For a while there, Chad Michael Murray's dating life was a topic of the utmost importance. The former Hallmark mainstay and current Great American Family star continues his TV Christmas movie streak with 2023's "Christmas on Windmill Way." But before he was a holiday heartthrob, the 42-year-old actor skyrocketed to fame in the 2000s with roles in teen hits like "Freaky Friday" (2003), "A Cinderella Story" (2004) and "One Tree Hill." He's such an icon of the Tiger Beat era that his roles in the contemporary high school drama "Riverdale" and the small-town romance "Sullivan's Crossing" are enough to reignite the fandom of early-aughts teen fare.
Now, married to fellow actress Sarah Roemer, 39, and having welcomed baby no. 3 in Aug. 2023, Chad Michael Murray got his fairytale ending. But that happiness came after years of rocky tabloid fodder. Murray was first married at 23 years old to his "One Tree Hill" co-star Sophia Bush. The couple wed after two years of dating, but the marriage dissolved five months later. Shortly afterward, Murray began a relationship with Kenzie Dalton, an 18-year-old extra he met on the set of the teen drama. Murray proposed to the high school senior before his annulment with Bush was finalized. "She is a little stunner. She is a sweetheart. She is my best friend and we have been together a long time," the actor told US Weekly of Dalton in 2012.
The couple remained together for seven years before parting ways, never making it down the aisle. Luckily for Murray, third time's the charm. In 2013, he quickly fell for his co-star in the Crackle original series "Chosen," Sarah Roemer. The couple cherish their privacy, but they're not opposed to a few loved-up public tributes once in a while:
"Wifo- The world has been lighter & brighter since the day you entered it. You've extended that light through our little pack," Murray wrote on Instagram in a 2022 Mother's Day tribute to his wife.
Who is Sarah Roemer, and what is her and Chad Michael Murray's relationship timeline? Read on for a rundown of the couple's speedy nuptials and growing family, as well a quick tour through Murray's ever-expanding Christmas movie career.
Sarah Roemer Is an Actress
Shia LaBeouf and Sarah Roemer in 2007's Disturbia. (DreamWorks Pictures)
Sarah Christine Roemer grew up in San Diego, California. She began modeling in high school after being discovered at a 7-Eleven and swiftly moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. She appeared in the indie film "Wristcutters: A Love Story" and "The Grudge 2." Her breakout came in 2007 with the teen thriller "Disturbia," in which she played Shia LaBeouf's love interest. The pair were nominated for that coveted early-aughts prize, the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss.
While Roemer may not be as instantly recognizable as her husband, she's had recurring roles in numerous TV series through the years, including NBC's "The Event," "Hawaii Five-0" and "Chosen." She's also appeared in films like "Asylum," "Fired Up!," "Hachi: A Dog's Tale," "The Con Artist," "Waking Madison" and the Luke Grimes starrer "Manhattan Undying."
Most recently, Roemer starred alongside Murray and Bruce Willis in the 2021 action pic "Survive the Game."
How They Met
The cast of Chosen, with Sarah Roemer on the far left and Chad Michael Murray second from the right.
Murray and Roemer met in 2013 on the set of the Crackle series "Chosen." They tied the knot quietly in Sept. 2014, only announcing their nuptials alongside the news that they were expecting their first child together. Murray told E! News at the time, "I'm a romantic. I'm a family guy. I want that core. I tend to keep everything quiet. I love my life. That's the part I keep for myself."
Murray's Hallmark and Great American Family Roles
Great American Family
Murray appeared in Hallmark films from 2018 to 2021, starring in dramas like "The Beach House" and "Sand Dollar Cove" and in holiday flicks like "Road to Christmas" and "Write Before Christmas." In 2021, the actor moved to rival network Great American Family with "Angel Falls Christmas," co-starring former Hallmark and "90210" star Jessica Lowndes. The pair previously played love interests in the 2020 Lifetime movie "Too Close for Christmas."
Murray has continued his relationship with Great American Family, starring alongside Christa Taylor Brown in the 2023 holiday romance "Christmas on Windmill Way." The film follows exes Mia (Taylor Brown) and Brady (Murray) as they butt heads over the fate of Mia's Dutch sawmill, which has been in her family for generations.
"Telling stories and entertaining people is what I love to do," Murray told People in July 2023 of his passion for Christmas movies. "This genre hits home for so many people during a weighted time of the year. Bringing light and love with the story we're telling feels like icing on the cake. Or, let's get corny here: it's like adding snow on Christmas."
Their Growing Family
Allen Berezovsky/WireImage
Murray and Roemer share three children. Their son Rex was born in May 2015. They also have two daughters, born in March 2017 and August 2023.
The couple largely keep their family life under wraps. They have not disclosed the names of their daughters nor shown their faces on social media. But Murray posted a precious snap of himself holding his newborn daughter's hand in Aug. 2023, accompanied by the caption, "So blessed and feeling so very grateful. We've added to our pack with our new little girl. Everyone's healthy and loved."
The actor previously opened up about how fatherhood changed him in a 2016 interview with Entertainment Tonight, saying, "It was the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. Having kids is a game-changer, and I think you're always walking around with the mentality that you want to make sure that they're proud, and you want to represent them well and just be a great leader."
