Benjamin McKenzie

Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan, known as Benjamin McKenzie (born September 12, 1978) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for playing Ryan Atwood in the television series The O.C. and for playing Ben Sherman in Southland. He appeared in the films 88 Minutes and Junebug,which earned him a Sarasota Film Festival nomination. His first starring role in a feature film was in the 2008 indie release Johnny Got His Gunwhich garnered excellent reviews for his solo performance. He most recently starred in the NBC police drama series, Southland, as police officer Ben Sherman. The show was canceled by NBC but the cable network TNT has picked up the show and recently renewed it for a third season.
Early life

McKenzie was born Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan, in Austin, Texas to Mary Frances Victory, a prize-winning poet, and Pieter Meade Schenkkan. His uncle is the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan. McKenzie is the second cousin of actress Sarah Drew.McKenzie changed his name for screen-credit purposes because there is an actor named Ben Schenkken registered with the Screen Actors Guild. His paternal grandparents both were theatre actors. His younger brother Nate is a Yale graduate working in avant-garde theater in New York. His youngest brother Zack is a Pomona College alumnus.

For middle school, he attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School, where he was friends and teammates with future Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees.He then attended Austin High School, and played wide receiver and defensive back for the school's football team. From 1997-2001, he attended the University of Virginia, where he majored in Foreign Affairs and Economics.
Career

He got into acting during his first few years at the University of Virginia, and moved to New York in late 2001 to look for acting opportunities. While in New York he appeared off-Broadway in Life is a Dream at the SoHo Rep. Additionally, he performed in numerous productions at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, including Street Scene and The Blue Bird, and at the University of Virginia in Measure for Measure and Zoo Story. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he landed a lead role in The O.C.McKenzie's early TV appearances included The District, JAG and Mad TV.

August 5, 2003, Fox premiered the television series The O.C., about affluent teenagers with stormy personal lives who reside in scenic Orange County, California. The show became an overnight success and it put McKenzie on the map as Ryan Atwood. McKenzie's performance in The O.C. earned him a "Choice Breakout TV Star - Male" and "Choice TV Chemistry" nominations in The Teen Choice Awards and a "Choice TV Actor - Drama/Action Adventure" and "Choice TV Actor: Drama" wins.
As a result to the show's success, McKenzie appeared in magazines including People, In Touch Weekly and Us Weekly. McKenzie was ranked No. 5 in Independent Online's "100 Sexiest Men Alive", was twice placed on Teen People magazine's annual list of "25 Sexiest Stars under 25". He was also voted one of InStyle's "10 Hottest Bachelors Of Summer" in July 2005. The O.C. dropped in ratings dramatically during its third and fourth seasons, and ended in early 2007.
While appearing in 'The O.C.', McKenzie made his feature film debut in Junebug alongside Amy Adams and Embeth Davidtz. The film was nominated for "Best International Film" and "Outstanding Ensemble Acting" in The Amanda Awards and won the Sarasota Film Festival award for "Outstanding Ensemble Acting". It also received high praise at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.He also appeared in a pivotal role in the 2007 film 88 Minutes, which starred Al Pacino. According to Production Weekly, McKenzie was set to star in the thriller Snakes On A Plane, formerly known as Pacific Air 121, but later dropped out to film 88 Minutes.

In 2008, McKenzie earned critical acclaim for his solo performance in the "live on stage, on film" version of Dalton Trumbo's 1939 novel Johnny Got His Gun, his first starring role in a feature film. He stars as Joe Bonham, a role previously played by James Cagney, Jeff Daniels, and Timothy Bottoms.The movie premiered at the Paramount Theater in Austin, TX, McKenzie's hometown, while he was filming the pilot for Southland.

In 2009, he appeared on the short movie, The Eight Percent, the movie won the Delta Air Lines Fly-in Movie Contest and entered as an official selection on the Tribeca Film Festival's Short film category.
He stars as rookie police officer Ben Sherman on the NBC drama Southland, which premiered on April 9, 2009. The show was canceled after its first season.TNT bought the rights for the show and ordered 7 new episodes.Then the show was picked up again for 10 more episodes which will start in January 2011. He is managed by Management 360 and the William Morris Agency.
Filmography
Film
Year Film Role Notes
2005 Junebug Johnny Johnsten Amanda Award for Outstanding Performance In Feature Film
2007 88 Minutes Mike Stempt Sarasota Film Festival Award for Outstanding Ensemble Acting
2008 Johnny Got His Gun Joe Bonham
2009 The Eight Percent John Keller
2010 Sin Bin Michael Filming
2010 Epic Mafia Hooker Filming
2010 Forever TBA TBA
The Stanford Prison Experiment TBA Announced
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2002 The District Tim Ruskin 1 episode
2003 JAG Petty Officer Spencer 1 episode
2003-2007 The O.C. Ryan Atwood 92 episodes
Main role
Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Chemistry
Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout TV Star - Male
Nominated — TCA Award for Outstanding New Program
Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Chemistry (with Mischa Barton)
Won — BMI Award for Outstanding Performance In A TV Series
Nominated — People's Choice Award for Favorite Television Drama
Nominated — Prism Award for Performance In A Drama Series Episode
Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Show - Drama/Action Adventure
Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Drama
Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout TV Show
Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor - Drama/Action Adventure
Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout TV Star - Male
Logie Award for Most Popular Overseas Program
Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Show: Drama
CMI Cable Award for Breakthrough Performance In A TV Series
Teen Choice Award for TV - Choice Drama/Action Adventure Show
BRAVO Gold Otto Award for Best Male Actor
2004 MADtv Ryan Atwood 1 episode
2009-present Southland Ben Sherman Main role
[edit] Awards
List of wins and nominations Year Award Group Result Film/TV show
2004 Teen Choice Award Choice TV Chemistry Nominated The O.C.
Choice Breakout TV Star - Male Nominated
Choice TV Show - Drama/Action Adventure Won
Choice TV Actor: Drama Won
Choice Breakout TV Show Won
TCA Award Outstanding New Program Nominated
2005 Teen Choice Award Choice TV Actor - Drama/Action Adventure Won
Choice Breakout TV Star - Male Won
Choice TV Chemistry (with Mischa Barton) Won
Logie Awards Most Popular Overseas Program Won
BMI Awards Outstanding Performance in TV series Nominated
Teen Choice Award Choice TV Show: Drama Won
CMI Cable Awards Breakthrough performance in TV series Won
People's Choice Award Favorite Television Drama Nominated
2006 Sarasota Film Festival Outstanding Ensemble Acting Won 88 Minutes
Teen Choice Award TV - Choice Drama/Action Adventure Show Won The O.C.
2007 Amanda (award) Outstanding Performance in Feature Film Won Junebug
Prism Awards Performance in a Drama Series Episode Nominated The O.C.
BRAVO Gold Otto (Germany) Best Male Actor Won