Instagram/@chadmichaelmurray
Once she was considered the cultivated darling of the early 2000s teen-dramatic scene, Murray barely stands to be had in a comeback bid, and the fans will stand to support it. The 42-year-old stunner posed beautifully for Behind the Blinds Magazine, with all the serious cabaret vibes. Photographed by Hadar Pitchon, the images have him stripped down against a complementary backdrop of deep contemplation, clad in a form-fitting tank and coat.
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The special SS25 teaser-post-article from Salt and Stone was screaming with excitement from its release. Most couldn’t believe the actor had mocked the metamorphosis of a teen heartthrob into a silver fox. “I’m beginning to think that you are aging in reverse,” one of the fans said, while another said, “Why is he just getting hotter? Like who gave him permission to do this to us!??”
Nostalgia polls ran in the comments, with some reminiscing about Murray’s iconically evil-but-to-the-point portrayal of Lucas Scott in One Tree Hill. “I have been in love with him since One Tree Hill,” someone confessed-who else could be the fort that never quite lets go of the charm which still emits? Another commenter compared the photos to iconic shots by Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts and called them “timeless.”
Others were unable to distinguish right off. One disbelieving fan asked, “Soooo…. this isn’t @taylorhanson?,” referencing the lead singer of Hanson, another early-2000s heartthrob. The resemblance is painfully uncanny, but no, this is definitely Chad.
His iconic hair was considered worthy of several shout-outs. (One fan went on to write his praise in Spanish and follow it with an English translation.) “His hair is so cool that it is almost like his personal trademark.” And really-a fair point. His hair has always been his trademark through either that typical floppy early 2000s style of his or the slicked-back look in these pictures.
It made for a hit among the industry too. “You guys killed this!!!” exclaimed one person, tagging the stylist and photographer. And they had every right to. The stark interplay of light and shadow coupled with effortless posing gave the entire series a heavy mood and a cinematic ambiance.
While night and day is probably the best time to live up to those glorified days before the guy steps into limelight all over again, the revival of his career is already on fire with Disney Hollywood premiering the sequel of Freakier Friday.
So yeah, Chad Michael Murray is back—and if these photos say anything, he’s back on the rise. Whether you started loving him from A Cinderella Story, through One Tree Hill, or simply because of some casual black-and-white glamour, one thing’s for certain: he’s not leaving now. And honestly? We couldn’t be happier about it.
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Now, if you’d excuse us while we go back immersing ourselves in early-2000s Chad material with an ever-so-slight emotional investment. Not a big deal.