Why Chad Michael Murray’s Lucas Scott Left “One Tree Hill” After Just 6 Seasons, Explained

Back in the early 2000s, Chad Michael Murray was the It guy of television shows and Hollywood as a whole. With a dreamy personality and irresistible charm, he was able to portray both good guys and mean guys as seen in One Tree Hill and Gilmore Girls.

Though he was a recurring character in the latter, the former show had him headlining the story which eventually catapulted his career to new heights. One Tree Hill had a group of friends at the center of the narrative, with Murray’s Lucas Scott being one of them.

Created by Mark Schwahn, the series took no time to gain a large fan following that waited patiently to see the next chapter of the story unfold. However, they were shocked to see the story continue in season 7 of One Tree Hill with Murray nowhere to be found.

Why did Chad Michael Murray leave One Tree Hill?

Interestingly, Chad Michael Murray was one of the first people to be cast in One Tree Hill as the series creator shares in the behind-the-scenes documentary. This goes on to show that his interest in being on the show is perfectly aligned with the production company’s decision to cast him.

Hence, when Murray didn’t return for the seventh season, fans knew something was wrong. Reportedly, Murray’s untimely exit from One Tree Hill has been attributed to the fact that contract negotiations didn’t yield a favorable outcome for both parties. This led to Murray making a tough decision and leaving the show before it ended its run.

E! News further reported that Murray once said the studio refused to bring him back because they wanted to save a few bucks. Murray vowed to never return to One Tree Hill despite the show continuing for more seasons thereafter. His departure left a hole in the entire show’s narrative and fans were less excited to come back weekly for new episodes without their favorite star appearing in the show.

Nevertheless, some agreement was brokered down the line since fans saw Lucas Scott make some appearances to ensure the continuity of the series.

How did Lucas Scott’s story end?

Season 6 finale was the last time we saw Lucas Scott take center stage in One Tree Hill. His story had been complicated since the very beginning, starting with his recruitment into the basketball team. The budding friendships and romances that follow only make the story take more interesting turns.

Throughout the love triangles and family drama, Scott’s character remained constant with fans empathizing with his troubles. In the end, he chooses to marry Peyton and they lead a happy life. However, in what turns out to be a difficult pregnancy, she gives birth to their baby daughter who they name Sawyer.

Scott and Peyton’s story closes with this happy family portrait. Fans were happy to at least see their favorite character get the ending he deserved after much turmoil.

More Stars Left One Tree Hill

Along with Murray, we saw more stars bowing out of the series for one or another reason. The actress who played Peyton, Hilarie Burton, also chose to depart from One Tree Hill along with Murray. Clear reasons for their exit remain hazy because the studio and the actors refused to give a comment on the same.

Burton claimed that a mutual decision led to her exit. In the midst of this controversy, fans thought Murray’s exit had maligned the water for Burton too but the actress quickly set the record straight. She said,

I’m not sure where your info is coming from, but Chad had nothing to do with my leaving. We were both treated badly, and he defended me. I so appreciate your support, but I just wanted to clarify that Chad was my teammate. My bosses were the s—-.

Moreover, other main star cast of One Tree Hill including Whitey Durham, Keith Scott, Karen Roe, and Deb Scott also didn’t make it to the finale. They left before the show could wrap up. Such exits only hinted at the studio’s inability to retain their main assets since in those days, shows like One Tree Hill hinged largely on the actors’ ability to reel in an audience that returned weekly to watch their favorite stars weave magic on screen. On top of the story, the ensemble cast was the show’s biggest strength, and seemingly, the producers couldn’t manage to retain them.