With the same last name and Sophia’s rise to fame, many have wondered whether the two share a relation in any way.
Sophia Bush is not related to George Bush or his son George W. Bush in any sense. She has also often been mistaken as the cousin of Jenna Bush, George W. Bush’s daughter, though she is not related to her either.
To learn more about Sophia’s childhood, early career, and first taste of fame, keep reading below.
Not Jenna’s Cousin
Sophia is no stranger to constant questions about her relation to the George Bush’s whole family, particularly whether she’s the cousin to American news personality Jenna Bush Hager.
In a 2015 interview on the Today Show with Jenna, she was questioned again whether she’s related to her. “Everybody asks!” Sophia exclaimed. “They’re so confused, they’re like, ‘which one are you?’”
Watch the whole interview below:
Volleyball Fanatic Turned Actress
Sophia was born Sophia Anna Bush on the 8th of July 1982, named after international film star Sophia Loren.
Her mother, Maureen Searson, owns and runs a photography studio, while her father Charles William Bush is a photographer in the beauty and advertising industries.
Growing up in Pasadena, California, Sophia attended Westridge School for Girls. She had played volleyball for the school team, but it was also compulsory to be part of the arts program that involved theater.
Even though her love for volleyball was strong, Bush had a realization after playing a role in the school play.
She once said: “Part of my school’s requirement was to do a play. I was really irritated because I wanted to play volleyball and I had to go and do this play.”
“But there was a moment after the performance when I realized I had gone and been somebody else. I thought, ‘If I could do this for the rest of my life, I am set.’ It was like love at first sight.”
At 17 years old, she was named Queen of the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, otherwise known as “Rose Queen”.
On her win, and nickname of the “Drama Queen” from her classmates, Sophia said, ““My life is very hectic, I love the drama department and everyone in it. They have scheduled rehearsals around me.”
Big Break in One Tree Hill and Beyond
After graduating from high school in 2000, Bush went to the University of Southern California.
During her junior year, the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority made her a member and part of the Social Chair. Rather than finishing her studies, Bush made the decision to drop out from USC to pursue a career in show biz.
Her first shot at the big screen was in National Lampoon’s Van Wilder in 2002. She went on to nab roles in some television series, like Sabrina the Teenage Witch in 2003, and medical drama Nip/Tuck the same year.
In 2003, Sophia also got her big break when she landed a main role on drama series One Tree Hill as Brooke Davis. The series ran from 2003 to 2012, and grew a cult following.
From this show, Sophia found instant fame in the mainstream entertainment industry, and she soon found herself on the cover of many popular style magazines.
While starring on One Tree Hill, she continued to do movies. She starred in John Tucker Must Die in 2006, The Narrows in 2008, and Incredibles 2 in 2018.
Bush eventually joined Chicago P.D in 2013. She remained there for 4 seasons, until she quit because of fears for the well-being of herself and the whole crew.
“I internalized and sort of like, inhabited that role of ‘pull the tugboat’ to the point where just because I’m unhappy or being mistreated or I’m being abused at work, I’m not gonna f–k this job up for all these people.”