How Adam Brody Almost Blew His Big Break On The O.C.

Seth Cohen, Adam Brody's character in Fox's drama "The O.C.," could have easily been played by someone else as Brody almost blew his big break on the iconic teen show. According to "Welcome to the O.C.: An Oral History," a book co-written by the show's creator Josh Schwartz, its executive producer Stephanie Savage, and TV critic Alan Sepinwall, Brody didn't know any of the lines written in the script for the audition, Bustle reported. "Adam took ... liberties with the material," said casting director Patrick Rush. He added, "[Brody] was obnoxious."

Fortunately, despite getting off on the wrong foot, Brody ultimately landed the role, and the rest is history. He went on to play the geeky heartthrob throughout the show's entire run from 2003 to 2007, appearing in all of its 92 episodes.

While "The O.C." marked Brody's entry into Hollywood stardom, the actor has been notably indifferent when discussing the show. In an interview with The Independent, Brody revealed he was even ready to leave the series before its official conclusion. "It was a different show at the end. The quality wasn't the same, and it's nobody's fault," he explained. However, he remained with the series until the very end, leaving an indelible mark on the early 2000s world of pop culture.

In "Welcome to the O.C.: An Oral History," according to Bustle, Patrick Rush revealed that Adam Brody's audition for "The O.C." left a lot to be desired, with Josh Schwartz being unimpressed and hesitant to proceed. "He was disrespectful of the material," Rush explained. Stephanie Savage echoed the sentiment, sharing, "He didn't say anything as written. Josh and I were like, 'Why did you bring that guy back? He sucks.'"

However, Rush saw Brody's potential for the role, so he made him learn the lines properly. Once he was able not to veer off course with his delivery, Brody officially became Seth Cohen. Although initially apprehensive about joining a teen show set in a high school, Brody was won over by the script. "I thought, 'Okay, it's worth doing it and seeing what happens,'" he shared. While we love what happened, Brody ended up hating his role on "The O.C."

Speaking with Us Weekly, the actor admitted he was tired of talking about the show so much, so many years later. "My interests don't lie there at all anymore," he explained. Despite this, he did rewatch "The O.C." for the first time in a long time, according to his interview with GQ, and he's loving it more than ever. "It's like looking through a high school yearbook and all the nostalgia that comes with it that wasn't there."

Even though Adam Brody stayed on board with "The O.C.," he couldn't conceal his dissatisfaction with the show's later seasons during filming. In "Welcome to the O.C.: An Oral History," as reported by Variety, the actor admitted, "I started to be creatively less interested." 

"I didn't mask that at all, and I'm sure I openly mocked [the show] a bit," he explained. 

According to Josh Schwartz, Brody had become so obviously apathetic toward the role of Seth Cohen that his indifference had to be addressed in the script. To explain Seth's lethargic behavior, the writers turned him into an avid weed user, Schwartz explained. "I blame myself for a lack of professionalism and a disrespect for the work," Brody said in the book.

Despite the challenges on "The O.C.," Brody successfully diversified his career beyond teen drama, securing roles in popular films such as "Jennifer's Body" and "Shazam," as well as shows like "StartUp" and "Single Parents." In an interview with GQ, Brody shared his preference for working with people whom he admires and on projects with well-written scripts. While he doesn't actively avoid being typecast, he likes gravitating toward more challenging roles. He noted, "I don't want to repeat myself, but I don't have to reinvent myself either."