Actor Chad Michael Murray is opening up about a lifelong struggle with mental health that few saw behind the confident characters he played, telling Newsweek he now feels more “comfortable” sharing his story and hopes it might help someone else.
The Freakier Friday star shared that he’s dealt with anxiety since a young age and understands that “it’s never gonna go away.”
Why It Matters
Known for his roles in One Tree Hill, Freaky Friday, and Gilmore Girls, among others, Murray, 43, has recently spoken candidly about his decades-long struggle with anxiety and agoraphobia.
More actors and public figures are speaking openly about their mental health challenges, helping to dismantle the lingering stigma around seeking support and addressing mental health concerns.
There is a wide range of anxiety disorders, with the National Institute of Mental Health estimating that nearly a third of U.S. adults experience any anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
What To Know
In a sit-down conversation with Newsweek, the actor shared that he decided to start speaking publicly about his anxiety “because I’m more comfortable with it.” He explained, much like his motivation to pursue acting, that opening up about his struggles was also rooted in the hopes of helping others.
“Part of me realized that maybe someone else out there could connect with that and say, oh, I go through that, but he overcame it,” he told Newsweek.
“If I can help somebody else by telling a story that happened to be my story, OK, awesome, if not, and if someone wants to go ‘what a weirdo,’ OK fine, all good,” he added.
Murray acknowledged that anxiety is not something that simply disappears, saying, “It’s never gonna go away. It’s not like you beat it. You just kind of put your head down and you find your way through it.”
He said that he began experiencing anxiety at a young age and went to therapy when he was 21 years old, noting that he “put on this brave face” when he was playing Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill. He sought therapy when he was young, at a time when he said it was “not popular or cool,” but “I needed it.”
He added that “everyone’s life is messy,” and that “it always helps to have somebody and have an outlet to talk to, find a different perspective on it, find a new trick that can help you overcome anxiety, fear, health concerns, whatever it may be.”
In his forties now, Murray says he struggles with aspects of going out, saying, “If you ask me to dinner, no, I’d freak out. I don’t know why. It’s really hard for me to go to dinner. It’s hard for me to go to new places,” adding “I’m a homebody. I’m a total introvert.”
Murray has starred in a slew of films and shows, including A Cinderella Story, House of Wax, and Sullivan’s Crossing, among others.
Chad Michael Murray on Freakier Friday
“Dare I say, it might be better than the first,” said the actor, who reprises his role as Jake in the highly anticipated sequel to the beloved 2003 comedy Freaky Friday, which also sees the return of original stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis
“It really genuinely is hysterical,” he said about the upcoming film, joking that “it will make you live longer.”
Murray, who has repeatedly said he makes movies to offer audiences a brief escape from the various stresses of life, said “this movie is going to lower your cortisol,” describing it as putting the viewer on “cloud nine,” and “feeling good.”
Freakier Friday premieres August 8.
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