The OC quickly became a must-see show in the early noughties when it first hit our screens. As main star Adam Brody turns 45, we’re taking a look at what the original cast did next
The US teen drama The OC, which aired from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, became a classic watch in the early noughties. It depicted the lives of teenagers growing up in Orange County, California.
The show focused on troubled teen Ryan Atwood, who was adopted by the wealthy but kind Sandy and Kirsten Cohen. Despite only running for four seasons, the show quickly became one of the top dramas, significantly influencing pop culture during its peak.
Recently, we’ve seen a number of noughties megastars make a comeback, including Seth Cohen star Adam Brody, who appeared in Netflix smash Nobody Wants This. Although, that wasn’t without controversy, after backlash to negative Jewish portrayals.
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So as the fan-favourite former teen heartthrob celebrates his 45th birthday, Daily Star takes a look at what he and his co-stars are up to now.
Adam Brody
Adam Brody, known for his role as the charming Seth Cohen in The OC, won over fans with his unlikely yet endearing bromance with on-screen adopted brother Ryan Atwood. Post-OC, Adam has kept busy in Hollywood, appearing in a slew of films and TV series.
Among his standout roles are parts in the horror flick Jennifer’s Body (2009) and the thriller Ready or Not (2019). In 2014, he tied the knot with Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester in a hush-hush ceremony on February 15, and they’ve since welcomed two children, in 2015 and 2020 respectively.
More recently, Adam’s star power shot right back up after landing a main role in Netflix comedy Nobody Wants This, alongside Kristen Bell. Playing a rabbi, Adam captured the hearts of viewers with his romantic ways. The show is set to return for a second season.
His portrayal of Noah in the show has earned him a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy at the 2025 Golden Globes.
Mischa Barton
Mischa Barton played the character Marissa Cooper and went on to become one of the most recognisable stars from the show. Throughout the programme, rich socialite Marissa faced numerous dramatic family issues.
The rebellious teen had a history of substance and alcohol abuse, which later contributed to her death in season three. After her time on the American drama ended, actress Mischa Barton became known as a fashion icon and had a string of celebrity pals.
She also appeared in several smaller budget independent films. However, things slowly took a turn for the worse and, much like her character, Misha became involved in heavy drinking and substance abuse.
In 2007, Mischa found herself in hot water after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, and driving without a valid license. Opening up about the incident to Ryan Seacrest on his radio show, the actress confessed: “Obviously, I’m 100% responsible for my actions in this case, and I’m really disappointed in myself.”
Fast forward to July 2009, and Mischa was hospitalised in a psych ward, with an insider telling E! that her admission was due to “suicidal” actions.
Despite efforts to jumpstart her career with a stint on Dancing With The Stars, Mischa faced another hospitalisation in 2017 following reports of erratic behaviour by a neighbour. That year also saw Mischa rocked when intimate images of her leaked.
In 2019, she joined the cast of MTV’s The Hills: New Beginnings reboot but didn’t return for the second season. More recently, she landed a guest role in the rebooted version of Australian soap Neighbours.
Ben McKenzie
Ben McKenzie became an international heartthrob as the brooding Ryan Atwood on The OC. Ryan’s life takes a dramatic turn when he’s adopted by wealthy parents who offer him a world of opportunities.
Post-OC, Ben’s star continued to rise with roles in movies like The Report in 2019 and TV series Gotham from 2014 to 2019. In 2020, Ben took to the stage, making his Broadway debut in Grand Horizons at the Hayes Theatre.
In recent years, Ben has had a more quiet time with acting. He attempted a television comeback with The Hurt Unit, a medical drama, last year, but it was not picked up for a full series.
Off-screen, Ben’s personal life flourished as well, marrying Brazilian actress Morena Baccarin in 2017, with whom he shares two children. He is also a vocal critic of cryptocurrency, urging people not to take “financial advice from celebs”.
Rachel Bilson
Rachel Bilson brought to life the character of Summer Roberts, a wealthy and sassy girl with a big heart, on The OC. Her portrayal of the quintessential popular girl who feared her reputation might suffer from dating the socially awkward Seth Cohen resonated with viewers, making them one of television’s most beloved couples.
Off-screen, Rachel and Adam dated too, starting in 2003. Their real-life romance ended in 2006.
Following her stint on The OC, Rachel Bilson continued to make waves in the television and film industry, featuring in popular shows like Nashville and Gossip Girl. She was also the lead in Hart Of Dixie, which ran from 2011 to 2015.
Rachel also dated Hayden Christensen, whom she met while filming Jumper, in 2007. By 2009, there were engagement rumours, and a year later her representative confirmed that they had been engaged, but weren’t any more.
Three months later, they got back together. The couple welcomed their first child in October 2014, but sadly parted ways three years later.
Kelly Rowan
Kelly Rowan, who played Kirsten Cohen – wife of Sandy Cohen and mother to Seth Cohen and adoptive mother of Ryan Atwood – initially portrayed her character as being unwelcoming towards Ryan, but later warmed up to him.
Post-OC, Kelly continued to work in film and television, appearing in a number of low-budget films and movies. However it appears she took a step back from acting in 2016, after appearing in TV movie Tulips In Spring.
The Canadian actress shares a daughter with her ex-fiancé David Thomson, born in April 2008.
Peter Gallagher
Peter Gallagher, who brilliantly portrayed Sandy Cohen in the hit American drama, was the voice of reason in the show, often helping the teens navigate their issues. Since The OC, Peter’s career has continued to thrive, with appearances in popular dramas and comedy shows such as New Girl, The Good Wife and How I Met Your Mother.
Peter is wedded to Paula Harwood, and the couple have two children, James and Kathryn. His daughter Kathryn has followed in his footsteps, carving out a successful career as an actress and singer, bagging a Grammy award for Best Musical Theatre album. She’s also known for her role in You, where she played Annika Attwater, the best friend of Joe Goldberg’s love interest Beck.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
