Ben Mckenzie - Blog Posts
This is what happens the first time a fan girl goes to Comic Con (New Orleans). This is almost $300. My only regret is not having more money.
Welcome to the O.C Snippets
A random assortment of Mischa-related screencaptures from the new Welcome to The O.C book. Highlights include:
• The casting process for Mischa. • The driveway scene in the pilot. • What are Marissa's interests outside of Ryan? Discussions on a storyline relating to her being a Mean Girl, and/or helping the girl Luke cheats on her with and gets pregnant. • TJ was originally supposed to have her drunk driving off a cliff and involved a cliffhanger with her to allow for Fox to re-cast Mischa if they wanted. • Filming the Luke / Marissa sex scene. Mindy acknowledging the Ben/Mischa chemistry at the start and how by the end they were not on good terms. • References to Mischa reading on set (gasp!). • References to her being isolated on set (I wonder does anyone ask her about this). • Mischa's concerns around the material and expressing her frustrations. • Mischa refusing to speak about the Trey attempted rape scene and implying it was very uncomfortable for her (and directly contradicting Stephanie in the paragraph above). • The original S1 ending involving Eddie, domestic violence and Ryan getting revenge and getting into trouble. • Potential idea of Marissa being imprisoned at the start of S3. • Josh suggesting Marissa could have survived the crash and sailed away on Seth's boat.
New Sepinwall interview in the Hollywood Reporter
New Sepinwall interview in the Hollywood Reporter:
Mischa's story was not what he thought would it be. Bleh. (at 28:00)
Josh and Stephanie didn't want to talk about Johnny at all and rescheduled multiple interviews in order to avoid it (this is not directly Mischa related but I lol’d).
In terms of things he was not expecting, Mischa's exit was the biggest in the book. Mischa was really reluctant to talk about her exit at all 😦
He describes his conversation with Mischa as "delicate" and the one he spoke to the least and required the most negotiating to get. "If she doesn't want to unpack her trauma with a journalist, I completely get that and that's her right" because of that she was very weary and simply did not answer many of his questions (at 30:00).
He had to get a lot more from others about her than she was willing to give him.
They ask him how much did the show's exit impact her career - and he says well the gossip at the time could not have helped but Mischa's mom was annoyed that Ben and Adam were getting movie offers when she wasn't.
Maybe showbusiness had decided they didn't want her before she was even fired he seems to suggest. Why would he speculate like this after also calling his conversation with her delicate?
Remember that in a vault somewhere there is a recording of the full OC cast singing this song. Someone release it already!
Season 1 promo shoots of Mischa Barton as Marissa Cooper.
Random assortment of Season 1 stills (Part 2).
Random assortment of stills from Season 1 (Part 1).
Stills from Season 1 Episode 15 - The Third Wheel.
Stills from Season 1 Episode 16 - The Links.
Stills of our Golfing Girl from Season 1 Episode 16 - The Links.
Stills from Season 1 Episode 13 - The Best Chrismukkah Ever.
Ben McKenzie's interview in Elle (Volume 20, issues 1-2, 2004) was not a good look then and is definitely not a good look now. Really interesting to think how little controversy this generated compared to another cast member's Elle interview the same year. ELLE: Comprehensive list. Anything you might actually respond to favorably? BEN: A political point of view is really sexy, especially in L.A. Women here are exotic and beautiful, but it's like you're in a zoo. You look around thinking, Wow, look at all those pretty animals, and then when one opens its mouth and speaks, you're like, Holy [Censored], the monkey's talking to me!
ELLE: Would it bother you to find out that a woman you were dating had had significantly more sexual partners than you had? BEN: I think it has to affect you.
ELLE: So what's an acceptable number? BEN: In the teens is understandable. But get into the twenties and that's not good at all. Over 50 would be like, Who are you?
There's a new book out by an entertainment journalist about various early 00 shows. And I have screencaptured the Mischa tidbits (and one Ben tidbit that amused me, lol how did Mischa get all of the blame with being the 'difficult' one in the discourse at the time? jfc).
Some observations:
The ferris wheel kiss was UNSCRIPTED. And they enjoyed it!
Can we please stop with the 'Olivia looks strong, Mischa looks weak' discourse. Please, I am begging you.
Great to get more info about the screen test. Thank you Patrick Rush for containing yourself and not commenting on Mischa as an actress like you so rudely did on the podcast.
Mischa's Eric Cartman request might be the cutest thing I have ever heard. God, she was so young.
The reference to RM being in love by the TJ episode.
Wish they had mentioned how much of a role Mischa played in developing Marissa, "she didn't ad-lib" doesn't do her justice.
