The OC’s Adam Brody reveals why he "can’t bear to watch" his performance on the show. Created by Josh Schwartz, The OC aired on Fox from 2003 until 2007. The seminal drama was set in Orange County, California, focusing on Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a troubled teen from a dysfunctional family. Eventually adopted by Sandy (Peter Gallagher) and Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan), Ryan lives with the rich couple and bonds with their teenaged son Seth (Brody).
The dynamic between Ryan and Seth, alongside Brody’s scene-stealing comedic work, were among the elements which helped The OC stand apart from other teen dramas during the show’s early years. Viewers also grew to love the relationship between Seth and Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson), with the chemistry between the OC duo providing a fresh take on the pairing of a popular girl with the nerdy sidekick. Still, in spite of being a big part of the series’ success, Brody has revealed that he doesn’t like to revisit his scenes.
During an interview on the Life is Short with Justin Long podcast, Brody’s time on The OC was discussed. The actor admitted that, despite his confidence, he can’t bear to watch old scenes of himself on the popular drama. Brody explained that he felt he was guilty of relying on an imitation of one of his favorite actors. You can read his quote, via NME, below:
Despite any confidence I had, I also can’t bear to watch any of The OC. Vince Vaughn was my acting hero. To the point where I’m doing a terrible imitation of him… for most of my twenties. And I’ve since knocked that off. That was, you know, a lot of my acting, for better and worse, in my twenties is due to him. The OC is me doing a chipmunk Vince Vaughn. Even though I’m mid-twenties, it sounds like I’m going through puberty still… I just watch it now and I’m like, ‘Settle down.’
Brody has always been candid about his view of The OC, in addition to his strengths and weaknesses as an actor. He’s said in the past that he disagrees with the view that Seth was a heroic character, arguing that he had a number of flaws that are only evident in retrospect. Brody’s remarks, on the whole, fit into a long tradition of performers who don’t enjoy watching themselves on-camera. Given that he’s so closely associated with Seth, and given that the part served as his introduction to an international audience, it’s understandable that Brody has some conflicting feelings about his role.
In recent years, Brody has gained attention for a number of varied performances. As the lead in The Kid Detective, he earned widespread praise for playing the part of a disenchanted sleuth. And, delving into horror, Brody turned heads in Ready or Not. He’s also set to return as the adult Freddy Freeman in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. These vastly different characters show the actor has moved well beyond his beginnings on The OC. But, still, a lot of those who enjoy Brody's work would likely agree: for all of Seth’s flaws, for all of the ways that some of his scenes are outdated, the character remains one of a kind.
Source: Life is Short with Justin Long (via NME)