrence of troubling on-set dynamics appear to be significant factors in Bush’s decision to leave Chicago P.D.
Bush’s comments suggest that the issues on Chicago P.D. were not isolated incidents but rather part of a larger pattern she recognized from her time on One Tree Hill. She alluded to a “predator” on the Chicago P.D. set and expressed frustration over the lack of accountability and the re-branding of serious issues as mere “anger management problems.” This is a clear reference to the investigation into Jason Beghe, who played Hank Voight in Chicago P.D., for anger issues shortly after Bush’s departure. While NBC investigated Beghe and he apologized for his behavior, the situation, in Bush’s view, seems to represent a systemic issue of minimizing serious workplace problems.
The timing of Bush’s exit from Chicago P.D. and the subsequent investigation into Beghe are notably close. Five months after her final episode aired in 2017, reports surfaced of Beghe’s on-set behavior leading to an NBC investigation. While the network stated they took action and were monitoring the situation, Bush’s statements imply a deeper dissatisfaction with how these issues were handled, feeling that they were downplayed rather than truly addressed.
Bush also highlighted the pressure she felt to remain silent about her experiences. She mentioned that during the rise of the #MeToo movement, when a story about a coworker on Chicago P.D. was about to surface, she was advised by her representative to choose between revealing her experiences on One Tree Hill or Chicago P.D., but not both. The implication was that speaking out about both would somehow be detrimental to her, suggesting a culture where victims are discouraged from sharing their stories for fear of professional repercussions. Burton’s emotional response, “You picked us,” underscores the personal toll this situation took on Bush and her decision to prioritize solidarity with her One Tree Hill colleagues.
In conclusion, while Sophia Bush officially left Chicago P.D. citing unhappiness and a need for change, her recent statements on the “Drama Queens” podcast strongly suggest that her decision was deeply rooted in experiences of on-set behavior that mirrored the abuse she and her co-stars faced on One Tree Hill. Her words point to a pattern of inadequate responses to these issues, a lack of accountability, and a culture that, at the time, seemed to prioritize damage control over genuinely addressing workplace harassment and abuse. Bush’s continued willingness to speak out emphasizes the importance of accountability and creating safer, more respectful working environments within the entertainment industry and beyond.
