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by Erika Dykstra
Burbank, Calif., - The producers and cast of "The O.C." hold
a meet, greet and panel discussion on the Warner Bros. studio lot.
And courtesy of TheOCInsider.com, I'm inside!
Equipped with an orange VIP wristband I sashay to the front of the line. Security ushers me through the heavy glass doors and I find myself inside a magnificent theatre lobby. My first stop: The buffet table, overflowing with appetizers like spinach phyllo triangles and rounds of crusty white bread topped with asparagus and melted cheese. In the background, a live performance by The 88 (a band heard on the show's first season while the gang drove up to a Hollywood party).
But where's the cast? Just then, through the lobby's floor-to-ceiling windows, I spot flash bulbs popping ... they've arrived! One by one, they glide across the lobby's marble floor, pausing to say hello and sign autographs for anxious fans. And in a fleeting moment, they're gone; ushered backstage to await the program's next segment. Guests rush to their seats inside the plush theatre.
What follows is a revealing Q and A with Peter Gallagher (Sandy), Kelly Rowan (Kirsten), Benjamin McKenzie (Ryan), Mischa Barton (Marissa), Adam Brody (Seth), Melinda Clarke (Julie), Rachel Bilson (Summer), and Alan Dale (Caleb); plus Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas, Executive Producer McG, and Creator/Executive Producer Josh Schwartz. And here are the highlights:
On Summer's signature "eeeew!": It was actually written in the pilot! But Bilson, who'd already been saying "eeeew!" since high school, made it sing.
On ad-libbing: The rumors are true (kind of). In the beginning, Brody ad-libbed many of Seth's quips; now the writers pen most of them. But the madcap delivery is all Brody's.
On boxers vs. briefs: Both MacKenzie and Brody claim to wear the hybrid boxer-briefs.
On Marissa's sense of style: Young women feverishly copy Marissa's preppy, designer, and very high-end wardrobe. But off camera, Barton wears mostly vintage. "My personal taste," Barton adds, "I don't think Marissa would even recognize it."
On accents: Alan Dale (Caleb) - born and raised in New Zealand - has one!
On music: "The OC"'s music supervisor, Alex Patsavas, receives submissions from more than 400 bands a week, all of them hoping to be featured on the show.
On "Beverly Hills, 90210": Schwartz knew of the Aaron Spelling hit - all the girls in his high school watched it - but Schwartz was more of a "Seinfeld" enthusiast.
On the series ending: "I think it would be foolish to think that far into the future," Schwartz ribbed.
The Q and A also produced what could be a few spoilers:
Returning to Newport: Ryan's brother, Zach, and the Nana; not to mention a few OC ragers (complete with water-polo players, drugs and alcohol).
On drinking problems: Marissa has one, but will Kirsten as well? She's all-too-often seen with a glass of wine in hand.
On kinder, gentler characters: Ryan may be brooding less and talking more, while Caleb seems to be softening, but don't get used to either. McKenzie and Schwartz agreed that Ryan will start kicking ass once again; while Caleb will return to his wicked ways.
On cliffhangers: Expect several at the end of season two.
And if the evening had a page in the Harbor School's yearbook, my superlatives would be:
Best Shoes: Adam Brody for his low-top, white and red leather Asics.
Best Stockings: Kelly Rowan for her wide-web fishnets.
Best Smile: A tie between Rachel Bilson and Peter Gallagher.
Best Dressed: Mischa Barton, clad in an ivory and lace camisole layered with strands of gold and pearl necklaces, atop a slim, knee-length brown skirt.
Best Friends: The entire cast and producers, who genuinely seem to like and respect each other. |
