Rachel Bilson Says Adam Brody’s Comeback ‘Has Always Been There’

Rachel Bilson Says Adam Brody’s Comeback ‘Has Always Been There’

Rachel Bilson shared her thoughts on the so-called Adam Brody “renaissance,” sparked by the success of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This. The two co-starred in the hit teen drama The O.C. and dated for three years in the early 2000s.

When asked about Brody’s resurgence, Bilson told PEOPLE, “I feel like it’s always been there. But if it is [a renaissance], it’s well deserved.” Bilson, who starred as Summer Roberts opposite Brody’s character Seth Cohen on The O.C., had nothing but praise for her former co-star. “I mean, he is awesome. He’s the best,” she said.

Though Bilson hasn’t yet watched Nobody Wants This, she’s thrilled about its success. “I hear everyone loves it, and I couldn’t be more excited,” she said, adding that Brody and his co-star Kristen Bell are “my people.”

Nobody Wants This, created by Erin Foster, follows an unconventional love story between a sex podcaster (Bell) and a newly single rabbi (Brody). The show became a breakout hit, with viewers fawning over Brody’s portrayal of a “hot rabbi,” prompting comparisons to his O.C. character Seth Cohen. The series has already been renewed for a second season.

The renewed attention on Brody has reignited nostalgia for The O.C., which aired from 2003 to 2007 and followed the tumultuous life of Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) after he’s taken in by the wealthy Cohen family in Newport Beach. Brody’s Seth Cohen was known for his witty personality and for coining “Chrismukkah,” a blend of Christmas and Hanukkah. Bilson’s character, Summer, was Seth’s love interest on the show, and the two actors dated off-screen from 2003 to 2006.

In 2021, Bilson reunited with Brody on her podcast Welcome to the O.C., Bitches, which she co-hosts with fellow O.C. star Melinda Clarke. During the episode, they reminisced about their time on the show and discussed the idea of a revival. However, Brody expressed skepticism about bringing The O.C. back in today’s world, saying, “I don’t think it can be done because socially we’re in a different place, and we’re in a more conscious place.”

Brody added that revisiting Orange County would require significant political and social reckoning, noting, “For me, in a post-Donald Trump America, to go back to Orange County… you have to ask if that’s what people want to see. And in my eyes, I probably want to torch it more than the fans would.”

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