Sophia Bush Denies Cheating Rumours About Ashlyn Harris: ‘There Was No Overlap’

The One Tree Hill star is setting the record straight about her romance with Ashlyn Harris, insisting their relationship began after both women had separated from their previous partners. And yes, she knows the timing raised eyebrows.

Sophia Bush has had enough of the internet’s favourite relationship conspiracy.

The actress, best known for playing Brooke Davis in One Tree Hill, has once again addressed the Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris cheating rumours that have followed the couple since 2023.

Speaking on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast on 21 October, Bush insisted that her relationship with the former US football star did not begin as an affair.

And this time, she’s explaining exactly why.

Sophia Bush Explains the Ashlyn Harris Relationship Timeline

The controversy began in 2023, when both women were going through divorces.

Bush filed for divorce from businessman Grant Hughes in August 2023, while Harris filed for divorce from fellow football star Ali Krieger the following month.

When reports emerged that Bush and Harris were romantically involved, speculation spread that their relationship might have started before their previous marriages ended.

But Bush strongly disputes that version of events.

As she explained during the 21 October episode of Call Her Daddy:

“Two people who had filed for divorce and lived in separate residences from their exes went to dinner.”

According to Bush, both women had already separated and filed for divorce before their first romantic date.

Her message? The timeline might have looked messy from the outside, but that doesn’t mean there was cheating.

Does Sophia Bush Regret Anything?

Interestingly, yes.

Bush admitted she sometimes wishes she had waited a little longer before taking Harris on their first date.

Not because she believes the relationship was wrong, but because she recognises how the timing appeared to outsiders.

She also explained that constantly correcting speculation has become exhausting, particularly when online narratives can affect people’s reputations, careers and families.

And let’s be fair, the internet does love a scandal. Context? Sometimes rather less.

What About Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger?

Before dating Bush, Harris was married to former US women’s national team footballer Ali Krieger, with whom she shares two children.

Their separation became public in 2023, and speculation about possible infidelity followed.

Harris has also previously denied allegations that she was unfaithful.

However, rumours and interpretations of social media posts are not proof that an affair occurred.

Bush’s new interview offers her account of what happened, but it does not mean every private detail of either previous marriage is publicly known.

Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris Are Now Married

Despite the controversy, their relationship continued.

The couple recently confirmed that they had quietly married in a private ceremony in 2025.

Bush has also spoken openly about discovering and embracing her queer identity, describing her relationship with Harris as part of a much bigger personal journey.

Her forthcoming memoir, And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress, is scheduled for release on 27 October.

And while plenty of LGBTQ+ celebrity relationships attract enthusiastic attention, as we saw when Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker shared a kiss at a New York Liberty game, celebrity visibility can come with intense public scrutiny.

The conversation around queer identity is also evolving, with stars such as Gillian Anderson speaking more openly about their sexuality.

Love, Rumours and the Internet’s Favourite Timeline

Sophia Bush has offered a clear explanation of how her romance with Ashlyn Harris began.

Whether that satisfies everyone following the story is another matter.

The couple are now married and moving forward with their lives, but speculation about the past continues to follow them.

There is certainly nothing wrong with being curious about celebrity relationships. But curiosity and accusations are two very different things.

A complicated divorce timeline might make irresistible celebrity gossip. It doesn’t automatically make anyone a cheater.