Hilarie Burton Says Chad Michael Murray Defended Her After Alleged Assault
Hilarie Burton is expressing her gratitude to “One Tree Hill” co-star Chad Michael Murray, who she says defended her following an assault by the present’s creator, Mark Schwahn.
On Wednesday’s episode of the “Drama Queens” podcast, Burton addressed the sexual harassment allegations she and 17 different girls concerned within the manufacturing of “One Tree Hill” leveled towards Schwahn.
In the chat, she recalled how Murray stepped in to guard her after witnessing a few of Schwahn’s inappropriate conduct whereas taking pictures the fourth season of the teenager drama collection in Honey Grove, Texas, in 2007.
“Chad walked up and goes, ‘What are you doing?’ He said that to our boss in the bar,” Burton, who performed Peyton Sawyer on “One Tree Hill” for six seasons, stated. “He watched our boss grab me in front of a lot of people, and you know, Chad didn’t have anything to lose because he knew our boss hated him anyway. A lot of people had a lot to lose, so you don’t speak up when you have a lot to lose.”
Murray starred on “One Tree Hill” for six of the present’s 9 seasons, and his character, Lucas Scott, was a fan favourite.
Actor Sophia Bush, who co-hosts “Drama Queens” and was married to Murray from 2005 to 2006, stated she believes that her former husband and co-star’s heartthrob standing on the collection afforded him the flexibility to guard Burton from Schwahn.
“[Murray] was protected as the No. 1 on the call sheet,” Bush stated. “He had the most power, so he could come up and shove our boss off you and get in a fight. And I’m glad that he did. I want everybody to follow that lead.”
Burton and Bush had been amongst 18 girls to accuse Schwahn of sexual harassment whereas on the set of “One Tree Hill,” which wrapped its nine-season run in 2012.
Speaking to Variety in 2017, Burton stated Schwahn twice pressured himself on her, kissing her on the mouth towards her will. She additionally stated Schwahn touched her inappropriately whereas within the presence of his spouse, Diana.
“The fear of being forced into another one of these situations was crippling,” she stated on the time. “I never wanted to be the lead female on any show ever, ever, ever again.”
Though Schwahn by no means publicly addressed the allegations, he was fired because the showrunner of “The Royals” in 2017 after 25 solid and crew members claimed he’d engaged in “repeated unwanted sexual harassment” whereas on the set of that E! collection.
Elsewhere within the “Drama Queens” dialogue, Bush counseled Murray for being an ally, and stated she was hopeful others would comply with his lead.
“I have sympathy for the reality that people are scared they’re going to put a hole in the ship and then the ship is going to sink, but get over it and protect your people. Because this idea that looking at the ground is OK — it’s not,” she defined. “Thank God, Hilarie, that you had that moment with Chad, who was already so at odds with our boss.”
Listen to the total “Drama Queens” episode beneath.
Need assist? Visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s web site.