Sophia Bush is explaining why her name appeared in leaked materials connected to Dialog, the invite-only group co-founded by Peter Thiel and Auren Hoffman.
The One Tree Hill alum responded after entertainment figures including Bush, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Brolin and Scooter Braun were named in reporting about the group.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Bush said her attendance was tied to her work against AI deepfake abuse, not a personal relationship with Thiel.
Bush said she learned only after the fact that Dialog had been founded by someone she would not choose to associate with. She also said Thiel was not present during her experience and was not discussed.
Bush Said She Attended to Discuss AI Deepfake Abuse
Bush wrote that she has attended many conferences over nearly two decades and recently accepted invitations connected to Another Body, the 2023 documentary she executive produced about nonconsensual AI deepfake abuse.
She also pointed to her advocacy around the DEFIANCE Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at giving victims legal tools against nonconsensual AI-generated intimate images.
Bush said she attended to challenge the idea that unchecked AI development is simply progress and to advocate for women and girls affected by the technology.
She Denied Having Ties to Thiel
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Bush said she was surprised to learn more about Dialog’s origins after the leaked materials became public. Entertainment Weekly reported that she wrote that Thiel was not present, was not discussed and, according to what she later learned, has not been involved with Dialog for about 15 years.
She also said her values are clear and consistent. Bush described her work as focused on defending democratic institutions and protecting basic human rights.
Her post denied the idea that her attendance should be read as alignment with Thiel or with the politics attached to his name.
The Leak Put Several Hollywood Names Under Scrutiny
The controversy followed reporting on leaked Dialog records. The Hollywood Reporter identified several entertainment-industry names that surfaced in the materials, including Bush, Gordon-Levitt, Brolin, Braun, Drew Scott and others.
WIRED reported that internal Dialog records were exposed online and confirmed details about the invite-only network, including participant names and private information that attendees had been told would stay confidential.
In a separate report, WIRED said leaked files showed Dialog privately ranked members and attendees using grades tied to wealth, fame, perceived influence and “value-add” scores.
Gordon-Levitt also addressed his appearance in the reporting. Deadline reported that he confirmed attending two Dialog events but denied any personal connection to Thiel and said he fundamentally disagrees with Thiel’s views.
Brolin’s representative gave a shorter response. Entertainment Weekly reported that the actor wanted to know “what the f— he got himself into.”
Bush acknowledged that she wished she had researched the event more carefully beforehand. She also said she probably would have gone anyway because she believes women should be present in rooms where emerging technology and its dangers are being discussed.