
Ben McKenzie
Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan (born September 12, 1978) is an American actor and commentator. He is best known for his starring television roles as Ryan Atwood on the teen drama The O.C. (2003–2007), Ben Sherman on the crime drama Southland (2009–2013), and James Gordon on the crime drama Gotham (2014–2019). After graduating in Economics and International Relations at the University of Virginia, he moved to New York in order to devote his attention to acting. There he received first in off-Broadway productions different roles, before moving to Los Angeles and was hired there for a starring role in the television series The OC, with the fourth season came to an end on 22 February 2007. For his portrayal of Ryan Atwood in the series he won several awards between 2003 and 2007. He made his film debut in the Academy Award-nominated film Junebug (2005), before appearing in films including 88 Minutes (2007), Goodbye World (2013), Some Kind of Beautiful (2014), and Line of Duty (2019). He has been married to actress Morena Baccarin since 2017; they have 2 children. His uncle is actor and Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan; his second cousin is actress Sarah Drew.
Known for

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015

Late Show with David Letterman
1993

The Daily Show
1996

Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014

Real Time with Bill Maher
2003

The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015

Conan
2010

The View
1997

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2005

LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988

Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003

JAG
1995

Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993

Gotham
2014

Motor City
2026

The O.C.
2003

The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
2010

Punk'd
2003

The District
2000

Firing Line with Margaret Hoover
2018

Southland
2009

Sheriff Country
2025