Sophia Bush Brings Partner To White House Dinner
Just two days after Sophia Bush came out as queer and confirmed her relationship with former soccer star Ashlyn Harris, the two made their red-carpet debut as a couple.
The two donned matching looks from Harbison Studio, with jewelry from Briony Raymond.
The One Tree Hill actress appeared with Harris, beaming and holding her hand at the star-studded White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 27. Bush wore a strapless black dress with golden flower-shaped embellishments while Harris dressed in a textured black jacket and wide slacks with gold detailing.
While the two previously appeared at the Elton John Aids Foundation Oscar viewing party, they “kept a low profile, avoiding media and mingling with friends.”
So, what’s changed?
Well, the hard launch comes shortly after the Chicago P.D. star came out as gay for the first time. The announcement was made in a candid essay for Glamour Magazine published on April 25.
In it, she wrote, “It took me 41 years to get here.”
“I finally feel like I can breathe,” the star admitted. “I feel like I was wearing a weighted vest for who knows how long. I hadn’t realized how heavy it was until I finally just put it down,” she elaborated.
Bush continued, “This might sound crazy—but I think other people in trauma recovery will get it—I am taking deep breaths again. I can feel my legs and feet. I can feel my feet in my shoes right now. It makes me want to cry and laugh at the same time.”
Her revelation comes after the star filed for divorce from Grant Hughes in August 2023. They were married for only a year.
Bush denied “accusations of being a home-wrecker” in the essay.
When news broke of her romance with Harris, there were rumors that something nefarious had transpired. Some speculated that the two dumped their respective partners to be with each other. This was in light of the fact that Harris filed for divorce from her wife just a month later.
“The idea that I left my marriage based on some hysterical rendezvous—that, to be crystal-clear, never happened—rather than having taken over a year to do the most soul-crushing work of my life? … It feels brutal,” she responded to the accusations.
According to the actor, Harris was “in the process of figuring out her own split from her wife [Ali Krieger]” and that she “didn’t expect to find love in this support system.”
A source told ET at the time, “Grant and Sophia are better off as friends and they weren’t getting enough time with each other before their breakup… It wasn’t ugly and they are still supporting each other, want each other to be happy.”
Well-wishers were quick to jump in with their support and praise, with the former athlete sharing an Instagram story of her new partner’s Glamour piece. She wrote on social media, “Proud of you babe” with a teary-eyed and melting-face emoji.
Meanwhile, Bush posted a behind-the-scenes montage on IG, writing, “ever-evolving + still weird. thank you for the kindness, vulnerability, and the stories and journeys of your own so many of you have shared. courage is contagious. here’s to a life in progress.”
