Chad was born on the 24th of August, 1981 making him 23 years old. He is the second eldest of five boys raised solely by their father; Chad’s mother abandoned the family when Chad was just 10 years old. It is this sad reality that convinced Chad he was perfect for the role of Lucas in his hit show ‘One Tree Hill’ but more about that later.

As a teenager Chad played football for his local high school, though he insists he never got the same superstar jock treatment at his school that his ‘A Cinderella Story’ character Austin Ames did "I played football, so during the season I got respect,

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but that disappeared the second football was over. I was picked on because I wasn't like everyone else." One day he suffered a serious injury that landed him in where had to have his small intestines removed, a lasting result of this is that he can’t gain any weight. While in the hospital Chad met a nurse who inspired him to go for his dream of being an actor. Before this dream could be realized Chad had two very unglamorous jobs as a donut shop janitor and a receptionist for a limousine company.

In 1999, upon graduating from High School Chad headed for Hollywood like so many before him. To make ends meet he started modeling for such clients as Sketchers, Tommy Hilfiger and Gucci while searching for his big break.

Chad with his One Tree Hill costars

Perhaps Chad’s career owes most to the hit teen TV network The WB in 2000 he landed the role of Tristan Dugrey, a confident preppy high school student who causes much frustration to the youngest Gilmore Girl, Rory. In the shows four year run Tristan still proves to be Rory’s most popular romantic interest. His departure from the show was keenly felt by fans in 2001 when Tristan was sent away to military school.

Knowing a hit when they had one the WB next cast Tristan in the hit teen series ‘Dawson’s Creek’ in which he played a cheating boyfriend to Jen; who undergoes a transformation when he starts a relationship with Joey.

In 2003 The WB created a show for Chad, ‘One Tree Hill’ which centers around two half brothers one raised by their father, the other abandoned. Producers initially wished to cast Chad as Nathan, the spoilt rich boy raised by his father with intent dreams of basketball stardom, but Chad was adamant Lucas – the quiet, sensitive boy raised by solo mother – was the character for him. “Lucas’ life had a lot of similarities to my life. My mother left when I was a kid and I felt like I had an opportunity to bring the truth and reality to the story. I don’t think a lot of people have that opportunity to bring the truth in the way I see it, in my eyes anyway” Chad says about the character.

One Tree Hill has proved to be a great hit and is currently wrapping up its second season but the show has provided more then just a career highlight, in 2003 Chad met his TV girlfriend Sophia Bush and both saw fireworks. The two got engaged in Australia in 2004 while Chad was filming ‘House of Wax’ on a tennis court laid out with hundreds of candles and roses. The two married last month.

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