Chad Michael Murray, the Journey from Dawson’s Creek to One Tree Hill

Before Chad Michael Murray became a household name with his role in One Tree Hill, he caught viewers’ attention with a recurring role on Dawson’s Creek. Murray portrayed Charlie, a character who became romantically entangled with both Jen and Joey, adding a layer of drama to the series.

Despite the character’s popularity, Murray’s off-screen interactions in North Carolina, where One Tree Hill would eventually be filmed, didn’t leave the best impression on everyone. During a 2009 Paley Center panel, actress Busy Philipps didn’t mince words, referring to him as a “douche.” She later mentioned, “Don’t worry. I’m not really concerned about burning bridges with CMM.”

However, fellow actor James Van Der Beek offered a more positive perspective, stating, “He’s actually come a long way.” After the event, Philipps took to Twitter, reflecting on her comments with a hint of humor: “Just finished the Dawson’s Creek panel. Maybe I was too harsh on ChadM2… Nah.”

Van Der Beek added, “He’s actually come a long way.” Post-event, Philipps tweeted, “Just finished the dawson’s creek panel. Maybe I was too harsh on chadM2… Nah.”

Murray, meanwhile, hasn’t stirred the pot, saying in 2015 that he learned a lot from the experience.

“I had the opportunity to learn from people who had been doing it for a couple of years longer than I was when I walked into the Dawson’s cast,” he told Cosmpolitan.com in 2015. “You know, Michelle and James and Katie and Josh—they really kind of guided me, because they’d already been around for five, six years, maybe longer. And if they had the time, they were showing me the ropes. I had no idea what lighting was, I had no idea about a lot of the technical aspects of what we do, and so I’m grateful for that experience.”