Chad Michael Murray was the heartthrob in the early 2000s. Most teenage girls remember where they were and what they were doing when the opening credits of One Tree Hill first brought him to our screens, and how A Cinderella Story became everyone's romantic comedy obsession. Between his objectively good looks and the distinct ability to play a brooding, tortured hero people can't help but root for, Murray's got plenty under his belt.
With the return of his character, Jake, in Freakier Friday, now's a great time to look back at Chad Michael Murray's best movies and TV shows, along with where to stream them on platforms like Hulu, Netflix, and more.
One Tree Hill (2003)
From the moment Chad Michael Murray steps onto the frame and walks over the bridge, bouncing a basketball as the brooding Lucas Scott in One Tree Hill, to his final scene in the Season 6 finale, it's easy to appreciate the character's incredible heart and goodness. As one of the main characters in a story centered on two half-brothers with vastly different upbringings, the high school-turned-college adult drama was a cultural phenomenon in the early 2000s. With Lucas' readings of popular poems to end and begin each episode, along with the many romances he had until his beloved endgame with Peyton Sawyer, it's still, to this day, the series that features Murray's best performance.
A Cinderella Story (2004)
Waiting for Austin Ames might be as useless as waiting for rain during a San Fernando Valley drought, but A Cinderella Story is still a top-tier YA romantic comedy. Starring Hilary Duff alongside Chad Michael Murray, the Cinderella-inspired tale follows a relatively simple narrative, but where it genuinely shines is in the performances and chemistry between Murray and Duff. The final, very public kiss at his football game is what high school nerdy girl dreams are made of, and the satisfying culmination of two pen pals getting together makes for a solid trope to explore.
Freaky Friday (2003)
Before viewers were swooning over Bucky Barnes on a motorcycle, Chad Michael Murray's Jake was the ultimate (see what we did there?) bad boy teenagers, including Lindsay Lohan's Anna Coleman, were gushing over in Freaky Friday. Brooding, long-haired, and delightfully off-limits, everything about Anna's crush made sense, and Murray became the kind of actor viewers wanted to see more of in romance-centric roles. Whether he'll still be the same mysterious hunk from the original film in the sequel, only time will tell, but regardless, it's a good thing he's returning.
Agent Carter (2013)
While Jack Thompson was an extremely unlikable and frustrating character in Marvel's Agent Carter, Chad Michael Murray was excellent in the role. Crude, ruthless, and snarky, he was an ideal foil to Enver Gjokaj's Daniel Sousa, and it was often thrilling to watch Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter go head to head with him. Murray is a series regular throughout the show's two-season run, and as one of the best shows in the MCU, the historical piece is one that still holds up, thanks to its incredible means of adding layers to the lore and fantastic performances from every actor involved.
Dawson's Creek (1998)
Chad Michael Murray's role in Dawson's Creek is as small as his time in Gilmore Girls, but his character, Charlie Todd, is a bit more intriguing, and the series as a whole is one worth fully diving into for its nostalgia and teenage angst. If his character in One Tree Hill were more unapologetically a womanizer, then he'd be Charlie Todd. Here for the drama and very little else, as his time on the show is brief, it's still a thrilling season he's a part of, moving the plot forward to get characters with the right men they're supposed to be with.
Christmas Cupid (2010)
In the span of his relatively decent acting career, Murray has been in a number of Christmas movies. And while many of them are, unfortunately, not that great, Christmas Cupid is a load of fun and worth watching. Starring Christina Milian and Ashley Benson alongside Murray, it's a pleasant twist on A Christmas Carol, delivering romance and fun beats of longing along with all the festivities that most holiday aficionados appreciate in their movies.
Sullivan’s Crossing (2023)
Based on the novel series by Robyn Carr, Sullivan's Crossing sees Chad Michael Murray return to his TV roots as the leading hero Cal Jones. As a quintessential small-town drama with a big city girl returning to her hometown, Sullivan's Crossing follows Morgan Kohan's Maggie Sullivan in an attempt to start over. Full of romance, hijinks, and all the angsty drama one can imagine, the series feels tailor-made for a star like Murray and his mysteriously brooding brand of acting.
The Merry Gentlemen (2024)
As one of the more recent Christmas movies to air during Netflix's yearly line-up, The Merry Gentlemen is yet another wild ride worth watching for those who appreciate the holiday schmaltz. It's a PG version of Magic Mike and not nearly as compelling as the film that has acquired a trilogy and larger following, but it's a decent film that sees Murray in a role unlike anything he's ever done. One word: dancing. Period.
Where To Watch The Best Chad Michael Murray Movies & TV Shows Online
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