Ben McKenzie Admits That Marissa’s Death on ‘The O.C.’ Was “Very Odd”

From Cosmopolitan

• Ben McKenzie just revealed what he really thinks about Mischa Barton’s “dramatic” exit from The O.C. in season 3.

• Fans will remember that main character Marissa Cooper was killed off in a heartbreaking way.

When Marissa asked “Who are you?” and Ryan answered “Whoever you want me to be” in the pilot episode of The O.C., I knew that I was in for a ride. For three seasons, fans watched Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) and Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) fall in love, get in fights, and break up…only to get back together again. Their relationship was contentious and dramatic and oh so good to watch.

When the season 3 finale brutally killed off Marissa—in what might be the most surprising death in teen TV history—millions of viewers were crushed. Watching Marissa gasp for breath as she died in Ryan’s arms on the side of the road was just too much. The O.C. creators murderers had gone too far, and even Ben somewhat agrees.

“It was…very odd to have someone who was in it from the beginning leave,” he told Entertainment Weekly, but added that “it was dramatic in all the O.C. ways.” He added that they “gave her a proper send-off, hopefully.”

Uh, we beg to disagree, Ben. While Marissa wasn’t always the favorite character of the “core four,” did she deserve to die like that? I don’t think so and neither do other O.C. fans.

As hard as it is to admit, Mischa’s exit was good in a way because it’s what she wanted. “I think I just got to the point where I was like, I’m not sure I’m enjoying this anymore,” she admitted. “I just felt like I was in a machine and I couldn’t really get off. So it was time to step back. So I went back to England and it was just a year of real self-exploration.”

That’s mildly comforting. Let’s just imagine that Marissa is somewhere in England enjoying her life.

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