Why Adam Brody Hated His Role On The OC

Actor Adam Brody has been a fixture on our screens for decades at this stage, leaving an indelible mark on the likes of "Gilmore Girls," "Single Parents," "Ready or Not," and "The Kid Detective" among many, many others (via IMDb). Although Brody has appeared in several movies over the years, he's predominantly known for his TV work thanks, in large part, to the California native's breakout role as quippy Seth Cohen on "The O.C." Although Ben McKenzie was ostensibly the romantic lead, Brody's lovably nerdy Seth was considered far more swoon-worthy to a whole generation of viewers. 

Seth looms large in everything Brody does, even over a decade after "The O.C." wrapped. As The Ringer notes, the actor's casting in "Promising Young Woman" as a nice guy who turns out not to be so nice subverted his Hollywood reputation. "Brody plays the role with the same earnestness and charm he had as Seth Cohen on 'The O.C.'," making the switch from nice guy to predator that much more jarring, "because of our pre-existing relationship" with the beloved actor. No doubt Brody relished the opportunity to distance himself from Seth, considering how he feels about the role now. 

No matter how successful his career, or how sweet his offscreen relationship with fellow mid-2000s TV stalwart Leighton Meester (via Elle), Adam Brody can't seem to escape "The O.C." The show, which ran from 2003 to 2007, was a massive hit, introducing the world to Rachel Bilson, Mischa Barton, Ben McKenzie and, of course, Brody himself. And although the California native is proud of where he came from, and grateful for the life-changing opportunity, Brody isn't too interested in talking about Seth anymore. As he explained to HuffPost Live, via Us Weekly, talking about this one role all the time "gets boring." Brody made it clear that he's very proud of his work on "The O.C." but, "I've exhausted the conversations about it, in my mind." 

Acknowledging there was no real comparison, Brody opined that Harrison Ford is sick of discussing "Star Wars," likely because the esteemed actor has done so much more in the years since. "I understand why he would be crotchety talking about [it]," Brody advised. "The O.C." was a formative experience for its young cast, particularly considering Brody dated co-star Bilson throughout the show's run (via Glamour), but as he explained, "It was a wonderful time, but I'm significantly older" and he's moved on. Although the actor has been consistently accused of only playing Seth in the intervening time, he reasoned, "What can I say? My mannerisms are my mannerisms ... I'm not gonna run from myself."