'The O.C.': Where Are They Now?
If there isn't a number called "Welcome To The O.C., Bitch" in the just-announced "The O.C." musical one-off show, well, we'll still be there, but Marissa (Mischa Barton) better be sitting right next to us.
You can't ever really go back home, which probably suits Ryan (Ben McKenzie) just fine. But given that almost a decade has gone by since "The O.C." paddled out of our lives with Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer's (Rachel Bilson) perfect wedding, it feels like the time is right to head back to Newport Beach to find out what the gang has been up to since their last Chrismukkah gathering.
Rachel Bilson (Summer Roberts)
Believe it or don't, Summer was only supposed to be on a couple episodes of "The O.C.," but after hooking up with Seth she became a beloved regular. Once the show folded in 2007 she had 4-episode run on "How I Met Your Mother" and starred as New Yorker-turned-Alabama-physicians Dr. Zoe Hart in the CW dramedy "Hart of Dixie" from 2011 until this March. She had a daughter, Briar Rose, in October 2014 with on-and-off boyfriend Hayden Christensen.
Here she is looking Summer-ific in Paris a few weeks ago.
Ben McKenzie (Ryan Atwood)
One of the hardest working men from Orange County is bad boy Ryan Atwood. After struggling to make it as an actor, McKenzie blew up on the show and landed his film debut in 2005's "Junebug" with Amy Adams, following it up with his first starring role in 2008's "Johnny Got His Gun." He graduated to playing a rookie cop in the NBC series "Southland" from 2009-2013 and came back home to Fox last year as Commissioner James Gordon in the "Batman" prequel series "Gotham."
Here he is under an aqueduct last month.
Adam Brody (Seth Cohen)
TV's "sexiest geek" has parlayed his nerd charisma into a solid movie career. Just as "The O.C." was closing up shop, he shared the screen with a then-newbie Kristen Stewart in "In The Land of Women" followed by roles in the indies "Smiley Face" and "The Ten." He's worked with Megan Fox ("Jennifer's Body" 2009), Bruce Willis ("Cop Out" 2010), Katie Holmes ("The Romantics" 2010) and played Detective Hoss in "Scream 4" in 2011.
And even though he said he was glad when the series was over, in between rocking with his band, the Shortcoats, and marrying frequent co-star Leighton Meester in 2014, Brody has dropped in for runs on "Good Vibes," "Burning Love," "Kroll Show," "House of Lies" and as former fantasy league member Billy on "The League." Oh, and he toyed with step-sibling love in the 2015 Neil LaBute series "Billy & Billie" and he's also part of the all-star cast of Kevin Smith's upcoming "Yoga Hosers."
A shirtless surfing photo from May for your pleasure.
Mischa Barton (Marissa Cooper)
Barton's rough ride as troubled rich girl Marissa was mirrored in life after she was killed off in season three and arrested on suspicion of DUI and pot possession in 2007 and put on involuntary psychiatric hold for two weeks in 2009. She's appeared in a string of low-profile films ("Closing The Ring," "The Independent," "Virgin Territory," "St. Trinians") and the only-released-in-Russia "You And I," which was produced by the pop duo t.A.T.u. A bunch of horror flicks followed ("Walled In," "Homecoming," "The Sibling," "Apartment 1303") and a brief stint in the Ashton Kutcher-produced 2009 CW series "The Beautiful Life." She has a slew of recent and upcoming projects, including "Zombie Killers: Elephant's Graveyard," "The Hoarder," "L.A. Slasher," "Checkmate" and "Starcrossed."
During a recent photo shoot wearing palm tree pants.
Peter Gallagher (Sandy Cohen)
Not only was Gallagher's public defender the law and order emotional center of the show, but he was also one of the most veteran actors in the cast. With a nearly 25-year career in movies before "The O.C." folded, Gallagher got back in the groove (albeit in much smaller productions), appearing in the movies "The Gathering," "Center Stage: Turn It Up," "Adam," "Burlesque" and 2012's "Step Up Revolution." He's also had stints on "Californication," "Rescue Me" and "Whitney," a long-running spot on "Covert Affairs" and regular gigs on "Law & Order: SVU" and "Togetherness." He earned a slew of nominations this year for his role in the Broadway musical "On The Twentieth Century."
Here he is with some of his B'Way co-stars.
Melinda Clarke (Julie Cooper)
Soap veteran Clarke moved on from social climber Cooper to basically playing herself in half a dozen episodes of "Entourage," the devil's girlfriend on the "The Reaper" and showing up in two other CW series, "The Vampire Diaries" and "Nikita," as well "O.C." creator Josh Schwartz's "Chuck" and "a few episodes of the "Dallas" reboot. Clarke also did voice-over work for the 2012 video game "Nikita: Codebreaker."
Looking fab earlier this year.
— Melinda Clarke (@TheRealMsClarke) February 3, 2015
Kelly Rowan (Kirsten Cohen)
TV and movie vet Rowan has kept a pretty low profile since leaving Orange County. She's done a couple of TV movies ("In God's Country," "The Good Times Are Killing Me," "Cyberbully") and the Eric McCormack crime drama "Perception" for three season. She was engaged, then dis-engaged, to Canadian Billionaire David Thomson in 2007, giving birth to their daughter in 2008.
Hangin' with McCormack on the set in 2014.
Tate Donovan (Jimmy Cooper)
Like Gallagher, Donovan has been doing this for a minute. The voice of "Hercules" bounced from TV to the lead in 2007's beat poet biopic "Neal Casady" and a supporting role in Ben Affleck's acclaimed 2012 hit "Argo." You'll see him next in the upcoming Kevin Spacey/Michael Shannon comedy "Elvis & Nixon." He hasn't forsaken the little screen, though, appearing in a long arc on "Damages" (2007-2011) and recurring roles in "Deception," "Hostages" and last year's "24: Live Another Day." He's also set to join the cast of the upcoming third season of Showtime's "Masters of Sex."
Hanging with pal Mariska Hargitay in May.
