Sophia Bush reveals she missed the text inviting her to join ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’

It turns out Sophia Bush nearly made her reality TV debut, if only she had checked her messages.

At the Create & Cultivate festival in Los Angeles on July 17, the One Tree Hill alum appeared alongside her friend Bozoma Saint John, a recent addition to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

As the two shared the stage, Saint John revealed that she’d once invited Sophia Bush to join the cast. However, the invitation went unread for months.

“Sophia would make a great housewife, right? I wrote her a text message in April. I was like, ‘Hey, I need to ask you a controversial question.’”

According to Saint John, Sophia Bush didn’t reply until mid-July. The John Tucker star admitted she missed the memo completely.

“First of all, I am a terrible texter. So I go to text her and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I’m so excited I get to see you tomorrow. I can’t wait.’ And then I go, ‘Controversial question? April? Wow, we really talk more in group chats.’”

Saint John, a powerhouse marketing executive, joined RHOBH in 2024 and had a clear vision for why Sophia Bush would’ve been a great fit

“We need more women who are self-possessed, who enjoy their relationships with other women, who understand conflict and drama.”

She went on:

“Not because they want to put on a spectacle, but because that’s just what life is, and are unafraid to talk about the hard stuff.”

Sophia Bush, meanwhile, wasn’t immediately convinced.

“I don’t mean this to be judgy. Genuinely, I was like, ‘Isn’t that the show where all the women yell at each other?’”

She added:

“Boz is not a yeller. She is a cheerleader. She is a teammate. I don’t think I get it.”

That changed once Bush saw Saint John on screen. The Hitcher actress continued:

"I decided to tune in to watch you, and I was like, ‘Oh, she’s changing the vibe of a whole industry.’”

While Bush hasn’t committed to appearing on RHOBH, the door (and inbox) remain slightly ajar.

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"It's something you have to cultivate too": Sophia Bush opens up about patience during podcast tell-all

Sophia Bush’s potential RHOBH casting news comes weeks after she opened up on staying grounded while navigating political tension and activism fatigue.

The actress joined Chelsea Handler on the June 26 episode of the Dear Chelsea podcast for a candid conversation that ranged from sexuality and public perception to politics and personal boundaries.

When asked how to handle recurring debates with people on the opposite side of the political spectrum, she emphasized that patience is something that has to be consciously developed.

"It's something you have to cultivate too. It's a practice. It requires work. It's like a muscle you have to build."

Beyond practicing patience, the One Tree Hill star also shared how having outlets outside of constant advocacy helps maintain perspective.

"For a lot of us that are really justice minded, that can't kind of look away from the news, it's also really important to do something that isn't about activism, that isn't about learning a fact, that isn't about having a conversation, but that gives you a reminder of why those things matter.”

The celebrity shared that therapy and service can be transformative for people feeling overwhelmed, saying that these:

"...will be the two greatest things that will shift your energy because when you get caught on the hamster wheel of 'I always have to be doing or fixing or learning or speaking,' you're not existing.”

She further said:

“You're trying to solve something all the time. And that is a way to stay in trauma."