The O.C. Cast Then & Now: Photos of Mischa Barton & More

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November 27, 2023 12:17PM EST

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‘The O.C.’ was one of the most popular teen dramas in the early 2000s. Here are some pics of the cast then and now.

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The O.C. Stars Then & Now

The O.C. Stars Then & Now — ‘The O.C.’ aired from 2003 until 2007 on Fox. The scripted drama followed the lives of families living in Orange County, California. Ben McKenzie starred as Ryan Atwood, a troubled teen from the wrong side of the tracks who gets taken in by the wealthy Cohen family. Ryan befriended Seth Cohen, the nerdy son of the family, who doesn’t fit in with the others in the glamorous town he grew up in. Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson were the leading female stars of the beloved teenage drama. In the years since ‘The O.C.’ ended, all of the stars have gone onto continue their careers in Hollywood, and they’ve grown up quite a bit since their time on the show. Keep clicking through the gallery to check out all of the show’s biggest stars and how they’ve transformed from then until now!

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Mischa Barton

Mischa Barton — Mischa Barton played Marissa Cooper on ‘The O.C.’ She was killed in the show’s season three finale, and after some troubled years, she took a break from Hollywood. She returned in 2019 as a cast member on ‘The Hills,’ and has also competed on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’

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Ben McKenzie

Ben McKenzie — Ben McKenzie played Ryan Atwood on ‘The O.C.’ After the show, he went on to star on ‘Southland’ from 2009 until 2013, as well as ‘Gotham’ from 2014-2019.

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Rachel Bilson

Rachel Bilson — Rachel Bilson played the loveable Summer Roberts on ‘The O.C.’ When the show ended, she starred as the lead character on the CW’s ‘Hart of Dixie from 2011 until 2015. She was also on the ABC series ‘Take Two,’ but it was cancelled after one season.

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Adam Brody

Adam Brody — Adam Brody played the fan-favorite character, Seth Cohen, on ‘The O.C.’ He made a bunch of indie movies after the series ended, and also married a fellow teen drama star — Leighton Meester, from ‘Gossip Girl’!

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Peter Gallagher

Peter Gallagher — Peter Gallagher starred as Jewish dad, Sandy Cohen, on ‘The O.C.’ He’s starred in a bunch of shows and movies since ‘The O.C.’ ended, including ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,’ ‘Togetherness,’ ‘Grace and Frankie’ and more.

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Melinda Clarke

Melinda Clarke — Melinda Clarke played Marissa’s mom, Julie Cooper, on ‘The O.C.’ She had a main role on ‘Nikita’ from 2010-2013 after the show ended, and has also appeared on shows like ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ ‘Gotham’ and more.

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Tate Donovan

Tate Donovan — Tate Donovan played Marissa’s dad, Jimmy Cooper, on ‘The O.C.’ He was a regular star on seasons 1-2, a guest star during season 3, and appeared as a special guest in season 4. After ‘The O.C.,’ Tate had a starring role on ‘Damages’ until 2010. He also appeared on other shows and in several movies over the years.

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Chris Carmack

Chris Carmack — Chris Carmack was Luke Ward on ‘The O.C.’ He went on to star in the ABC series ‘Nashville’ from 2013-2018, and has been a character on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ since 2018.

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