It’s hard to believe The O.C. premiered over 20 years ago. The Fox series quickly became an iconic teen drama, catapulting its cast to stardom and putting Orange County on the map.
Following the lives of affluent teenagers in Newport Beach (and their equally dramatic parents), the series was full of teen drama, romance, and iconic early ’00s fashion.
Running between 2003 – 2007, and airing a total of four seasons, the Fox Series has experienced a resurgence of late, with younger generations taking to TikTok to share their interest in the show.
Now, twenty years later, we look back at the iconic cast and see what they have been up to!
Mischa Barton as Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper seemed like your average girl next door – just a lot more troubled and with a lot more baggage. Dealing with her parents, pursuing an on-again-off-again relationship with Ryan and rocking some iconic outfits, Marissa was the It Girl of teen dramas before her tragic demise in Season 3.
Now 38, Barton has enjoyed a diverse acting career, working on several indie films and stage plays – even joining the first season of MTV’s reboot of The Hills, The Hills: New Beginnings.
In February 2024, Barton dropped The O.C. bombshell fans had been waiting for, revealing that she and co-star Ben McKenzie’s romance was not confined to the screen.
Speaking to Call Her Daddy, Mischa revealed that her off-screen romance with Ben was her first real relationship. “It was kind of complicated for me because I went into that like a virgin, a kid, feeling like I really needed to grow up quickly,” she told host Alex Cooper.
Mischa also shared that while the couple’s off-screen relationship was brief, their real-life feelings often translated to their on-screen interactions.
“That sexual tension was there… I think we kind of hated each other at that point, but there was still this kind of tension there, and so it really worked for the show.”
Ben McKenzie as Ryan Atwood
Ryan Atwood, the troubled teenager from Chino wasn’t like the rest of the affluent kids in the O.C. Taken in by his public defender, Sandy Cohen after he is thrown out of his family home, Ryan quickly bonded with his best friend Seth and girl-next-door Marissa.
For Texas-born Ben McKenzie, his breakthrough role as the sullen and earnest newbie Ryan catapulted him to stardom.
Following his time on The O.C he played cop Ben Sherman in the drama Southland and starred as Detective James Gordon in Gotham, the Batman prequel.
Now 46, McKenzie is married to Gotham co-star Morena Baccarin; the two share a daughter who was born in 2016 and a son who was born in 2021.
Rachel Bilson as Summer Roberts
Summer Roberts and her on-screen boyfriend Seth Cohen were easily one of the all-time best teen couples. The best friend of Marissa Cooper, Summer was initially only going to appear in a few episodes, yet the character quickly became part of the main cast.
Following The O.C., Rachel Bilson starred in Hart of Dixie and US drama Takes Two. Now, 43, Rachel has a daughter, with ex-partner Hayden Christensen who is best known for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise.
Adam Brody as Seth Cohen
The awkward yet lovable son of Sandy and Kirsten Cohen quickly became an unlikely teen crush thanks to Adam Brody’s exceptional portrayal – to this day his character is included in best on-screen boyfriend lists.
In news that teen-drama enthusiasts could only ever dream of, Adam Brody, now 44, went on to marry Gossip Girl royalty, Leighton Meester, with the couple sharing a daughter.
In 2024 the world was once again charmed by the actor as he starred opposite Kristen Bell in the viral Netflix rom-com series Nobody Wants This.
Chris Carmack as Luke Ward
Although Luke Ward only starred in the first season, before sporadically appearing in season two, the character sure is memorable. Initially playing Marissa’s boyfriend and the main antagonist of the series, Luke coined the series’ famous “Welcome to the O.C., b***h!” line during a fight with Ryan in the premiere episode
Following The O.C., Chris, now 43, has starred in Nashville as Will Lexington and in Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Atticus Lincoln. In 2019 he married Erin Slaver, and the couple have two daughters.
Olivia Wilde as Alex Kelly
Despite only appearing in season two, Alex Kelly was a memorable character on The O.C. who dated both Seth and Marissa. The bisexual bar owner was a contentious recurring character, with fans equally loving and hating her.
Since leaving The O.C. Olivia Wilde has experienced immense success in Hollywood. She released her film Don’t Worry Darling in 2022, which was a global hit, despite its behind-the-scenes drama. Olivia shares two children with her ex-husband Jason Sudeikis.
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