Chad Michael Murray Revives His Role as Teen Heartthrob in Millennial-Inspired Campaign: ‘Nostalgia Is Just Such a Big Part of Our Lives’ (Exclusive)

Emily RellaFri, June 26, 2026 at 8:52 PM UTC

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Chad Michael Murray stars in new Bubly campaignCredit: bubly/YouTube

Key Takeaways

Chad Michael Murray spoke to PEOPLE about his new Bubly campaign inspired by his iconic early 2000s heartthrob roles

The campaign promotes a nostalgic summer flavor and features nods to Murray’s roles in One Tree Hill and more

Murray reflects on his millennial heartthrob status and the simpler times of early 2000s pop culture

‘90s babies, your teenage crush is back and ready to make you swoon all over again.

One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray is back on screens reviving his role as the ultimate millennial poster boy in a new campaign for Bubly promoting the brand’s new nostalgic Melted Ice Pop flavor.

In the campaign, creator and self-proclaimed “90s and 00s historian” Erin Miller sips a can of the new flavor (while a poster of Murray hangs over her bed, of course) and is instantly transported into a daydream romance featuring nods to Murray’s most memorable roles.

In true early 2000s fashion, “Dirty Little Secret” by All-American Rejects plays in the background.

“Nostalgia is, it's just such a big part of our lives, right? Whether it’s the sights, the smells, the music, the tastes, the flavors, whatever it may be, it's like a time machine and it transports us back to these beautiful moments in life for the most part,” Murray tells PEOPLE about the new campaign. “It’s a wink and nod to everything, whether it's [my character] Lucas Scott [from One Tree Hill] or even today with Sullivan's Crossing chopping wood, it's just funny.It's a wink and nod to all of it that we can feel comfortable with.”

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The new flavor, exclusive only for the summer, is meant to evoke memories of the classic red, white and blue bomb pops from millennial childhoods — something Murray is glad he can experience in his adult life.

“I had my moments of running to the ice cream truck and never being able to have one, so here's my moment,” the One Tree Hill star, 44, laughs. “I was just a poor kid. I was never allowed to get ice cream from the ice cream truck!”

Murray shares three children of his own with wife Sarah Roemer — a son who was born in 2015, a daughter born in 2017 and a second daughter welcomed in 2023.

Chad Michael Murray on 'The Kelly Clarkson' showCredit: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty

The Freaky Friday frontman enjoyed reprising his heartthrob role, but for millennials who grew up watching Murray on their screens, it’s a role he’ll hold forever.

So what’s it like to be cemented in history as the guy who people put posters up on their wall of?

Chad Michael Murray in his early acting daysCredit: Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty

“I wouldn’t know how to answer that if I tried,” Murray laughs when asked about the intensity of fan connections in the early 2000s and what it was like to be a heartthrob to so many. “I could say I was uber blessed to be in a lot of great shows that happened to catch on, from Gilmore Girls, Dawson's Creek,One Tree Hill, A Cinderella Story, Freaky Friday, even House of Wax, like if it was in the early aughts, I was probably in it kind of thing.”

He humbly continued: “It was just a different time. I think it was a simpler time. You know, we have so much content, so much access to so many things that I think it's a little harder to dial into particular individuals."

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”