Hilarie Burton has come to Sophia Bush’s defense following Erin Foster’s claim that she had an affair with Chad Michael Murray while they were dating.
The 41-year-old actress appeared on Instagram on Friday to refute Foster’s claims.
Using the app’s Stories feature, she posted a news article about the accusation as wrote, ‘Ooof. Cringe. I got off my red eye flight home and multiple people had sent me this headline.’
She added, ‘As the person who had a front row seat then? This wasn’t it. We were all told you’d broken up which is why our guy was [pursuing] her. Now this is being spun to make my sister look like a brazen harlot.’
Fiercely defending her close friend, she added, ‘And if she’s anyone’s harlot, it’s mine!’
Ride or die: Hilarie Burton has come to Sophia Bush’s defense following Erin Foster ‘s claim that she had an affair with Chad Michael Murray while they were dating
Not having it: The 41-year-old actress appeared on Instagram on Friday to refute Foster’s claims
Burton went right to the source of the drama as she tagged Foster in her post.
‘Happy to discuss @erinfoster,’ she wrote, adding, ‘You also deserve the truth.’
The note went on to say, ‘There are so many unnamed sources making claims about the woman I love, so f**k it. I’ll be a named source. Lotta internet voices being nasty, and as the person who knows the real timeline? It would be laughable if it [weren’t] so hurtful.’
Foster claimed that her then-boyfriend Chad cheated on her with his One Tree Hill co-star Sophia during their romantic relationship.
During a conversation with her sister Sara Foster on The World’s First Podcast, the actress — who dated Murray from 2001 to 2002 — brought up the alleged affair after a fan wrote in and asked them to share dating stories.
Erin referenced a post previously made by gossip page DeuxMoi that said Murray ‘apparently cheated on her,’ confirming, ‘I mean, yeah. He definitely did cheat on me with her, in like, a pretty egregious way.
She added: ‘While we were living together. Pretty cool.’
Erin’s revelation comes amid Bush’s new romance with women’s soccer star Ashlyn Harris, 39 — whose recent ex-wife Ali Krieger seemingly confirmed that Harris cheated on her with Bush before filing for divorce in mid-September.
Best friend: Sophia stepped out to support Hilarie’s new book Grimoire Girl
Exposé: During a conversation on The World’s First Podcast, Erin — who dated Murray from 2001 to 2002 — brought up the alleged affair after a fan wrote in and asked her to share dating stories; pictured in 2021
Bold claim: ‘I mean, yeah. He definitely did cheat on me with her, in like, a pretty egregious way,’ Foster said on her podcast; Chad pictured with Sophia
Hilarie and Sophia have maintained a close friendship in the years since they stopped working together on One Tree Hill.
This week Burton took to social media to share a photo of the two during the Los Angeles leg of her book tour.
In a gushing caption, she wrote, ‘My love @sophiabush dropped everything to come host my Grimoire Girl book tour stop in Los Angeles for @livetalksla. And naturally we both showed up in black velvet. She is my Owens Sister. IYKYK.’
She added in the heartfelt note, ‘Lots of people will tell you they love you. But when someone walks the walk and shows up and ACTIVELY loves you? Keep them. Cherish them. Protect them.
‘We had a fabulous chat about the book which is still available to purchase for virtual viewers. And we drank Midnight Margaritas while we held hands and cried at where we’ve come from and where we are going.’
The former MTV VJ concluded: ‘I am so lucky to have 20 years with this woman who is written on the pages of my personal Grimoire. But the next 20??? We’re just getting started. Sophia. Lockstep. You and me babe. You are so deeply good. I love you.’
Bush and Murray began dating in 2003 and tied the knot in 2005. The couple said ‘I do’ in a Santa Monica ceremony before celebrating with a reception at Hotel Casa del Mar.
They split just five months later. It was rumored at the time that Murray had allegedly cheated on his new wife with House of Wax co-star Paris Hilton.
TV family: Sophia and Chad (far left, left) with One Tree Hill co-stars Hilarie Burton, James Lafferty and Bethany Joy Lenz in 2003
Whirlwind: Bush and Murray began dating in 2003 and tied the knot in 2005, only to divorce five months later
Bush attempted to get the marriage annulled on grounds of fraud, but her efforts were unsuccessful, and the divorce was ultimately finalized in 2006.
‘This is a difficult and unfortunate situation. I am glad this is being resolved sooner rather than later,’ she said in a statement shared with PEOPLE at the time.
Reflecting on the relationship in 2014, she said on Watch What Happens Live: ‘We were two stupid kids who had no business being in a relationship in the first place.’
‘To all the other costars who’ve worked it out, more power to you.’
