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Where are the cast of The OC, ten years on?
THERE’S A WHOLE generation of Irish millennials for whom The O.C will always and forever be held dearly in their hearts.
RIP The O.C.: Gone but not forgotten.
Between 2003 and 2007, the golden years of pre-recession Celtic Tiger Ireland, we grew up watching our favourite Californian teens navigate life with broodiness (Ryan), sass (Summer), honesty (Seth), and good hair but bad choices (Marissa, oh Marissa, you beautiful idiot).
But the whole cast was absolutely stellar.
It was one of the first teen TV shows that showed parents as complete humans and their storylines were just as important to the show’s success as the teenagers.
But after the huge success of the show, where are all the ex-cast members now?
Mischa Barton a.k.a Marissa Cooper
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Mischa Barton went from Hollywood’s Next-Big-Thing to being the second contenstant eliminated on 2016′s Dancing with the Stars. After first garnering fame with roles on Notting Hill and The Sixth Sense, the lead role of Marissa made Barton the IT Girl of the noughties, but her bright future never materialized.
Between being overworked and becoming friends with Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan, Barton went off the rails and was admitted to a psych ward in 2009 after a DUI arrest in 2007. Aged only 31 now, we hope that Barton still has it in her for a big comeback! We’re rooting for you, Marissa!
Benjamin McKenzie a.k.a Ryan Atwood
After a series of bit-part film and tv roles, Ben McKenzie managed to find success again with the lead role of Captain James ‘Jim’ Gordon on Gotham, a crime drama series which focuses on Gordon’s early days in the Gotham City Police Dept. He married his co-star Morena Baccarin in 2017 and the pair welcomed their daughter Frances in 2016.
Rachel Bilson a.k.a Summer Roberts
Bilson was originally meant to be only a guest star on the show but due to her natural charisma onscreen, she was made a key member of the cast. After playing Summer, she was in a couple of romantic movies and found success as the lead role of Dr Zoe Hart in Hart of Dixie.
Life imitated art when Rachel began dating Adam Brody IRL. The pair broke up after 3 years together. Bilson was with Hayden Christensen for almost a decade, after meeting on the set of Jumper in 2007, until they split last September. The pair share one daughter Briar Rose, born 2014.
Bilson is set to star in Take Two, a crime comedy-drama set to be released this year.
Adam Brody a.k.a Seth Cohen
Brody almost didn’t get the part of Seth because he hadn’t bothered to learn his lines for his first audition. Brody has starred in many films since leaving The O.C., including Jennifer’s Body, Mr & Mrs Smith and Lovelace, but hasn’t been able to find real fame as a filmstar.
After dating Rachel Bilson for 3 years during filming, Brody later dated and married another co-start, Leighton Meester a.k.a. Blair Waldorf. The pair welcomed their daughter Arlo Day Brody in 2015.
Brody currently stars with Martin Freeman on StartUp, an American drama web TV series.
Kelly Rowan a.k.a Kirsten Cohen
Rowan was a mere 14 years older than Seth when she played his mum, but has yet to find any lasting success since The O.C. except for a role on the 3 season American crime drama series Perception from 2012-2015.
Peter Gallagher a.k.a Sandy Cohen
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Peter Gallagher had statement eyebrows waaaay before they were a thing. After playing Seth and Ryan’s dad, Peter Gallagher has recently found success as the reoccurring role of Deputy Chief Williams Dodds on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as 6 episodes on Grace and Frankie.
Melinda Clarke a.k.a Julie Cooper-Nichol-Cooper
Melinda Clarke was the mum we all loved to hate as Marissa’s self-absorbed but ultimately good-hearted Mam. Before, during, and after The O.C. she played the reoccurring role of Lady Heather, a professional dominatrix on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She played Amanda on action-thriller series Nikita from 2010-2013. As well as some roles on The Vampire Diaries and Dallas, she also starred in three episodes of Ben McKenzie’s Gotham in 2016.
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