List of recurring characters in The O.C.

The O.C. is an American Television series created by Josh Schwartz for the FOX Network in 2003. Schwartz serves as executive producer while also writing and directing for the show, including the premieres and finales of all seasons.

The show began with seven main characters which eventually became 9 by the end of the first season. Since then, characters from that first season have left the show, with new main characters having been both written in and out of the series. Originally, it follows the life of Ryan Atwood, a troubled but tough young man from a broken home who is adopted by the wealthy and philanthropic Sandy and Kirsten Cohen. Ryan and his surrogate brother Seth, a socially awkward yet quick-witted teenager, deal with life as outsiders in the high-class world of Newport Beach. Ryan and Seth spend much time navigating their relationships with girl-next-door Marissa Cooper, Seth's childhood crush Summer Roberts and Atwood's girlfriend Taylor Townsend.

The following is a list of series regulars from The O.C..

Portrayed by Peter Gallagher, an idealistic public defender who takes in Ryan Atwood in the pilot episode, much to the dismay of his wife, Kirsten. He is the husband of Kirsten, the father of Seth Cohen, and the legal guardian of Ryan Atwood. Although he lives in a large upper class house, his politics are left-leaning and open-minded, causing friction between himself and the community. Peter Gallagher described the character as a "leftie Jewish guy from the Bronx". Sandy deals with many conflicts throughout the series, such as trying to gain acceptance from his father-in-law while being financially supported by his wife, and raising two teenagers in a (sometimes) corrupt environment.

Portrayed by Kelly Rowan, she is the wife of Sandy Cohen, the mother of Seth, adoptive mother of Ryan, and former CFO of her father's (Caleb Nichol) real estate company, the Newport Group. Before she met Sandy she dated and grew up with Jimmy Cooper father of Marissa Cooper, with whom she remains friends. Kirsten was very suspicious of Sandy's decision to bring Ryan into her home in the pilot episode, but in the third episode, she and Seth take Ryan back home after he is beaten in the juvenile detention center. By the end of the episode, Ryan's biological mother, Dawn Atwood, asks Kirsten to adopt Ryan, figuring he is better off in Newport than returning to Chino. She has had trouble with alcohol, which was triggered by the failing deteriorating relationship between her and her father, and had an abortion early in her life, which belonged to Jimmy. Kirsten continues to open a dating service with Julie, and become a mother of two at the end of the fourth season.The character's politics and lifestyle are conservative, a contrast to her husband. Kelly Rowan described the character as seemingly more "together" than herself during an interview.

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