Chad Michael Murray, known for One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, and Freakier Friday, spent two years hoping for a role like the one he landed in Sullivan’s Crossing. He wanted a family-oriented project in a beautiful location. The role also needed to allow him to stay close to his wife and three children.
Here’s what we know about Chad Michael Murray’s path to joining Sullivan’s Crossing.
Why Chad Michael Murray wanted Sullivan’s Crossing role so badly
Chad Michael Murray told People that he prayed every single night for two years. He wanted a role like the one he landed in Sullivan’s Crossing.
He said his prayers were for “a show that didn’t feel gratuitous, that was very family-friendly, that ended up in a very beautiful location where my family and I felt like we could integrate into the community … with a cast that we’d all get along and everyone would bond.” Murray added, “It was a very specific, very detailed prayer that I put out every single night, and then came Sullivan’s Crossing, and here we are going into season 4.”
Murray explained that having three children with his wife, Sarah Roemer, shaped his priorities. “Having kids, I’ve been very specific about what I want to do,” he said. “I want to make sure that I’m around to be a dad. It’s just everything to me, being a dad.” He continued, “I want to be home, I want to see them every day and I want to be a very large part of their life.”
He also noted that he avoids projects that keep him away from his family for long periods. “I have pushed myself away from all that,” he said. “I don’t want to do that.” Murray, 43, and Roemer share a son born in 2015 and two daughters born in 2017 and 2023.
Sullivan’s Crossing, which premiered in 2023, is based on the novel series by Robyn Carr. On the series, Murray plays California “Cal” Jones, the local handyman, while his former Gilmore Girls co-star Scott Patterson plays Sully Sullivan. “It blows my mind,” Murray said of reuniting with Patterson after more than two decades. “I was excited to know that I was going somewhere where at least I knew somebody, which is not always the case.”
Sullivan’s Crossing airs on The CW and streams on Netflix, with the first three seasons currently available.
