Chad Michael Murray was an established TV and film actor before playing Cal Jones on “Sullivan’s Crossing.” The CW’s drama series stars Murray as a lawyer-turned-handyman who meets and becomes romantically involved with Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan) following her return to her hometown.

Murray had many notable TV and movie roles before “Sullivan’s Crossing,” beginning with a small recurring role on “Gilmore Girls.” Fans of the teen drama should recognize him as Tristin Dugray, the Chilton student who romantically pursues Rory (Alexis Bledel) to no avail in Seasons 1 and 2 before moving away. In 2001, a year after his first “Gilmore Girls” appearance, Murray began portraying Jen (Michelle Williams) and Joey’s (Katie Holmes) flirtatious peer Charlie Todd in “Dawson’s Creek” Season 5.

Another of Murray’s high-profile TV roles came in the first two seasons of the Marvel show “Agent Carter,” in which he played Agent Jack Thompson from 2015 to 2016. A few years later, he landed the part of the conniving cult leader Edgar Evernever in “Riverdale” Seasons 3 and 4. Movie fans will also know Murray as Jake from 2003’s “Freaky Friday” and its 2025 sequel “Freakier Friday,” as well as football star and Prince Charming stand-in Austin in 2004’s “A Cinderella Story.”

Chad Michael Murray’s most famous project was also his breakout role

You’d be remiss to talk about Murray’s acting resume without mentioning his most famous role. Murray first made a name for himself on TV when he starred as Lucas Scott on “One Tree Hill” from 2003 to 2009. Revolving around the high school and early adult years of Lucas and his classmates, the show’s first six seasons see Lucas grow from a committed basketball player to a fulfilled writer with a promising future — but not without enduring all kinds of challenges and setbacks. Murray also guest-starred in the ninth and final season of “One Tree Hill” to round off Lucas’s arc.

This classic CW show may have been Murray’s first major gig in showbiz, but the fame it afforded him hasn’t always been a positive. In fact, the scrutiny of being under the spotlight almost made him quit acting. Even so, Murray appreciates the ups and downs of his early career. “I’m grateful for all of it,” he told HuffPost in 2014. “Every single experience gave me something else to really pull from and learn from and without them and without the people who were around me, I would have never been able to figure out things as an artist.”

“Sullivan’s Crossing” has officially been renewed for Season 5, so it won’t be too long before Murray returns to TV screens. In the meantime, you can get your fix by streaming Seasons 1 to 4 on Netflix or “One Tree Hill” on Hulu and HBO Max.