Unveiling the Biggest Revelations of the 'Welcome to the OC' Book: Adam Brody's Controversy, Mischa Barton's Departure, and Beyond
Discover the captivating secrets of 'Welcome to the OC: An Oral History', a revealing journey into the iconic teen drama Unveiling shocking audition blunders, behind-the-scenes romances, and the turmoil surrounding Marissa's fate, this book offers an intimate glimpse into the beloved show of the early 2000s Dive into the fascinating stories that shaped the lives of the cast and crew, leaving you craving for more
Cast members (L to R) Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Melinda Clarke, Peter Gallagher, Rachel Bilson, Kelly Rowan, Benjamin McKenzie and Samaire Armstrong Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Upon premiering in 2003, The O.C. became an instant phenomenon but also faced challenges in maintaining its success. The series, which aired for four seasons on Fox, centered around 16-year-old Ryan Atwood (played by Ben McKenzie) being taken in by well-intentioned lawyer Sandy Cohen (played by Peter Gallagher) and his prominent family in Newport Beach, California. As the show unfolds, Ryan forms a close bond with Seth Cohen (played by Adam Brody) and becomes romantically involved with his next-door neighbor Marissa Cooper (played by Mischa Barton), all while navigating the complex and sometimes dangerous aspects of life in Orange County.
Discover the untold story of The O.C. in the book "The O.C.: The Oral History" by Alan Sepinwall, Josh Schwartz, and Stephanie Savage. This insightful book takes readers behind the scenes of the iconic series, sharing the meteoric rise and eventual downfall of the show.
From launching its cast into A-list stardom to facing challenges in its later seasons, The O.C. struggled to maintain its early success. Despite obstacles such as a new showrunner, network demands, and unhappy actors, the beloved teen drama continues to hold a special place in the hearts of fans.
Keep scrolling for all the biggest bombshells from Welcome to the O.C.: An Oral History:
Adam Brody’s Less Than Stellar Audition
Brody's first audition did not impress anyone, as casting director Patrick Rush described him as "obnoxious" and "disrespectful" of the material, and Schwartz thought the audition "sucked." Despite this, Rush gave Brody a second chance, and Seth Cohen was born when Brody came back and put effort into reading the part as written, impressing Savage with his performance.
Not Everyone Wanted Mischa Barton
Barton's audition was adored by Schwartz, Savage, and the other producers, but Warner Bros. executives were set on casting Olivia Wilde as Marissa Cooper.
Susan Rovner, a Warner Bros. programming executive at the time, expressed her support for Olivia from the beginning and admitted that she didn't understand Barton's appeal. Nevertheless, the studio ultimately allowed the producers to make the final decision, a move that Rovner believed was the right choice.
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Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody’s Road to Romance
Rachel Bilson, known for her role as Summer Roberts on the series, revealed that she was acquainted with Brody before filming The O.C. pilot due to his "casual dating" of one of her friends. She initially found him "cute and funny" but also "kind of a jerk" before getting to know his sense of humor better. After both went through breakups in season 1, Bilson admitted that their romance developed gradually. By season 2, she confessed feeling envious of Brody's character getting involved with Wilde, who joined the show as Alex.
Mischa Barton and Chris Carmack’s Awkward 1st Love Scene
Chris Carmack, known for his role as Marissa's unfaithful (but eventually adored) boyfriend Luke, reminisced about filming his initial intimate love scene with Barton. Carmack vividly recalled being "scantily clad" with Barton beneath the sheets and striving to ensure her sense of "ease" despite the presence of numerous crew members.
During the rehearsal, things became more awkward when Barton’s mom unexpectedly appeared and caught Carmack off guard. Despite the uncomfortable moment, Carmack assured that everything was alright and mentioned that he looks back on the scene with fondness. He also commended Mischa’s mom for making sure her daughter was taken care of and deserved respect for doing so.
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Marissa OD'd during the 7th episode of the series due to uncertainty from the network about keeping Barton as the lead. Schwartz explained that Fox wanted the option to make a casting change and Barton remained on the show for three seasons after breaking out with the public soon after The O.C. premiered.
"Savage, on the other hand, couldn't recall any actual discussions in the writer's room about the possibility of killing off the character early. "I don't think we ever developed that storyline or even seriously considered it," she remarked.
Marissa Almost Got Killed Off in Season 1
Although Seth and Summer and Ryan and Marissa were the primary romantic couples on the show, the writers had actually considered exploring a different pairing.
"We felt like there was some potential with Seth and Marissa," Schwartz revealed, suggesting that there may have been a slight possibility of a connection between the characters at the beginning of season 2. "We never fully explored a romantic relationship between them. But there was certainly more to be discovered in terms of their friendship."
Brody enthusiastically embraced the idea of more scenes with Barton, praising the "cool" and awkwardly potential relationship between the two neighbors. "That dynamic was something I would have liked to explore further," he commented.
Everyone Liked the Seth and Marissa Dynamic — Especially Adam Brody
Bilson remembered leaving her then-boyfriend Brody behind at TRL because they were overwhelmed by a large crowd of fans. She was rescued by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who threw her into their car. She left Brody behind out of nervousness and later went back to get him as he was being mobbed by fans.
Brodymania Was Very Real
Meanwhile, Brody remembered a woman "grabbing" him and "hooking up" with him, welcoming him to Hollywood. He described the unusual encounter as a recognition of a change in status that could be seen as "gross," but one that he recalls as "innocent and joyful."
During filming, Kelly Rowan, who played Kirsten Cowan, was often flirted with by every person on set, including Brody, Gallagher, and Tate Donovan. Melinda Clarke, who portrayed Julie Cooper, revealed that Rowan was single during this time and was known for being the most giggly among the cast, often getting broken up from laughter.
The O.C. Courtesy of Youtube
Kelly Rowan Was the Object of Affection
Samaire Armstrong, who portrayed Seth’s alternative love interest Anna, revealed that she and Brody were acquainted before The O.C. through an acting class. In addition, she and Bilson both had the same commercial agent.
Bilson stated that although she and Armstong were "always friendly" on set, there was a "weird underlying competitiveness" between them. She mentioned that at the time, she believed Armstrong "had a crush" on Brody despite already having a boyfriend.
"Sometimes life imitates art," Bilson commented. "We were always friends and friendly, but there was always this strange undertone."
Armstrong acknowledged that there was "definitely" a triangle dynamic occurring, although not a romantic one like their characters on screen. "It was like, 'Oh, there's my friend with my other friend. They're dating, and here I am feeling like the third wheel. Should I come back later?'" Armstrong joked about her dynamic with Brody and Bilson. "It was art imitating life in many ways, and we were fully aware of that."
The Love Triangle Between Seth, Summer and Anna Wasn’t Exactly Fiction
Eric Balfour portrayed Eddie, Theresa’s (Navlata “Navi” Rawat) boyfriend. Although the character was intended to be abusive, Schwartz revealed that Balfour was unwilling to play that role in that manner and consequently, left the show. This departure led to the development of Theresa and Ryan’s pregnancy storyline, which was not well-received by fans.
The Actor Who Played Eddie Had Issues With His Role
Savage recalled Barton's excitement about the storyline involving Ryan's brother Trey (Logan Marshall-Green) getting high and attempting to assault Marissa, attributing this to Barton feeling more "comfortable" in the dramatic plots. However, Barton remembers the situation differently.
Barton shared that the content made her feel differently, with the actual assault scene on the beach being particularly uncomfortable for “obvious reasons.”
The O.C. Courtesy of Youtube
Differing Opinions on Marissa’s Sexual Assault Story Line
The Younger Actors Were Over Playing High School Kids By Season 3
Clarke remembered that during season 3, there was a strong awareness of the scripts being very unpopular, especially among the younger actors. It was generally recognized on set that Brody and McKenzie had difficulty portraying high school students while being grown men.
Barton alleged that in the third season, actors were given pages from episodes that hadn't been written yet. He also stated that there was little they could do when writers were doubling up on episodes. "I brought it up to Stephanie and Josh," Barton stated. "But ultimately, it's the writers' room's responsibility, and I don't think they took it seriously."
Meanwhile, McKenzie expressed the "irony" of season 3, as the kids desired "less" time on screen while the adult actors wanted "more," creating a conflict that the show was unable to resolve. Despite his appreciation for the opportunity The O.C. provided him, McKenzie felt a restlessness to pursue other projects.
Schwartz acknowledged that by season 3, the relationships among the cast were strained, with the chemistry between actors having soured.
“We were no longer enjoying creating the show — myself included,” he confessed, shouldering the blame for the downturn. “And once again, I should have gathered everyone together for individual discussions, but instead I avoided it and hoped it would pass.”
… Actually, Everyone Was Over It By Season 3
Brody confessed that he grew tired of the show and his character, Seth, leading him to skim through his scripts. Sometimes, he would challenge himself to understand the whole episode by only reading his own lines. By the third season, Brody's lack of enthusiasm was so obvious that the writers made Seth's character addicted to weed to reflect the change in his behavior.
"Brody has completely revamped his delivery and how invested he is," Schwartz revealed. "His approach has changed so much that we felt the need to adapt to it creatively." He went on to say, "It's the kind of character development that we would have scoffed at in the first season."
Although Brody was eager to move forward, he emphasized that he always remained respectful to everyone, was punctual, and got along well with the directors and crew. He admitted that he never lost his temper or said anything harsh, but did express his dislike for the later episodes of the series, something he regrets.
McKenzie mentioned that Brody was very open about his discontent and the negative atmosphere affected everyone. Reeser, a series regular in season 4, expressed her disappointment with Brody's behavior and had hoped for a closer bond with someone she admired as a great actor, despite feeling compassion for him at that time.
“Adam’s a real artist and wanted the chance to stretch,” she said. “And he was not feeling like he was getting that.”
… But No One Was As Over It As Adam Brody
Stan auditioned for the role of Johnny, which ultimately went to Ryan Donowho. Despite this, Schwartz and the other producers claimed to have no memory of seeing Stan's audition tape and did not test him for the role. Instead, he later joined Gossip Girl, another project by Schwartz and Savage, as Carter Basen.
(Chris Pine also auditioned for the same role as Ryan, but was not chosen due to his skin condition. Andrew McCarthy, an '80s teen icon, was also considered for the role of Jimmy Cooper.)
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Sebastian Stan Auditioned for the Cursed Role of Johnny
Barton disclosed that there were years when she had only "six days" off work, as she was busy promoting the show, doing press, and touring when she wasn't on set. Meanwhile, Bilson expressed feeling "pressure" from Barton's mom for the actress to be "doing a lot." "I think it was probably too much for this teenager to be doing as much as she had to," Bilson said, noting that Barton still managed to handle it gracefully. She added that while Barton's mom was "always nice" to her, she had a "stage mom" vibe, appearing to ensure that Summer didn't have more things to do or say than Marissa.
"Mischa displayed a clear sense of discontent, and if we had addressed it head-on, we might have been able to collaborate," Savage commented, with Schwartz adding that Barton was eager to pursue higher education.
Even as she grew increasingly tired, those associated with the show emphasized that Barton consistently maintained her professionalism.
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Executive producer Bob DiLaurentis fondly remembered her as the most dependable of the four kids. "She consistently hit the mark, delivered her lines, and gave a stellar performance without any issues. She never asked for a line to be changed, just came in and handled her job like a true professional."
Schwartz believed at the time that killing off Marissa was necessary for creative and business reasons, but also mentioned that there were many other dynamics they could have explored to reinvent The O.C.
Barton expressed disappointment at being killed off, but also acknowledged that it was an inevitable end for her character, as she felt Marissa had reached a point where there was nowhere else for her to go. She mentioned that there weren't many options left for the character at that point, other than sailing off into the sunset or dying.
Barton expressed that the crew was deeply affected by her departure and that filming her final days was an emotional experience due to the strong connections she had formed with everyone. She stressed the importance of doing justice to her character, describing her death scene as intense. McKenzie recalled Barton's emotional state before filming the scene, where Ryan carries Marissa's dying body away from an exploding car.
The Unraveling of Marissa Cooper
As she was younger, she had to navigate through the complex emotions that we all experienced to some extent, but hers were likely even more intense,” he elaborated, noting that it eventually became an inevitable situation that had to be resolved.
McKenzie described the inclusion of Reeser in the cast and the romance between Ryan and Taylor as making season 4 feel "lighter" because of Reeser's "lovely" and "sunny disposition."
"From my experience, filming [season 4] was more enjoyable and truly more in line with what I believe the show was meant to be," McKenzie remarked, expressing his gratitude for being able to inject some humor into the series.
Marissa’s Death Remains a Regret
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McKenzie Did Have Fun With His Next Love Interest, Taylor
Bilson revealed that the series finale, where Seth and Summer get married, was filmed not long after her real-life split with Brody. To avoid the awkwardness of pretending to marry her ex, she requested that Summer’s wedding dress be completely different from what she would wear in real life. "At that age, you think you'll be with that person forever," she commented on her relationship with Brody. "I didn't want to wear something that I'd wear for my own wedding. It just felt odd."
