“Wanna Feel Old?” Chad Michael Murray Turned 40 & Joked About One Tree Hill

In case you needed a reminder that you’re aging, Chad Michael Murray is now 40 years old. To commemorate his milestone birthday on Aug. 24, Murray joked about One Tree Hill and A Cinderella Story on Instagram, noting how his iconic teen heartthrob characters are now old enough to be fathers, just like he is. “You wanna feel old? Lucas Scott and Austin Ames turn 40 today,” he wrote on an Instagram selfie, referring to his popular OTH character as well as the hopeless romantic quarterback he played in A Cinderella Story.

The actor, wearing a very familiar ensemble to One Tree Hill fans, shared that selfie from his wardrobe trailer. “Matching wardrobe to a little throwback,” he added. “That’s me inside your head — NOFX.” Murray was referencing one of Lucas’ first lines from the OTH pilot. In the new selfie, he even wore a burnt red tee similar to the one he donned in the now-iconic scene, where he first encounters future love interest Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton).

Murray also thanked the most special people in his life, namely his wife Sarah Roemer. “This is 40,” he captioned the post. “As I browse through the memory catalogue in my mind all I can say is I couldn’t be more grateful to wake next to my family. Sarah and our kiddos fill my life with more joy than I could ever imagine. @rooeemer #trulyblessed I love you soooo much!”

He also took the opportunity to reflect on filming the first episode of OTH, and he marveled at how much time has passed since then. “Roughly 18-19 years ago (@hilarieburton & I) shot that scene I’m referencing in the photo,” he said. “Crazy town- mind blown. The ppl met and stories heard from so many of you have brought me sooo much joy over the years. I adore you all. Thank you for always wishing love. Here’s to another 40. Cheers & much love -CMM.”

Meanwhile, Roemer celebrated her husband’s birthday with an Instagram post of his bicep, captioning it: “Happy 4 0 t h Superhero!!! 🎉 You make 40 look boom bang pow! 👀This is the kids playing pop the muscle this morning. :)We super love you!! Thank you for always being goofy and bringing giggles and joy to our lives every day.We celebrate you!!! 💕💙”

One Tree Hill made Murray a bonafide teen heartthrob for all millennials, leading to roles in rom-coms like A Cinderella Story. Murray and Burton departed the show in 2009 after its sixth season, but he still talks fondly about his time on OTH. Back in 2019, he even caused a stir after revealing one of his on-set hobbies. “We’d buy fireworks, and for every holiday, we would blow something up,” he told E! News. “So we would fill a pumpkin, carve the pumpkin, and then light a wick and watch it go. We’d spend hours decorating Christmas trees with ornaments and then blow it the hell up. The best one was a turkey.” The producers put a stop to it quickly. “They didn’t want us blowing off a finger or other stupid things,” he said.