Sophia Bush Speaks Out After Being Linked To Peter Thiel’s ‘Secret Society’

Featured Image: Jordan Peck/Getty Images for SXSW London

After a couple days of internet speculation and a demand for answers, Sophia Bush is speaking out on her attendance at a convention linked to rightwing billionaire Peter Thiel.

The One Tree Hill alum was one of over 200 public figures listed on leaked records that alleged a connection to Thiel’s invite-only society, Dialog. Many of the names listed were politicians and CEOs from both sides of the political aisle, with a handful of Hollywood names among them.

Concerned fans took to social media to ask Bush for an explanation as to why she allegedly attended a conference with people whose values seem to go so against everything she stands for. And on Thursday, she responded.

“I go to a lot of conferences and have for close to 20 years,” she wrote in a statement shared across her social media accounts. “Last year (and the year before), I accepted nearly every single invitation I received to discuss ANOTHER BODY — the documentary Nia and I executive produced that explains and demands action be taken against AI deepfake abuse — and the DEFIANCE Act.”

Bush went on to admit she was surprised to learn that the conference was founded by Thiel, who she didn’t mention by name, but referred to as “someone you could not pay me to be in a room with.” She also alleged that he was not present at the conference, never mentioned to her, and seemingly hasn’t been involved at all in the last 15 years.

“My values are very clear and consistent. I work to protect families—by defending democratic institutions and safeguarding basic human rights,” she continued. Although she admitted she should have done more research on the conference, the John Tucket Must Die star also said she probably would have attended anyway, as “I firmly believe that having women standing up for women…in rooms like these is of paramount importance. I want to ensure people are made to have that conversation. I want them to see us and to demand that they protect us.”

What a wild two days of news pic.twitter.com/pCLHdKUT0q

— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) June 18, 2026

Her comments are in line with what fellow actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose name was also on the list, said about the Dialog conferences he attended. While some folks online have immediately assumed the worst of everyone on the list, others have cautioned not to jump to conclusions with such minimal information.

“I am proud of who I am in any room where I am advocating,” Bush wrote. “And I’m proud of the values I brought into those conference rooms and conversations I had while there, and I feel the same way about the other artists and activists I attended with.”