'One Tree Hill' star Chad Michael Murray reflects on his teen ‘heartthrob' era

Chad Michael Murray is reflecting on his teen heartthrob days in the early 2000s, when he catapulted to fame with One Tree Hill, A Cinderella Story, Freaky Friday and more shows and movies.

The One Tree Hill star, who was included in Teen People’s 50 Sexiest Guys Ever list two decades ago, reflected on his teen heartthrob days, saying, “If it were today, I wouldn't even think about it, it wouldn't even dawn on me, but when you're 20, 21, 22, I know that I was so much more self-aware of everything,” he notes. “You're worried about every piece of hair. You're worried about how your clothes look on any given day, even when you don't realize that you dress God awful.”

The 43-year-old continued: “So I think that that part of my life was so very different to who I am, and what I experience because I'm such a homebody, I'm such like a blue-collar worker, and that's just how I like to keep things. Through that kind of 21 to 24 phase, it was so much to take in, and there's no book on, ‘Hey, this is how you micromanage each and every moment. This is how you learn to say no to A, B, C and D without offending people. There's no handbook on gratitude to teach you like, ‘Hey, don't look at what you don't have, just be grateful for what you do and the rest will take care of itself.’”

The Sullivan’s Crossing star added: “There's no way to really know how something's going to affect you. Like I said, if it was today, I would probably giggle and laugh and be flattered, but at the same time, I think it's the goofiest thing in the world, but at 21, I probably thought, ‘Oh, I'm so cool.’ I was such a nerd. It's the total opposite, that's what's funny.”

Murray also revealed his take on what makes a person sexy, saying that it’s more a state of mind than appearance.

“Sexy is a state of mind. It's confidence, it's sitting right with yourself. It's laying your head to bed at night and knowing you had a good day and you did what you could do, and not having regret when you go to sleep," he explained.

Chad Michael Murray’s fans will once again see the star’s ripped physique in the Netflix Christmas movie The Merry Gentlemen on November 20.