Image via Complex Original
More than a teen television show, The O.C. was a phenomenon. Not only did it make rock stars out of its young cast, Ben McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, and Adam Brody, and launch the careers of two of Hollywood's most promising actors today, Olivia Wilde and Shailene Woodley, it made twee indie rock music the trendiest thing on the airwaves. From its intriguing plot to its undeniably attractive roster of characters, the FOX drama, created by the godfather of teen soaps Josh Schwartz, was simply irrestible. You'd be hard pressed to find a twentysomething who doesn't have fond memories of growing up with the show.
As the series celebrates the 10-year anniversary of its pilot tomorrow, Agusut 5, we're looking back on the show we still can't get enough of. Here are 30 things you didn't know about the show.
Welcome to The O.C., bitch.
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Kevin Sorbo, who played Hercules in the live action TV show, played Ryan Atwood's father. Tate Donovan, who plays Marissa's father Jimmy Cooper, voiced Hercules in the animated Disney film version.
[via]
Chris Carmack's character Luke Ward was often called an Abercrombie & Fitch model as an insult. Carmack was actually a model for the company.
[via]
Kaitlin Cooper, originally played by Shailene Woodley, was 12 when she was shipped off to boarding school, but when she returned in season three, 18 months later, she was played by Willa Holland and one of the episodes saw her celebrating her 15th birthday.
[via]
Producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz were big fans of Olivia Wilde, whom they saw audition for the FOX network. However, she ended up getting cast on another FOX show, the quickly-cancelled Skin.
[via The O.C. season 2 commentary]
The Louis XIV song, "Faking the Books," that plays when Alex and Marissa kiss in "Rainy Day Women" is referred to by producers as the lesbian theme song of the show.
[via The O.C. season 2 commentary]
Josh Schwartz envisioned Seth wearing a Spider-Man mask and kissing Summer upside down before he finished writing the entire "Rainy Day Women" episode. He justified it by tapping into his own life and the fact that he doesn't own any rain-appropriate gear.
[via The O.C. season 2 commentary]
Berkeley Law School had a Sandy Cohen Public Defender Fellowship—it was commonly called "The Sandy" or "Sandy Cohen Public Defender Fellowship for Lawyers Who Dare to Dream."
[via]
Summer worked in a kissing booth with classmate Brad (Wilson Bethel). They would both later go on to star in Hart of Dixie.
[via]
After strict secrecy and rumors that endings where each character dies were filmed to protect the secret, Mischa Barton revealed to Access Hollywood that her character would die an hour before the episode aired.
[via]
Kevin Ryder from L.A.-based rock radio station KROQ, admittedly a big fan of the show, voices the weather forecast in the opening of the "Rainy Day Women" episode.
[via The O.C. season 2 commentary]
The Yamaclaus was born out of Josh Schwartz trying to figure out how to unite two religions, as well as create an opportunity for merchandising. He admits some rabbis were upset by the idea.
[via The O.C. season 2 commentary]
In one scene, Seth refers to himself as vomiting "like that girl from The Sixth Sense." Mischa Barton was that little girl vomiting in The Sixth Sense.
[via]
Peter Gallagher was the first person cast on the show. Schwartz believed he was the perfect anchor to get the show on air. The bit in the pilot that sold Gallagher was the moment where Sandy fixes Ryan's tie.
[via The O.C. season 1 DVD commentary]
According to Josh Schwartz, Chrismukkah was inspired by the celebration of Festivus on Seinfeld.
[via The O.C. season 2 DVD commentary]
Josh Schwartz creeped online forums to see what viewers wanted when post-season one episodes failed to hit home.
[via]
Just for the pilot, the Cohen's mansion and pool house was built, shot, and dismantled. The wide shots and cutaways of the house were reused throughout the entire series and the mansion was recreated on a soundstage.
[via]
Adam Brody improvised everything during his audition, which made Josh Schwartz say he never wanted "to see that kid ever again."
[via The O.C. season 1 DVD commentary]
Josh Schwartz made multiple references to his former teachers and friends from his school in Providence, RI, including "Schmidt's bio," a reference to his biology teacher, Schmidt, and naming Renee Wheeler after his school, Wheeler School.
[via]
Ryan and Seth only hug twice throughout the whole series. Once in the pilot episode and the final episode.
[via]
Adam Brody hates boats in real life. In the scene when Seth sails away, it's actually a 40-year-old stunt double.
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Seth Cohen's pool is actually only four feet deep and so the actors had to film the pool scenes on their knees.
[via]
Chad Michael Murray was offered a role in the show, but he turned it down when he had the opportunity to play Lucas in One Tree Hill.
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The entire cast was given the key to the city of Newport Beach, California by Mayor Tod Ridgeway on October 28, 2004 at The Historic Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach.
[via]
Adam Brody initially had his heart set on playing Ryan Atwood, and his character was originally intended to be an integral member of Luke's cool clique. The writers at the last minute decided to portray Seth as an outcast.
[via]
The Cohens' original last name was Needleman.
[via The O.C. pilot script]
The infamous "Welcome to the O.C., bitch!" line was not in the original script
[via The O.C. pilot script]
