Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz and More One Tree Hill Alums Celebrate 'Inspiring' Pal Sophia Bush After She Comes Out

Sophia Bush’s closest friends are rallying around her in light of her opening up about her sexuality for the first time.

Bush, 41, reflected on the end of her marriage to Grant Hughes and the beginning of her new love story as she confirmed her relationship with former pro soccer player Ashlyn Harris for the first time in a candid essay for Glamour’s April cover published on April 25.

In response, the actress has received a flood of love on her social media, including some particularly poignant messages from some of her dearest friends: her One Tree Hill family.

Hilarie Burton Morgan wrote in a comment on one of Bush’s Instagram posts, which detailed the inspiration she drew from poet Maggie Smith when writing the essay for the outlet, “Growing with you has been a delight, my lady. Don’t ever ever stop.” 

“I love the brave multitudes in you. I love the blue flame of that fierce heart at the core of it all,” Burton Morgan, 41, continued. “You shine brighter and brighter. Xoxox.”

In the comments of a joint post shared by both Bush and the magazine, Bethany Joy Lenz shared some love for her former costar, too. “Your open-hearted living is so, so inspiring💎,” Lenz, 43, wrote. “I love you.”

Some other One Tree Hill alums chimed in, too, including Kate Voegele, who played Mia Catalano in seasons 5-8 of the series, and Daneel Ackles, who played Bush’s characters on-and-off BFF, Rachel Scott, on seasons 3 through 7.

Voegele, 37, wrote of Bush, “You’re amazing, friend! ❤️"

Meanwhile, Ackles, 45, called her “the most beautiful. Inside and Out ❤️.”

In the essay, Bush admitted that only now does she “finally feel like I can breathe” after several challenging years, which included the start and end of her marriage to Hughes, and the beginning of her first queer public relationship with Harris, 38.

"I don't think I can explain how profound that is. I feel like I was wearing a weighted vest for who knows how long. I hadn’t realized how heavy it was until I finally just put it down," she wrote.

“It took me 41 years to get here. When I take stock of the last few years, I can tell you that I have never operated out of more integrity in my life. I hope that’s clear enough for everyone speculating out there, while being as gentle as I possibly can be," she added.

As for how she feels now that she's begun a relationship with Harris, Bush wrote, “Maybe it was all fated. Maybe it really is a version of invisible string theory. I don’t really know. But I do know that for a sparkly moment I felt like maybe the universe had been conspiring for me. And that feeling that I have in my bones is one I’ll hold on to no matter where things go from here.”

For Bush, regardless of whether she's making announcements about her love life, Burton and Lenz have always been by her side.

The trio started a rewatch podcast for the CW series they starred on from 2003 to 2012 (though Burton exited the show after only six seasons), Drama Queens, which sees them frequently reunite to relive the show, and last year, they marked 20 years since it premiered with tributes on social media.

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Bush was careful to honor the then-ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes as she marked the anniversary with photos of herself, Burton and Lenz from over the years.

"Not gonna mention the job that’s turning 20 today while our union is on strike," she began the caption. "So instead I’ll celebrate 20 years of female friendships being the ultimate love stories and the reclamation of our good, bad, ugly, and beautiful through @dramaqueensoth. Thank you to our #fanfam who have encouraged us to find and use our voices onscreen and off. #Lucky23 #20years."

"Hey. We made it. Love you," Burton wrote in a comment on the post.

Lenz similarly marked the anniversary with a post as she shared a carousel of photos from filming the show, writing, "20 years of SOMETHING magical 🐦‍⬛🏀 This will always be my family. Thank you to everyone who made it possible 🙏."