How old the OC cast was compared to their characters

The OC was one of the staple teen dramas of the aughts, thanks in part to its iconic cast, including names like Mischa Barton. It takes place in Orange County (the OC) in Southern California and ran for four seasons before the network canceled it. The show’s catalyst was when Ryan Atwood, a troubled teenager from a broken home in Chino, moved in with the Cohens, a wealthy family living in an upper-class community in Newport Beach. Ryan and the priests, which included Sandy, Kirsten and Seth, came from different worlds, but they eventually learned how to work as a unit.

Although The OC Containing many side plots and important storylines, the main one (at least, in the beginning) revolved around how Ryan fits in with the rest of the characters. The culture clash between Ryan’s upbringing and the priests was a major conflict throughout the series because he was so young and had a rough childhood. moreover, The OC Has a little age diversity in its castHow some actors played teenagers while others were full-fledged adults (although they don’t like it sometimes).

Ben McKenzie as Ryan Atwood

Actor Age: 25 / Character Age: 16

Ben McKenzie played Ryan Atwood throughout all four seasons of The OCAnd he undoubtedly has the most character development of everyone. Ryan was a troubled teenager from the rough area of ​​Chino. After being kicked out of his home by his mother, Ryan was taken in by Sandy Cohen. Although he is an outsider, he is gradually accepted by many in the more affluent community, finding family, friendship and love in “The OC”.

The actor was almost a full decade older than his character while shooting the first season since McKenzie was 25 years old, and Ryan was 16 years old. It’s not uncommon for teenage characters to be played by much older actors in teen dramas, especially in that era, so it’s not too surprising to learn of the massive age difference between McKenzie and Ryan.

Mischa Barton as Marisa Cooper

Actor Age: 17 / Character Age: 16

Marisa Cooper was the privileged high school student at the beginning of the series who had to struggle with adjusting to a life of less luxury than she was used to. She was also the on-again-off-again love interest for Ryan, finding something alluring in the boy with a darker past.

The struggles of her life, including her parents’ divorce, led her to an addiction to drink and drugs even though her loved ones stayed by her side. Marissa was killed off in The OCs third season in a car accident. Although there was a significant age difference between Ben McKenzie and Ryan, Mischa Barton was much closer to her character’s age during the first season of The OC

The core four – Ryan, Marissa Cooper, Seth Cohen, and Summer Roberts – are all juniors in high school in the pilot episode, meaning they are 16 years old. Meanwhile, Barton was only one year older than Marisamaking her the youngest main cast member while filming the first episode.

Adam Brody as Seth Cohen

Actor Age: 24 / Character Age: 16

Seth Cohen was the only child of Sandy and Kristen Cohen in season 1 of The OC Although he was born into the affluent community, he was also seen as something of an outsider as he was “nerdy” and had a lot of disdain for his rich and self-centered peers. This allows him to make a quick connection with Ryan when he arrives. Seth eventually begins to gain confidence, which leads to his relationship with Summer, which provides some of the defining moments in The OC

Seth was 16 years old in The OC season 1, and his portrayal, Adam Brody was 24 years old when he was cast The OC. Similar to Ben McKenzie, Brody was well into his twenties when he shot his first scenes as Seth in the Fox teen drama TV series. But Brodie was constantly fully involved in the rural aspects of his character, which somehow made him younger.

Rachel Bilson as Summer Roberts

Actor Age: 22 / Character Age: 16

Rachel Bilson as Summer Roberts was only meant to appear in a few episodes of The OCBut after the audience fell in love with the character, she became one of the main players in the show. Summer was Marissa’s best friend and was initially seen as stuck-up and mean-spirited. However, Bilson quickly turned these qualities into comedic energy, making her one of the funniest characters on the show. Summer and Seth’s romance also helped solidify her place in the series.

As mentioned above, Summer was a junior in high school like the other main characters during season 1, making her 16 years old. however, Bilson was 22 when filming beganSo she was six years older than her The OC Character. Interestingly, Bilson initially wanted to be cast as Marisa in The OCBut it is a time of her talents that she was able to bring out so much of the less developed of the summer.

Peter Gallagher as Sandy Cohen

Actor Age: 48 / Character Age: 30s

Sandy Cohen was the patriarch of the Cohen family in The OCAnd he was the reason why Ryan came to stay with them in the pilot episode. He was a public defender with more liberal views of the world than most of the people in his wealthy community. He also feels like an outsider in this world in many ways and sees himself in Ryan at times due to his own humble beginnings. Sandy remains a loving father and husband, the kind of role that Gallagher always excels at, throughout the series.

His age is never blatantly stated throughout the teen drama series, but it is assumed that he was in his mid-to-late 30s in season 1. Meanwhile, Peter Gallagher, who played Sandy, was 48 years old at the start of the show. So, the actors playing teenagers are not the only ones significantly older than their characters.

Kelly Rowan as Kirsten Cohen

Actor Age: 38 / Character Age: 30s

Kristen Cohen was the strong matriarch of the Cohen family. While she was initially reluctant to have Ryan live with them, fearing that the troubled teen would be a bad influence on her son, she eventually came to love him as a member of the family.

Kristen was the financial provider for the family, and although she was more entrenched in the ugly side of the community than her husband, she was still a loving and caring mother and wife. Kirsten was the same age as her husband, Sandy The OCMeaning she was also in her mid to late thirties when the Fox TV series began.

The matriarch of the Cohen family celebrated her 40th birthday in season 4, so she is likely 38 years old in season 1. Although this fact has not been confirmed (especially since the timeline of The OC can be tricky and have some plot holes), it would make sense because Kelly Rowan, who played Kirsten, was also 38 At the beginning of production.

Tate Donovan as Jimmy Cooper

Actor Age: 40 / Character Age: 30s

Jimmy Cooper was one of the characters in The OC That brought a lot of drama to the community early on. He was Marissa’s father and Julie’s husband who was also embezzling money, ruining his reputation in the community and ending his marriage. Jimmy remained a supportive and caring father to his daughters, but he never really got his life together over the course of the series.

Jimmy was the same age as Kirsten The OC Since they grew up together and once dated when they were teenagers. So, Jimmy is likely 38 years old in season 1 as well, but like the other adult characters in the show, his age is never confirmed in the episodes. Tate Donovan, who portrayed Jimmy in The OCwas only two years older Like the character when the series started.

Melinda Clarke as Julie Cooper

Actor Age: 34 / Character Age: 34/35

Julie Cooper is Marissa and Caitlin’s mother, who was married to Jimmy only to divorce him when his embezzlement was discovered. Julie is presented as a stuck-up and money-driven housewife when she is introduced in the series. She is shallow and self-centered, but there is more to the character revealed throughout the series with her taking charge of her life rather than relying on others to provide for her.

Julie, played by Melinda Clarke, was a little younger than the other adult characters in The OCBut not too much. Julie got pregnant with Marisa when she was 18 years old, meaning that she gave birth at either 18 or 19. Since Marisa is 16 years old in season 1, that would make her mother either 34 or 35 when the Fox teen drama series began. Unlike many other actors, Clarke was around the same age as her character.

Alan Dale as Caleb Nicol

Actor Age: 56 / Character Age: 50s

Caleb Nichol is one of the most intimidating characters in the series. He is an important figure in the Newport community as a rude, unsympathetic and demanding man of action. He is also Kristen’s father with whom he has a strained relationship partly due to the fact that he has never liked Sandy. Later, the relationships in the show become even more entangled as Caleb marries Julie, and becomes Marissa’s stepfather.

Unlike the other characters in The OCIt’s hard to gauge Caleb’s age, but it’s safe to say he’s in his 50s at the start of the show. The TV series never revealed how old Caleb was in the first two seasons. however, Given Alan Dale’s age during the first season – 56 – Caleb was likely in his fifties. Dale is gone The OC In season 2 when Caleb died of a heart attack.

Chris Carmack as Luke Ward

Actor Age: 23 / Character Age: 16

In season 1 of The OCLuke Ward is introduced as the villain of the series. He is Marissa’s boyfriend who is a popular and aggressive member of the rich kids clique. He quickly butts heads with Ryan, getting into several fights in the pilot episode. After Marissa and Luke break up, he gradually forms a friendship with Ryan and Seth before starting an affair with Julie Cooper which leads to the character leaving the show.

Marissa’s boyfriend in The OC Season 1 Luke Ward was the same age as the other younger characters on the show. He was 16 years old when the Fox teen drama series premiered, as he was a junior in high school with Marissa, Ryan, Seth and Summer. Meanwhile, Luke’s description, Chris Carmack, 23 years old in the middle of filming the first season.

Autumn Racer as Taylor Townsend

Actor Age: 25 / Character Age: 17

Tyler Townsend was introduced in season 3 but became a bigger part of The OC In season 4 after Marissa’s death. She was a perfectionist high school student who served as a villain in the series when she was first introduced.

However, her personality softened in season 4 and she became a more likable character, even starting a romance with Ryan and taking the second female lead opposite Rachel Bilson’s Summer in the final season.

Taylor wasn’t introduced until the show’s third season, but she was in the same mind as Ryan, Marissa, Seth, and Summer, which would make her around 17 years old in her first episode. In a similar vein to the other younger cast members, Riser was in his mid-20s When she started filming the TV series.

Willa Holland as Caitlin Cooper

Actor Age: 15 / Character Age: 15

Shailene Woodley briefly played Kaitlin Cooper, Marissa’s younger sister, in The OC season 1, but Willa Holland took over the part in season 3 when it became a more significant role. Season 3 of the series saw Caitlin return from boarding school with her revealed to be a more rebellious character than her early appearances suggested. With her experimenting with drugs and acting out, it seems as if Caitlin was meant to offer a bit of a replacement for Marissa.

Holland was one of the few actors who was the same age as their character while filming the Fox teen drama. Holland was 15 years old in The OC Season 3, and so was Caitlin. Interestingly, Woodley was the same age as Holland and was given the opportunity to re-audition for the role when it was decided to expand on Caitlin’s role but Woodley did not get the role.

Older actors playing teens was a trope in the 2000s

The mature storylines require older actors to play teenagers

The idea of ​​older actors playing teenagers in movies and TV shows was a trope in the 2000s. It was honestly a trope long before that, like Beverly Hills, 90210was known for the huge age discrepancy in the 90s. In the series, Jenny Garth (19), Brian Austin Green (17) and Tori Spelling (17) are all teenagers playing teenagers, but Ian Ziering (26), Luke Perry (23) and Gabriel Carteris (29) are all much older , making the romantic scenes between characters a little controversial behind the scenes.

This continued into the 2000s. Examples include Rachel McAdams (25) playing a 16-year-old in Mean GirlsBianca Lawson (31) playing a 16-year-old in pretty little liarsNicola Coughlan (31) playing a 16-year-old in Derry Girls And a 17-year-old in Bridgertonand Ncuti Gatwa (26) playing a 16-year-old in Sex education. These are cases of older actors taking on difficult roles, but it is also necessary since Actors under 18 have several restrictions that make it difficult for many films and TV shows to accommodate them.

A great example is in points like Euphoria. The series takes a harsh and troubling look at teen drug use and promiscuity. Thanks to the subject matter, casting adults in teen roles is necessary. Every actor in the show is in their 20s, which is important because the production team wouldn’t want to play a 16-year-old in these mature situations. However, while this offers more experienced actors in teenage roles, these actors often do not look or act like teenagers.

However, this also depends on the show and the genre. In a show like strange things, The figure is the same age as the characters. They fight monsters and go on adventures, which works for teens. However, a show like Riverdale Have older actors playing teenagers, which was important because of the sexual situations of the story. Although not as graphic as EuphoriaIt works better to have older actors on shows like that The OC To avoid the mental health concerns of actors taking on adult situations.