{"id":57425,"date":"2023-11-28T13:00:28","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/28\/welcome-to-the-o-c-book-bombshells-adam-brodys-disdain-more\/"},"modified":"2023-11-28T13:00:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T13:00:28","slug":"welcome-to-the-o-c-book-bombshells-adam-brodys-disdain-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/28\/welcome-to-the-o-c-book-bombshells-adam-brodys-disdain-more\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Welcome to the O.C.\u2019 Book Bombshells: Adam Brody\u2019s Disdain, More"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Cast members (L to R) Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Melinda Clarke, Peter Gallagher, Rachel Bilson, Kelly Rowan, Benjamin McKenzie and Samaire Armstrong<\/span> Kevin Winter\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The O.C.<\/em><\/a> became an instant phenomenon the moment it premiered in 2003 \u2014 and\u00a0 found itself struggling to stay afloat almost just as quickly.<\/p>\n

The series, which ran for four seasons on Fox, followed 16-year-old Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie<\/strong><\/a>) as he\u2019s taken in by well-intentioned lawyer Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher<\/strong>) and his prominent Newport Beach, California family. As Ryan finds a new best friend in Seth Cohen (Adam Brody<\/strong><\/a>) and love interest in next-door neighbor Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton<\/strong><\/a>), he also discovers the complicated and often dangerous seedy underbelly of life in Orange County.<\/p>\n

Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History<\/em>, which is written by Alan Sepinwall<\/strong>, The O.C.<\/em> creator Josh Schwartz<\/strong> and executive producer\u00a0Stephanie Savage<\/strong>, gives a glimpse behind the scenes of the iconic series, from the show\u2019s meteoric rise to its eventual downfall.<\/p>\n

An immediate success that catapulted its cast into A-list stardom, The O.C.<\/em> eventually struggled to follow up its critically acclaimed first season. From a green showrunner and demands from the network to actors who grew increasingly unhappy with their roles, The O.C.<\/em> faced a myriad of obstacles but remains one of the most beloved teen dramas today.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>\u2018The O.C.\u2019 Cast: Where Are They Now?<\/a>
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\n\t\t\tWelcome to\u00a0The O.C.! Ben McKenzie, Adam Brody, Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson were catapulted to fame while starring on the hit teen drama. The Fox series ran from August 2003 to February 2007 and focused on the lives of affluent teenagers in Newport Beach, California. McKenzie (Ryan Atwood), Brody (Seth Cohen), Barton (Marissa Cooper), Bilson [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Keep scrolling for all the biggest bombshells from Welcome to the O.C.: An Oral History<\/em>:\n<\/p>\n

Adam Brody\u2019s Less Than Stellar Audition<\/h3>\n

No one was a fan of Brody\u2019s first audition, where casting director Patrick Rush<\/strong> said he \u201cad-libbed\u201d his scenes and was \u201cobnoxious\u201d and \u201cdisrespectful\u201d of the material. Despite Schwartz thinking the audition \u201csucked,\u201d Rush brought Brody back a second time to try again, and Seth Cohen was born.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe came back, and actually read the part as written and put some effort into it. And it was amazing,\u201d Savage said.<\/p>\n

Not Everyone Wanted Mischa Barton<\/h3>\n

Despite Schwartz, Savage and the other producers loving Barton\u2019s audition, Warner Bros. executives were gunning for a different actress to take up the role of Marissa Cooper: Olivia Wilde<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Susan Rovner<\/strong>, a Warner Bros. programming executive at the time, shared that she was \u201cTeam Olivia\u201d from the jump and didn\u2019t \u201cget\u201d Barton\u2019s appeal. Ultimately, however, the studio let the producers make the final call, which Rovner said was \u201cthe right choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Welcome<\/div>

\n The O.C.<\/span> Courtesy of Youtube<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody\u2019s Road to Romance<\/h3>\n

Rachel Bilson<\/strong><\/a>, who portrayed Summer Roberts on the series, revealed that she knew Brody before shooting The O.C.<\/em> pilot because he had \u201ccasually dated\u201d one of her friends. She remembered thinking he was \u201ccute and funny\u201d but also \u201ckind of a dick\u201d before spending more time with him and understanding his sense of humor.<\/p>\n

After the pair both split from their respective partners during season 1, Bilson said their romance<\/a> \u201cgrew into itself\u201d over time. During season 2, she admitted to being jealous of Brody\u2019s character hooking up with Wilde, who joined as Alex.<\/p>\n

Mischa Barton and Chris Carmack\u2019s Awkward 1st Love Scene<\/h3>\n

Chris Carmack<\/strong>, who portrayed Marissa\u2019s cheating (but later beloved) boyfriend Luke, recalled shooting his first \u201cin-bed\u201d love scene with Barton. Carmack remembered being \u201cscantily clad\u201d with Barton under the covers and wanting to make her feel \u201ccomfortable\u201d despite there being so many crew members around.<\/p>\n

The awkwardness escalated, however, when Barton\u2019s mom showed up at the rehearsal and Carmack rolled over to see Barton\u2019s mom \u201cstanding right behind\u201d him during the \u201cuncomfortable\u201d moment.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Carmack said \u201ceverything was fine\u201d and he only has fond memories of the scene. \u201cGood for Mischa\u2019s mom, for looking out for her daughter. I think she deserves some respect for that,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

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Marissa Almost Got Killed Off in Season 1<\/h3>\n

The real reason Marissa OD\u2019d during the 7th episode of the series? The network wasn\u2019t sure they wanted to keep Barton as the lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cFox wanted to have the ability to make a casting change,\u201d Schwartz explained. When Barton \u201cbroke out with the public\u201d soon after The O.C.<\/em> premiered, she remained \u201csafe\u201d on the show for three seasons.<\/p>\n

Savage, meanwhile, didn\u2019t remember any real writer\u2019s room conversations about potentially killing the character off early. \u201cI don\u2019t think we ever broke that story or even really talked about that story,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Everyone Liked the Seth and Marissa Dynamic \u2014 Especially Adam Brody<\/h3>\n

Despite Seth and Summer and Ryan and Marissa being the show\u2019s two major romantic couples, the writers considered developing a different pairing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe left something on the table with Seth and Marissa,\u201d Schwartz shared, noting that there\u2019s a \u201chint\u201d of a potential bond between the characters at the start of season 2. \u201cWe certainly never went there romantically between them. But there was definitely more to mine even on a friendship level with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brody was fully on board with more scenes opposite Barton, calling the relationship between the two next-door neighbors both \u201ccool\u201d and filled with awkward potential. \u201cThat was a nice dynamic that I could have seen more of,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Brodymania Was Very Real<\/h3>\n

Bilson recalled leaving then-boyfriend Brody behind at\u00a0TRL<\/em> because they were being \u201cswarmed by a mass mob\u201d of fans, of which she was rescued from by two unlikely heroes: Mary-Kate<\/strong> and Ashley Olsen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Olsen twins rescued me and threw me in their car,\u201d Bilson recalled. \u201cI left Brody behind because I was so nervous and didn\u2019t know what to do. And they were like, \u2018Don\u2019t you need to get your boyfriend?\u2019 And I was like, \u2018Oh, yeah, we\u2019ve got to go get him.\u2019 He was being mobbed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brody, meanwhile, recalled a woman \u201cgrabbing\u201d him and \u201chooking up\u201d with him one time, telling him, \u201cWelcome to Hollywood.\u201d He called the bizarre moment an \u201cacknowledgment of a stature change\u201d that could be considered \u201cgross\u201d but one he remembers as \u201cinnocent and joyful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelly Rowan Was the Object of Affection<\/h3>\n

Melinda Clarke<\/strong>, who portrayed Marissa\u2019s mom, Julie Cooper, revealed that Kelly Rowan<\/strong> \u2014 who starred as Cohen matriarch Kirsten Cowan \u2014 was single while filming the show and was often flirted with by every person every on set including Brody, Gallagher and Tate Donovan<\/strong>, who played Marissa\u2019s dad, Jimmy Cooper.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s also the giggliest on set,\u201d Clarke explained. \u201cShe would giggle the most, and they could break her up.\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

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\n The O.C.<\/span> Courtesy of Youtube<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Love Triangle Between Seth, Summer and Anna Wasn\u2019t Exactly Fiction<\/h3>\n

According to Samaire Armstrong,<\/strong> who played Seth\u2019s alternative love interest Anna, she and Brody knew each other prior to The O.C.<\/em> from an acting class. She and Bilson, meanwhile, shared the same commercial agent.<\/p>\n

Bilson claimed that while she and Armstong were \u201calways friendly\u201d on set, there was a \u201cweird underlying competitiveness\u201d between them. She noted that at the time, she felt Armstrong \u201chad a crush\u201d on Brody despite having a boyfriend.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes life imitates art,\u201d Bilson said. \u201cWe were always friends and friendly, but then there was always this weird undertone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Armstong agreed that there was \u201cdefinitely\u201d a triangle happening \u2013 but not exactly a romantic one like their characters on screen.<\/p>\n

\u201c[It was] like, \u2018Oh, there\u2019s my friend with my other friend. They\u2019re dating and what, am I the third wheel? Should I come back later?\u2019\u201d Armstrong quipped about her relationship with Brody and Bilson. \u201cIt was art imitating life in many ways, and that part was not lost on us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Actor Who Played Eddie Had Issues With His Role<\/h3>\n

Eddie, Theresa\u2019s (Navlata \u201cNavi\u201d Rawat<\/strong>) boyfriend, was portrayed by Eric Balfour<\/strong>. While the character was supposed to be abusive, Schwartz shared that Balfour was too uncomfortable playing that role in that way and exited the show, leading to Theresa and Ryan\u2019s pregnancy story line (a least favorite among fans).<\/p>\n

Differing Opinions on Marissa\u2019s Sexual Assault Story Line<\/h3>\n

While Savage recalled Barton being \u201cexcited\u201d about the story line in which Ryan\u2019s brother Trey (Logan Marshall-Green<\/strong>) gets high and tries to assault Marissa, crediting Barton feeling more \u201ccomfortable\u201d in the dramatic plots, Barton remembers the situation differently.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were varying degrees of how comfortable that stuff made me or didn\u2019t make me,\u201d Barton shared, calling the actual assault scene on the beach particularly uncomfortable for \u201cobvious reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Younger Actors Were Over Playing High School Kids By Season 3<\/h3>\n

\u201cWe were very aware in season 3 of how disliked the scripts were, especially by the kids,\u201d Clarke recalled, saying there was a \u201cgeneral understanding on set\u201d that Brody and McKenzie had issues with being \u201cgrown men\u201d playing high school students.<\/p>\n

\u2026 Actually, Everyone Was Over It By Season 3<\/h3>\n

Barton claimed that by the third season, actors were getting \u201chanded pages from episodes that weren\u2019t even written yet,\u201d adding that there was really \u201cnothing\u201d they could do when writers were \u201cdoubling up\u201d on episodes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said stuff to Stephanie and Josh,\u201d Barton claimed. \u201cBut that\u2019s the writers\u2019 room\u2019s responsibility, and I\u2019m pretty sure it fell on deaf ears, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

McKenzie, meanwhile, said that the \u201cirony\u201d of season 3 was that the kids started to want \u201cless\u201d time on screen, while the adult actors wanted \u201cmore\u201d and the show \u201ccould not accommodate either of those desires.\u201d McKenzie noted that he was \u201cappreciative\u201d of the \u201cincredible opportunity\u201d The O.C<\/em>. had given him but had a \u201crestlessness\u201d to pursue other projects.<\/p>\n

Schwartz noted that people on the show were \u201cnot getting along great\u201d by season 3 and that the \u201cchemistry had soured\u201d between actors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were no longer having fun making the show \u2014 myself included,\u201d he said, taking responsibility for the breakdown. \u201cAnd again, I should have sat everybody down, and had individual conversations, and instead I just hid and tried to ride it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026 But No One Was As Over It As Adam Brody<\/h3>\n

Brody shared that he began to get \u201cbored\u201d by the show and the character of Seth, so he would often \u201ceconomize\u201d reading his scripts. He admitted that occasionally, he would even play a game with himself and see how much of the episode he could understand by only reading his own lines.<\/p>\n

By season 3, Brody\u2019s lack of effort became so notable, that the writers wrote him as being addicted to weed to accommodate the change in Seth\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrody just changed his delivery, his investment in it,\u201d Schwartz explained. \u201cHis style shifted to such a degree that we felt like we needed to account for it creatively.\u201d He added, \u201cIt\u2019s the kind of storyline that we would have laughed at in Season 1.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Brody was itching to move on, he maintained that he was always \u201cpolite to everyone,\u201d didn\u2019t \u201ckeep people waiting\u201d and \u201cliked the directors and the crew.\u201d He noted that he would never \u201cscream and yell\u201d or say \u201canything f\u2014king mean\u201d but did let his \u201cdistaste\u201d for the later episodes of the series be known, which he is \u201cnot proud\u201d of.<\/p>\n

McKenzie said Brody was \u201cnot shy\u201d about his unhappiness and the energy became an \u201camorphous\u201d thing. \u201cEveryone gets in the feisty, feisty mood,\u201d he said. \u201c[It was] a challenge, and frustrating, and all those sorts of things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Autumn Reeser<\/strong>, who became a series regular during season 4 as Taylor Townsend, said she was \u201cdisappointed\u201d by Brody\u2019s behavior and had hoped to find \u201cmore camaraderie\u201d with someone she thought of as a \u201cfantastic\u201d actor, despite having \u201ccompassion\u201d for him at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s a real artist and wanted the chance to stretch,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd he was not feeling like he was getting that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sebastian Stan Auditioned for the Cursed Role of Johnny<\/h3>\n

Despite Stan auditioning for the role of Johnny, which eventually went to Ryan Donowho<\/strong>, Schwartz and the other producers had no recollection of seeing Stan\u2019s tape and didn\u2019t even test him. He later joined Gossip Girl<\/em>, a different Schwartz and Savage project, as Carter Basen.<\/p>\n

(Chris Pine<\/strong> also auditioned for Ryan, but didn\u2019t get the role due to his bad skin, while \u201880s teen icon Andrew McCarthy<\/strong> was in the mix to portray Jimmy Cooper.)<\/p>\n

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The Unraveling of Marissa Cooper<\/h3>\n

Barton revealed there were years when she would only have \u201csix days\u201d off of work, as she was busy promoting the show, doing press and touring when she wasn\u2019t actually on set. Bilson, meanwhile, said she felt there was \u201cpressure\u201d from Barton\u2019s mom for the actress to be \u201cdoing a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it was probably too much for this teenager to be doing as much as she had to do,\u201d Bilson said, saying that Barton still managed to do it gracefully. She added that while Barton\u2019s mom was \u201calways nice\u201d to her, she was a \u201cstage mom\u201d who had a \u201cmake sure Summer doesn\u2019t have more things to do or say than Marissa vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMischa definitely had a level of unhappiness, which, again, if we had dealt with it directly, maybe we could have worked together,\u201d Savage said, while Schwartz noted that Barton wanted to attend college.<\/p>\n

Despite her growing exhaustion, those involved with the show said Barton always maintained her professionalism.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would always come in, hit the mark, say the lines, deliver the performance. I remember her as being in many ways the most reliable of the four kids,\u201d executive producer Bob DiLaurentis<\/strong> recalled. \u201cShe had no problems with anything. She didn\u2019t ask for a line to be changed. She just came in and did her job like a professional.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>‘The O.C.’ Cast’s Dating Histories Through the Years<\/a>
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\n\t\t\tCalifornia, here they come! Newport Beach\u2019s coolest teens went through plenty of romantic drama on The O.C., but so did their real-life counterparts. The show documented the lives of Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), Seth Cohen (Adam Brody), Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) and their parents, all of whom lived in the wealthy [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Marissa\u2019s Death Remains a Regret<\/h3>\n

Despite Schwartz believing at the time that killing off Marissa was something the show \u201chad to do\u201d for creative and business reasons, he said that there are \u201ca lot of dynamics\u201d they could have explored instead in order for The O.C<\/em>. to reinvent itself.<\/p>\n

Barton said it was a \u201clittle bit of a bummer\u201d to be killed off, but also felt it was an \u201cinevitable\u201d end for Marissa, who was \u201cdoing too much\u201d as a character. \u201cI think they ran out of places for her to go,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn\u2019t much you could do at that point. It was either she could sail off into the sunset, or die.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barton added that the crew was \u201cquite upset\u201d about her exit and it was \u201cpretty emotional\u201d filming her final days due to the \u201cclose bonds\u201d she had formed with everyone. \u201cI just really wanted to do the character justice at the end of it,\u201d she said, calling her death scene an \u201cintense shoot.\u201d<\/p>\n

McKenzie also remembered Barton being \u201cupset\u201d before shooting the death scene, in which Ryan carries Marissa\u2019s dying body away from an exploding car.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was younger, so she was dealing with this whole mess of feelings that we were all dealing with to some degree, but hers were probably even more acute,\u201d he explained, adding that it did become a situation that ultimately \u201chad to give.\u201d<\/p>\n

McKenzie Did Have Fun With His Next Love Interest, Taylor<\/h3>\n

McKenzie said that the addition of Reeser to the cast \u2014 and Ryan and Taylor\u2019s subsequent romance \u2014 made season 4 feel \u201clighter\u201d due to Reeser\u2019s \u201clovely\u201d and \u201csunny disposition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to say, just from the doing of it, the doing of [season 4] was more fun, and honestly more fitting with I think what the show really was,\u201d McKenzie shared, adding that he \u201cappreciated being able to tell a joke or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

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