“They Wanted To Have Pretty People Doing Pretty Things”: Chris Pine Just Opened Up About Being Rejected By “The O.C.” Casting Directors Because Of His “Tremendously Debilitating” Acne
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In 2021, casting director Patrick Rush revealed that Chris Pine almost landed the role of Ryan Atwood in The O.C., but lost out due to his acne.
For context, The O.C. is a teen TV drama series that premiered in 2003 and ran for four seasons until 2007.
The show skyrocketed the careers of its cast, including Adam Brody, Mischa Barton, and Rachel Bilson, with Ben McKenzie ultimately landing the role of Ryan.
Speaking on the Beyond the OC podcast, Patrick explained that then-22-year-old Chris auditioned for the series, but they had to turn him down because of his physical appearance.
“He was really, really, really good,” Patrick said. “But, this is painful; at the time, Chris Pine’s skin was really, really bad. And that broke my heart, because I was a kid with acne.”
Three years later, Chris has finally responded to Patrick’s comment, admitting that he has a “little PTSD” from the way that he was treated in the acting world while battling with his skin.
Chris opened up during a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, with host Josh Horowitz asking if he was “bringing up a sore point” when he broached the topic.
“No, I mean, it’s a part of my life,” Chris replied. “Look, do I wish… The man didn’t have to talk about it. I mean, he decided to make it public knowledge, but it’s his prerogative.”
“I had awful skin as a teenager, and after college, my skin started breaking out again,” he continued. “Look, I was going for The O.C., like, a teenage melodrama. I can understand that they wanted to have pretty people doing pretty things, and you know, bad acne is not key to…”
After trailing off, Chris alluded to his successful movie career as he added: “I don’t want to say I’m grateful for not having landed the show, but I’m alright.”
“But it is a little PTSD,” he then admitted. “It’s no fun having bad skin, and it’s no fun going on auditions when you have bad skin. It was one of the most traumatic points of my life, but it is my story, man.”
Chris then expressed his empathy for other people struggling with acne, saying: “They talk about all sorts of things, [but] I feel like acne is regarded as this thing of like: ‘Oh, it’s just what you go through as a teenager.’"
"And it can be just a pimple on your forehead," he went on. "Or it can also be, like, tremendously debilitating and really emotionally incapacitating, which it was for me.”
“So, for anyone out there experiencing that, I get you, I hear you, I’ve been there, and I know how depressing it can be,” Chris concluded. “And the kinds of depths of sorrow it can drag you to. But there is a brighter day [ahead].”
Thankfully, Chris ended up getting his big break just one year after his The O.C. snub, starring in The Princess Diaries 2 alongside Anne Hathaway in 2004.
He went on to make a name for himself in movies such as Just My Luck, Star Trek, and Wonder Woman.
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