Welcome to the O.C., bitch! Friday, August 5, marks the 13th anniversary of the premiere of The O.C., which introduced us to besties and fan-favorite onscreen couples Marissa (Mischa Barton), Ryan (Ben McKenzie), Seth (Adam Brody) and Summer (Rachel Bilson).
After four seasons of drama on the early 2000s teen soap opera, Barton, McKenzie, Brody and Bilson moved on from Orange County and pursued individual careers. Take a look back at our beloved foursome then and now:
Mischa Barton:
After landing the lead role as rich, popular teenager in distress Marissa Cooper — who dated a lesbian (never forget Olivia Wilde’s character!), fell for the gardener and overcame an alcohol addiction before dying in a car accident — Barton left the series at the end of season 3. The former model next appeared in 2007’s Closing the Ring, for which she filmed a nude scene. The actress then got into a bit of trouble: After being arrested for DUI in 2007, she checked into rehab in 2009. Most recently, she appeared on season 22 of Dancing With the Stars, where she shimmied alongside partner Artem Chigvintsev before being eliminated in episode 3.
Ben McKenzie:
McKenzie broke onto the scene — and into the Cohen family — during the premiere in 2003. Known as the gentle bad boy from Chico, California, McKenzie’s character Ryan Atwood famously romanced Barton’s character, and the duo became one of TV’s most iconic couples. Ryan her — and TV bestie Seth Cohen’s — knight in shining armor. After four seasons on the hit show, McKenzie landed his own NBC series, Southland, which aired from 2009 to 2013. The actor now stars on FOX’s hit series Gotham alongside his partner, Morena Baccarin. The two welcomed their first child, a daughter named Frances, in March 2016.
Adam Brody:
Oh, Seth and his comics! Brody starred as nerd Seth Cohen on the hit series. After his family welcomed Ryan into their Newport Beach mansion, the two became fast friends, dodging water polo bullies — ahem, Luke! — and navigating the dating scene with Marissa and Summer. After giving his best bud Ryan a final hug goodbye during the series finale in 2007, Brody went on to appear in Scream 4, Life Partners and the TV series The League. The actor is currently filming the show StartUp and recently became a dad. Brody welcomed his first child with wife Leighton Meester in August 2015. The couple met on set of 2011’s The Oranges and tied the knot in February 2014. Prior to marrying Meester, Brody dated his onscreen girlfriend Summer, Rachel Bilson, for three years IRL.
Rachel Bilson:
As if! Rachel Bilson played ditzy high school teenager Summer Roberts. Summer was BFFs with Barton’s character Marissa, as well as the daughter of a plastic surgeon and a pill-popping stepmother (who was famously never shown on the series). Bilson, like McKenzie, went on to star in her own TV series following her four seasons on The O.C. The bubbly brunette portrayed Dr. Zoe Hart on the CW’s popular dramedy Hart of Dixie for four seasons before the show ended in 2015. Prior to leaving the adorable fictional town of Bluebell, Alabama, Bilson welcomed her first child, daughter Briar Rose, with partner Hayden Christensen in October 2014.
And with that, we officially have Phantom Planet’s “California” stuck in our heads.
