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Chad Michael Murray almost quit acting following the immense success of early 2000s series One Tree Hill.
The beloved actor, who played Lucas Scott in the popular series, recently sat down with Interview magazine, revealing that he seriously considered calling of his entire career due to mistakes he was making in his late teens and early 20s and the pressure that came with being a star during such "formidable years."
"There was a moment where I was quitting. I was done. I just couldn’t do it anymore. It was right after I left One Tree Hill, and it wasn’t because of the fandom. It was because, when you’re 18 to 25, these formidable years where you’re really cutting your teeth on life experiences and your brain isn’t fully developed, you make mistakes. I mean, gosh, we still screw up when we’re grown-ups. But I think it’s hard for me to see past those moments when you’re not adult enough to understand the scenarios that you’re in."
Speaking on the OTH fandom, Murray candidly shared that he was once asked to sign a fans breasts, and that fan came back to show him that she got his signature tattooed!
"That’s on her body forever."
In addition to being very young when he rose to fame, the Gilmore Girls alum was not a fan of the constant media attention that came with pursuing his passions.
"There are so many eyeballs on you.... And you go to the grocery store and someone points at you, 'Oh, that’s the guy that’s on the tabloid, or that’s the guy that did this.' Even if they’re not talking about that, sometimes your head goes to a negative place, and I know mine really did. And so I just made a big pivot at that point in my life and said, 'You know what? This is not what I want.'"
Murray now lives with his wife and two children in his hometown of Buffalo, New York.
For more on Chad Michael Murray's ever-evolving career, read: PHOTOS: Chad Michael Murray Shares Sexy Sneak Peek Into New Christmas Film.