Olivia Wilde Almost Starred As Marissa On The O.C.

The O.C.series creator Josh Schwartz revealed which actors almost played the lead roles of Ryan Atwood and Marissa Cooper in the hit series. The teen drama became a cultural phenomenon over the course of its four-season run on FOX. It follows Atwood, a troubled teen played by Ben McKenzie, who finds himself struggling to adjust to the swanky Orange County, California, lifestyle after being adopted by the Cohen family. Much of the melodrama stems from the show’s relationships, including Atwood falling for the girl next door, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton).

Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) and Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) made up the series’ other pivotal couple. The latter recently started a retrospective podcast along with Melinda Clarke, who played her onscreen mom Julie Cooper. Bilson and Clarke are diving back into their early 2000s hit and rewatching episodes with Welcome to the OC, Bitches! Serving up behind-the-scenes tidbits and special guests, the audio adventure made a splash after their premiere episode dropped this week.

The O.C. creator Josh Schwartz, who is currently executive producing HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot, appeared on Welcome to The O.C., Bitches!, to revisit the pilot with Bilson and Clarke. During their conversation, he revealed that the show’s leading duo of Ryan and Marissa was almost played by different actors. According to Schwartz, Olivia Wilde was originally in consideration for Marissa Cooper. He took a trip down memory lane, saying:

“Olivia [Wilde] and Mischa were the two finalists for Marissa. Olivia had just moved out to L.A., it was like one of her first auditions and she was obviously super compelling and great, but just so strong.”

Schwartz added that one of the reasons they went with Mischa was due to her younger age. The showrunner added the actress “just had a bit more of that tragic air to her” that was needed for the story. Alas, Wilde left a great impression with casting and, as diehard fans will know, eventually appeared on the series. The Booksmart director nabbed a 13-episode arc on season two as Alex Kelly.

During the podcast, Schwartz also named two other actors that were vying for what famously became Ben McKenzie’s role as Ryan. Garrett Hedlund, who went on to work with Wilde in TRON: Legacy, and D.J. Cotrona (G.I. Joe: Retaliation). McKenzie’s tough-guy demeanor is what ultimately won him the part, despite the fact that he wasn’t initially what Schwartz imagined.

Although they didn’t book lead roles on The O.C., Wilde, Hedlund, and Cotrona have all gone on to have successful careers. Getting down to the final testing stage for a major network series is no easy feat, especially at such a young age. While looking back and naming talent that auditioned may seem disrespectful to the actors that eventually played the part, it’s always an interesting fun fact for fans to hear. For instance, GossipGirl, another smash Schwartz show, almost saw Ashley Olsen and Rumer Willis as Blair and Serena. Clearly, the success of any long-running series cements the accuracy of the casting choices. After all, nothing beats perfect chemistry.

Source: Welcome to the OC, Bitches!

About The Author

Robert Peterpaul
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Robert Peterpaul is a Movie/TV News Writer for Screen Rant. He’s currently the host of The Art of Kindness podcast, which aims to showcase celebrities using their platform to make the world better. Peterpaul has been a professional Writer/ Editor for over eight years, writing for high-profile publications like HuffPost, Backstage and HOLA! USA, where he served as the Weekend Editor for six years. Robert has also worked on various television shows and films, including: NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and “Access Hollywood.” When he’s not writing about entertainment, he’s entertaining. Robert has appeared in films like James Franco’s “King Cobra,” TV series such as Amazon Prime’s “New Dogs, Old Tricks,” and ad campaigns for brands like T-Mobile. He also has a long-running career in the theatre, getting his start Off-Broadway when he was child. Speaking of childhood, Robert’s second home growing up was blockbuster, where he rented “The Goonies” more times than any customer (always with a side of Sour Patch Kids, of course). His undying passion for entertainment and storytelling continues to thrive. He thanks you for reading and hopes you follow your bliss. You can follow him on Instagram/Twitter @robpeterpaul and at www.robertpeterpaul.com.

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