Once known as a teen movie heartthrob who won over audiences with his charming looks and memorable performances, Chad Michael Murray has entered a completely different chapter of his career. Today, the actor is no longer focused only on finding roles that challenge him professionally. Instead, his choices are now shaped by something far more personal: his responsibility and love as a father.

Murray, who has built a successful career through projects such as One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, Freaky Friday, A Cinderella Story, and House of Wax, says becoming a father has transformed the way he approaches his work. While acting remains an important part of his life, his family has become the most important factor when deciding which opportunities to accept.

The 44-year-old actor explained that he spent years hoping for a project that would allow him to continue working while still being present for his three young children. Before joining Sullivan’s Crossing, Murray said he had been very specific in his hopes for the right opportunity.

“I prayed for 2½ years, very specifically,” Murray shared. “I’m in a place in my life where I do have three young kids. I wanted something where I could still be Dad.”

That opportunity came through Sullivan’s Crossing, the CTV drama series that later became available on Netflix. Murray has portrayed Cal Jones, a rugged yet kind-hearted handyman, since the show premiered in 2023. The role gave him the balance he had been searching for: steady work as an actor while also allowing him to remain closely connected to his family.

One of the biggest reasons the series worked so well for Murray was its filming location in Nova Scotia. The area was close enough to his family’s home in Buffalo, New York, which made it possible for him to stay involved in his wife Sarah Roemer’s life and their children’s daily routines.

Murray described the experience as a true blessing. Rather than feeling separated from his family because of his career, he was able to become part of the local community where the show was filmed.

“We got totally immersed in the community,” he said, describing it as a loving and wonderful place. He explained that he coaches his son’s football team, his children attend school there, and his family has built friendships that could last a lifetime.

For Murray, the situation provided something rare in the entertainment industry: the ability to work without sacrificing his role as a father. He appreciated that he did not have to carry the entire responsibility of the show or spend every day away from his children.

He also considers how his career choices may affect his kids as they grow older. Although his children are still young and do not watch many of his projects, Murray is already thinking about the impact his roles could have on them.

These days, he does not simply choose a script because it is exciting or professionally appealing. He thinks about whether the project is something his children would feel comfortable seeing or discussing with others at school.

Murray recalled watching television shows and realizing that certain roles might have interested him at another stage of his life, but they no longer fit with his priorities as a parent. He mentioned that there were projects he considered but ultimately turned down because he did not want his children to experience uncomfortable situations because of his work.

“There were two rather good projects this year that were just, no,” he said. After reading the scripts, he realized they were not right for his family at this point in his life.

Another reason Murray has become more selective is because he is someone who carries his work home with him emotionally. He explained that intense or darker roles can affect his personal life even after filming ends.

He pointed to his experience working on Outlaws and Angels, saying that the dark material stayed with him for a significant amount of time after production ended. At that time, his son was still a baby, and Murray remembered feeling emotionally weighed down for about a month afterward.

Because of that experience, he wants to make sure that the energy he brings home is the kind his children deserve. Rather than returning home affected by heavy or disturbing material, he wants his kids to remember him as a happy and positive presence in their lives.

“I want to be Dad that comes home with that light,” Murray said. “I want them to remember me that way.”

For Murray, fatherhood has changed his definition of success. While he still values meaningful acting opportunities, he recognizes that childhood is temporary and that the years he has with his children will pass quickly.

He believes the most important thing is being present during this stage of their lives before they grow older and enter new phases. Eventually, he looks forward to experiencing different adventures with them, but right now, he wants to fully appreciate the simple moments of being their father.

After decades in Hollywood, Chad Michael Murray’s priorities have shifted. The former teen heartthrob is now choosing roles not only based on what they can do for his career, but also based on what they mean for the family waiting for him at home.