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Chad Michael Murray has a goal when choosing his projects.
“I don’t want my kids going to school, being freshmen in high school, and Dad’s butt posted all over their locker,” he said in a recent Numero interview. “That’s not fair to them, so making decisions for that has been great.”
Murray, who began his career in TV with appearances on One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, Dawson’s Creek and Riverdale, moved on to such films as A Cinderella Story, Freaky Friday, and Fruitvale Station. He then starred in Chosen, Sun Records and Sullivan’s Crossing before circling back to TV on the Marvel-ABC series Agent Carter and a recurring role in Fox’s Star.
Becoming a father to an 8-year-old son, a 6-year-old daughter, and a months-old daughter he welcomed last August with wife Sarah Roemer has changed his outlook, he said.
“So very much. I would say, a lot of material, especially over the past 5 to 8 years since my son was born, I choose because I think one of the last things you really want is for your kids to be berated in school for what their parents are doing,” Murray said.
Murray often has his family travel together when he has to film on location.
“When we are in Nova Scotia filming Sullivan’s Crossing, we’re all there. I get to work and I get to go home and play with the babies,” he said. “Now, is this extra work for me on top, so I can’t be solely focused on Sullivan’s Crossing? Yeah, but that just means I need to better place my time and figure out how do I manage this all.”
He adds, “But it’s important that they’re here, because I don’t believe in breaking up the pack to the point where they’re like, ‘Oh, dad’s on another trip.’ And for me, I wouldn’t trade this for anything, no matter the amount of success, it doesn’t matter. It trumps all of that.”
