The O.C. was a Fox network teen drama that followed the lives of California rich kids as they welcome newcomer Ryan Atwood, a troubled youth who is taken in by his public defender to live with his family in Newport Beach. The binge-worthy series premiered in 2003 and catapulted many of its then-young stars to fame, including Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, Adam Brody, and Ben McKenzie. Not only did the show kick-start the careers of its lead actors, but it also featured many up-and-coming guest stars in their early careers, including Logan Marshall-Green, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde, and Shailene Woodley.
The first two seasons of the popular drama took off like wildfire, gaining a mass following of viewers aged 18-34. The trend-setting show influenced fashion, music, and teen vernacular, and is easily one of the most influential series of the era. Its massive popularity is no doubt linked to its similarities with Beverly Hills 90210, the original sun-soaked teen drama. The O.C., however, did not attain longevity comparable to its 90s counterpart. After a strong start, the show began to fizzle in its third and fourth seasons, and was eventually canceled. Here is where the cast of The O.C. is today.
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Ben McKenzie
Warner Bros. Television
After his time as Ryan Atwood in the hit series The O.C., Ben McKenzie would go on to star as Detective Gordon in the popular drama series Gotham. He also landed a role in the drama Southland, and even wrote and directed a few episodes. Aside from television, McKenzie landed roles in the films Line of Duty and Some Kind of Beautiful, and made his Broadway debut in 2020 in Grand Horizons. He recently starred in the rom-com I Want You Back on Prime Video.
Mischa Barton
Warner Bros.
After her character Marissa Cooper was killed off The O.C., Mischa Barton studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. The actress continued to focus on her career from 2007 through 2018, scoring small roles in several films and TV series, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Beautiful Life: TBL, Recovery Road, Starcrossed, Ouija House, and Spree. More recently, Barton has starred in the reality TV series Dancing with the Stars and The Hills: New Beginnings. She will next star in the crime thriller Invitation to Murder, which is currently in post-production.
Rachel Bilson
Since her time as Summer Roberts, Rachel Bilson has starred in the popular television series How I Met Your Mother, Nashville, Take Two, and Hart of Dixie. She also had a starring role in the sci-fi action flick Jumper, wherein she met the father of her child and one-time fiancé, Hayden Christensen. The pair would eventually split in 2017. Bilson was also famously targeted by the infamous string of teen burglaries, known as the Bling Ring, which she recently discussed with Vanity Fair. In March 2021, Bilson joined former The O.C. castmate Melinda Clarke in hosting a pop culture podcast affectionately titled Welcome to the O.C. B!*@#es!
Adam Brody
Though Seth and Summer get married in the final episode of The O.C., the real-life couple eventually split in 2006, freeing Adam Brody up to find his wife and mother of his children in former Oranges co-star Leighton Meester. Since The O.C., Brody has starred in the horror films Scream 4 and Jennifer’s Body, and in the biographical film about adult film Linda Lovelace, Lovelace. He also starred in the television series Burning Love, Single Parents, and most notably the Netflix series StartPp. Brody is next set to star in the Shazam! sequel Shazam: Fury of the Gods.
Peter Gallagher
No stranger to show business, Peter Gallagher is one of the most well-known actors to be featured in The O.C. along with co-star Tate Donovan. The veteran actor has since starred in the television series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Rescue Me, Californication, Grace and Frankie, and Covert Affairs. He can also be seen in the films Step Up Revolution, Burlesque, and the Hallmark Christmas movie One December Night, opposite Bruce Campbell. More recently, he has joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy for its 18th season and was just announced as a lead actor in Caitlyn Cronenberg’s (daughter of legendary Canadian film director David Cronenberg) feature film directorial debut Humane.
Kelly Rowan
Kelly Rowan has kept busy since her time as the wealthy wife Kirsten Cohen on The O.C.. She has starred in the television series CSI Miami, Flashpoint, Murdoch Mysteries, Castle, and most notably Perception. She has landed roles in the independent film Cyber Bully, the Hallmark movie Tulips in Spring, and starred in and executive produced the 2009 film The Good Times are Killing Me.
Melinda Clarke
Since playing Julie Cooper in the popular teen drama, Melinda Clarke has had roles on prominent television series such as CSI, Entourage, Vegas, Nikita, and The Vampire Diaries. She has also starred in the TV movie CSI: Immortality and co-hosts the Welcome to the O.C. B!*@#es! podcast with former castmate Rachel Bilson.
Tate Donovan
Tate Donovan has since starred in several award-winning films since his time as Jimmy Cooper on The O.C.. These films include Argo, Manchester by the Sea, Rocketman, and the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect. He also starred in several successful TV serie,s such as 24: Live Another Day, The Man in The High Castle, and MacGuyver. Further to starring in television series, Donovan also worked as a television director on series such as Gossip Girl, Glee, and the Netflix original series Bloodline. The actor and director recently discussed his experience directing the young cast of The O.C. with US Weekly.
